Newbie Landlord needs advice

paddy's_mum

I think I'd be more concerned about the tenant's comments regarding a term within the Agreement. Clearly a tenant who has learned how to play the game and is telegraphing to the LL that they are aware enough to force a bit of jumping through hoops in the future.

clutton_2

franklee says "" think you need to do some patching up of the landlord tenant relationship as you've given out an unreliable and cheapskate one so far "

how unfair and how rude

but then i expect nothing less from you - its another of your usual one-sided anti-landlord jibes - and rude as well - -

How about a critical comment with the regard to the tenant for their rude and aggressive manner which was wholly unnecessary. The LL - in less than 48 hours - had made several appointments for repair - MORE than reasonable in the eyes of the law

But we know by now that you dont let "balance" get in the way of your crusade against what you see as every landlord in the country being a Rachman - i really get sick of your biased and unfair anti-landlord jibes .....

SingleSue

I personally think this LL has tried his best to get the problem sorted quickly.

I live in housing association housing and even though boiler repairs are seen as emergency repairs, you can still expect to wait 48 hours or more for repair (particularly at weekends). I have in the past have had to wait over a week when my hot water and heating went a little pear shaped...and that was mid winter!

Maybe I am old school but I didn't moan or rant (despite at the time having children under 5), I just got the electric blown heaters and boiled the kettle (several times!) for washing...another bonus was my parents did my clothes washing for me!

Delays happen, getting workmen in within a very short space of time is not always possible (in fact, I would say more often than not, impossible).

mchale

I cant believe some of the replies on here, !!!!!! it was a Friday when LL tried to source a repairman, so now if a company doesn't turn out for a repair its the LL fault, get real some of you people

Planner

I think you should send the tenant the full amount they have requested, and then at the end of the tenancy if you still feel unhappy with the situation, you will have the oppotunity to use the arbitration people in which ever TDS scheme your in. This approach achieves two things;

1) it maintains the tenant/LL relationship during the tenancy

2) it will stop the tenant witholding the amount from next months rent payment.

franklee

clutton wrote: »

franklee says "" think you need to do some patching up of the landlord tenant relationship as you've given out an unreliable and cheapskate one so far "

how unfair and how rude

but then i expect nothing less from you - its another of your usual one-sided anti-landlord jibes - and rude as well - -

How about a critical comment with the regard to the tenant for their rude and aggressive manner which was wholly unnecessary. The LL - in less than 48 hours - had made several appointments for repair - MORE than reasonable in the eyes of the law

But we know by now that you dont let "balance" get in the way of your crusade against what you see as every landlord in the country being a Rachman - i really get sick of your biased and unfair anti-landlord jibes .....

That says more about you than it does about me. I note my comments aren't that different to others here yet you pick on me - again.

Of course the tenant should not have been rude, but as you so often point out when the boot is on the other foot we only have one side of the story - the OPs and we don't know exactly what the tenant said.

I think the tenants have the right to be angry, if it it moved to abusive, which of course is wrong, then the wife should have hung up not got into a conversation about letting the tenant get their own quotes.

Cancelling three times (and counting we do not know if there would have been more if the tenant hadn't pulled the plug) really isn't on. it does give me the impression of unreliable and cheapskate for having taken on work they can't follow through, no point in saying otherwise. That the landlord made four appointments is not the issue, the point is three of them were cancelled by the plumber and the fourth by the tenants as they'd had enough of being messed about.

clutton_2

"I think the tenants have the right to be angry" - why ??

they reported a problem which the LL did his immediate best to solve - what happened to patience, understanding and tolerance ?

If tenants come on here and say that their LL does nothing for a week/month/2/3/4/months i will join with you wholeheartedly in condemnation - as i have done on many occasions

but here we are talking about 2 days ..... - that's what i mean by your lack of balance

"cancelling three times" - it was not the LL that did this .. its was the contractor

it once took me nearly 2 months to get work done on a roof - and it was not for the want of trying - fortunately my tenants do have tolerance patience and understanding ...

for the third time in as many days - Landlords are NOT magicians

you are the one that is quick to quote "law" at landlords - no judge would EVER say that this landlords responses had been anything but reasonable

if you ever own a property you will find out how difficult it can be to get good-quality maintainance help quickly - and as someone said earlier, it is SO true that if someone you have not used before can come immediately it is usually because that they are rubbish at their jobs

franklee

clutton wrote: »

"cancelling three times" - it was not the LL that did this .. its was the contractor

Yes it was the contractor who cancelled three times and it sounds like they did it pretty near the due appointment so the tenant had been waiting in most of the weekend (Sat morning, Sat evening, Sun morning and then moved to Sun evening before the tenant pulled the plug Sunday after they pulled out of that mornings appointment).

Now this does give me a bad impression of the contractor. Cheapskate for taking on work when they don't have enough manpower to cover it unreliable for so many cancellations. Far better to have made an appointment they could keep even it it was say Monday morning.

The point is in being called "reactfast" presumably the company is building trade on being able to react fast, so they made the bookings and then kept pulling out.

Who knows when they would have eventually turned up, why would Sun night fare any better than the other three times?

Then the tenant would have to go through it all again when they returned with parts to do the repair.

Much better to say I'll come out Monday morning or whatever and stick to it! Even if it means the initial appointment wait was a bit longer at least the tenant would not have been messed about all weekend.

I wonder how many more cancellations it would have taken for the landlord to pull the plug and go elsewhere if the tenant hadn't done it?

franklee

clutton wrote: »

if you ever own a property you will find out how difficult it can be to get good-quality maintainance help quickly - and as someone said earlier, it is SO true that if someone you have not used before can come immediately it is usually because that they are rubbish at their jobs

I had a service contract with a big supplier, circa 120 quid a year (must be double that now). Initial call out within 24 hours covered. Waiting for parts took circa a week, I think I had to pay for the parts. Always got an initial call out within the 24 hour time slot as promised, just as well as the boiler went just the week before completion.

Boiler went here recently. landlord has contract with a company specialising in this type of boiler (probably recommended by the manufacturer). Fixed fee repair, guaranteed to have all parts on van so fix is done in first visit. Cost double a usual call out fee but there is no return visit needed and parts are included. Time to repair all in was three days. It can be done if you pay a bit more for good service, it was 230 pounds fixed fee all parts and labour, one visit required. (parts replaced were, PCB (at a random online shop was 120 pounds), other part (online 20 pounds), so a good deal IMO). Oh and they turned up on time. they give a half day range for the appointment and then ring in via mobile phone when they are on their way.

mchale

franklee wrote: »

I had a service contract with a big supplier, circa 120 quid a year (must be double that now). Initial call out within 24 hours covered. Waiting for parts took circa a week, I think I had to pay for the parts. Always got an initial call out within the 24 hour time slot as promised, just as well as the boiler went just the week before completion.

If your LL told you it would be a week before your boiler would be repaired, I take it you would be happy with that