Landlord/Letting Agent will not fix bathroom light

ben_staples

Hi,

I live in a rented 1 Bedroom flat, first tenant to live there since it was converted.
I have been having a problem with the bathroom light.
It's on a 'fancy' motion detector which is pretty useless, it goes off if you sit in the bath still for a few minutes and sometimes goes on when no one is in the room.
Way back in September 08 (8 months after moving in) our bathroom light stopped working, we phoned the letting agent and they sent the landlord round to have a look within a few days.
The landlord changed the bulb but also noted that the fitting was being held together with a cable tie.
With the new bulb and the 40 minutes of fiddling the landlord had given it it seemed to work but after a few days it failed again.

I phoned the letting agent and they said they would get back to me.

This carried on for a few weeks, not getting called back and not getting anywhere so I sent an email to them and copied in the letting agency head office customer service email. This actually got a reply from them and they said they would contact me shortly to arrange an engineer to visit.

I waited for two weeks but still had not been contacted so I emailed them again, they fobbed me off saying that they would contact me again.

Again they did not get in touch, it was now in December and getting dark in the evenings (taking a shower in the dark is no fun and shaving is even worse) so I sent another email around the 20th of January saying that if they didn't organise the repair I would have it repaired myself and send them the invoice.

They replied to this saying that they had arranged repair for the 23rd of December but they also said that if I were to get it repaired myself they wouldn't be responsible for any of the costs.

The 23rd came and went. No engineer, no contact to tell me there was a problem and still no light.

I'm not sure where I can go now, people have suggested the local housing ombudsman but I really want it sorted out sooner than later.
I want to withhold rent but I know I can be evicted for this.

Would it be a bad idea to turn up at the office and sit there until something is done?
I'm big angry looking guy so I have quite a 'presence'.

Any advice or information anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

N79

You have some smart people giving you advice. I would concur.

Do not withhold rent and I'm afraid you are a long way from being able to do the repair and send the bill to the LL.

PasturesNew

In the interim, get some solar lights and stick up lights.

abaxas

Tell LL you are going to offset the costs. Here's what to do...

1) tell LL you will offset costs against rent if he doesnt fix within 'reasonable timeframe'. A month from original problem is more than sufficient
2) get 3x quotes for the work and send to LL via registered post.
3) wait for 2-3 weeks then tell LL which quote you are going with.
4) get work done and remove costs from rent.

If at anytime the LL fixes the problem you simply forget all about it!

NEVER withold rent unless it is without risk.

ben_staples

Thanks for the replies.
It's already been 3 months since the problem was first reported, could I get the quotes done sooner or should I still leave a month before arranging this?

If it comes to it I'm quite willing to move out but I'd much rather not as I do like the flat when it's lit.

N79

abaxas wrote: »

Tell LL you are going to offset the costs. Here's what to do...

1) tell LL you will offset costs against rent if he doesnt fix within 'reasonable timeframe'. A month from original problem is more than sufficient
2) get 3x quotes for the work and send to LL via registered post.
3) wait for 2-3 weeks then tell LL which quote you are going with.
4) get work done and remove costs from rent.

If at anytime the LL fixes the problem you simply forget all about it!

NEVER withold rent unless it is without risk.

Just to add to this that at 3, you would need to go with the lowest quotation. It is also always worth spelling out in the letter at step 1 what you believe is a reasonable timeframe.

As an aside I would also argue that your waiting periods are too short and do not allow a reasonable time for the LL to effect the repair - given that this repair is not critical. I would argue that you need to allow at least 1 month from sending the quotations before instructing contractors yourself in order to protect yourself from the claim that you have acted unreasonably.

It is worth noting that since the new IEE regs came in last summer the LL may be unable to do this as a simple repair as the wiring requirements for bathrooms have changed significantly (eg seperate isolation) and so what seems like an easy new light fitting becomes a nightmare rewire to meet the regs! Not trying to defend an incompetant LL, but the OP may find that the work is more extensive than they realise.

zaphod_beeblebrox_2

Could you not remove the fitting yourself, store in a cupboard, replace with a new flush ceilng fitting (not hanging pendant as bathroom) and touch up the ceiling paintwork and put it all down to a bad experience (book of life)

Lifes too short

poppysarah

Have you put your complaint in writing?

CC it to the council's private sector housing team,

Infidel

The six million dollar question: Will the majority of landlords ever realise that they are not masters and jacks of all trades? :money:

shaven-monkey

No. may i have my six million dollars now?

poppysarah

zaphod_beeblebrox wrote: »

Could you not remove the fitting yourself, store in a cupboard, replace with a new flush ceilng fitting (not hanging pendant as bathroom) and touch up the ceiling paintwork and put it all down to a bad experience (book of life)

Lifes too short

All bathroom electrics are part P rules now - so no, not unless they are a qualified electrician.

The light sounds dangerous.