tenant threatening to with-hold rent

crisp

I purchased an ex-la property a few months ago. now the tenant (who came with the property) has threatened to with hold the rent for two reasons.

1. he cannot get a decent tv reception, despite him telling me this is because the freeholder has electric equipment on the roof interferring with reception. its beyond my control.

2. he says the flat is cold. which is moot. there is a corgi boiler pumping radiators and I was there yesterday night and it felt fine despite the cold spell.

I feel the tenant is trying it on to either default or get a reduction in rent.

any advice is welcome.

Zelie

1 Reception is not part of the tenancy. Though you might want to mention to the freeholder that his equipment is causing problems to other residents. That's purely a *nice* thing to do though and not your obligation.

2. I'm sure there is a reasonable technical solution to this one. There must be some sort of thermometer which sends temp readings to a data dump. You'd want something which the tenant could not affect and obviously would not want to install a thermometer and ask him to take readings as he would likely give you something deliberately wrong. Take readings for a week - that should be enough to give you an idea of whether the heating is adequate or not. (For definitions of 'adequate' you could use something like the temperatures required in schools/nurseries as I don't think there is any expectation for housing).

Inform him in writing that you intend to take the above course of action. Then when you have your reply from the freeholder and temperature readings inform him in writing that there is nothing further you can reasonably do. Also inform him that if he withholds his rent then he is in breach of contract and risks being evicted. Follow through on that if necessary - by taking the above action and by informing him in writing before and after then you are able to show a court that you have taken all reasonable measures possible to resolve the issues the tenant has and that his complaints are groundless.

Obviously it goes without saying that if the heating is poor then you should take steps to fix it! (When did you last get the boiler and radiators checked? Documentation showing that they are functioning well would also help in court).

clutton_2

when does his AST expire ?

i think he is trying it on - with a vengeance.

if you are convinced that you have done everything that is "reasonable" then i think you have no alternative other than to issue a Section 21 at the earliest opportunity.

once tenants start to behave in this childish nit-picky manner - it NEVER gets any better

or just wait till he is one month and one day overdue with his rent and issue a Section 8 notice.

zaphod_beeblebrox_2

Or just send the boys round

mbga9pgf

zaphod_beeblebrox wrote: »

Or just send the boys round

Good luck finding a new tennant to an ex-la property in the current market!!!

Its flooded with properties! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

pinkshoes

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Good luck finding a new tennant to an ex-la property in the current market!!!

Its flooded with properties! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Only a complete ar*ehole would make a comment like that.

Recessions aren't fun, lots of people losing their jobs, can't pay their rents etc... perhaps you'll be hit by it yourself in some way?

Perhaps you should try being a little more thoughful?

theGrinch

call him and talk it over with him and see if there is more to it than at first sight

mbga9pgf

pinkshoes wrote: »

Only a complete ar*ehole would make a comment like that.

Recessions aren't fun, lots of people losing their jobs, can't pay their rents etc... perhaps you'll be hit by it yourself in some way?

Perhaps you should try being a little more thoughful?

Only a complese ars*hole would come on a website and advise some newbie BTL bling wannabie to evict his Tennant becuase he wants the rent cut, without knowing the full facts. Happy new year to you too.

N79

mbga9pgf wrote: »

Only a complese ars*hole would come on a website and advise some newbie BTL bling wannabie to evict his Tennant becuase he wants the rent cut.

fact facts, LLs are going to be paying for their tennants in the near future to stay in their houses... Like it or not.

I agree completely with Clutton's advice. Once a childish T always a childish T. The only thing to do is to get rid of them with the minimal fuss. If a good T attempts to negotiate a rent cut in an adult way then only a mad LL would evict. That is not the case here.

While I suspect market conditions vary accross the country, no LL will start paying their Ts to remain put - hardly a sound business model. Good houses will always rent because people will always need good homes.

Note - mbga9pgf edited their original post to remove their "future prediction" hence the discrepancy between their post and my quotation of it.

mbga9pgf

N79 wrote: »

While I suspect market conditions vary accross the country, no LL will start paying their Ts to remain put - hardly a sound business model. Good houses will always rent because people will always need good homes.

.

What happens when they dont get a choice? What happens when an area takes a load of redundancies in the area because the local factory has closed down and the government start to squeeze LLs for LA rents? ITs going to make their pips squeek, thats what. It doesnt matter if its a sound business model or not; many LLs are now deeply in Negative equity and have no choice but to keep tennants in for cashflow. If deflation happens, rents WILL (and are already dropping). If the rent doesnt cover mortgage and costs, the LL cant just stop because they are in negative equity and deeply in the dwang. :T

N79

mbga9pgf wrote: »

What happens when they dont get a choice? What happens when an area takes a load of redundancies in the area because the local factory has closed down and the government start to squeeze LLs for LA rents? ITs going to make their pips squeek, thats what. It doesnt matter if its a sound business model or not; many LLs are now deeply in Negative equity and have no choice but to keep tennants in for cashflow. If deflation happens, rents WILL (and are already dropping). If the rent doesnt cover mortgage and costs, the LL cant just stop because they are in negative equity and deeply in the dwang. :T

Any LL who has such a concentrated portfolio that the closure of a local factory / major employer would have such a knock on effect does not have a sound business model.

LLs who have over mortgaged their properties do not have a sound business model.

I agree that many amateur LLs may soon be subsidising Ts. Serious LLs will not and never will. Dream on!