Problems with letting agency

ste_coxy

Hi guys,

I am not 100% if this is the correct place to post here however, I need some advice on how to sort out a problem with my dishwasher.

I noticed water collecting at the bottom of the compartment and so, it has not been used since. It was reported 2 weeks ago and then between my housemate and I taking days off and rearranging shifts so that one of us could be in to let the repair man in, nobody came until yesterday.

He managed to drain the compartment however, he said he had found a blockage but instead of pulling it out he pushed it further in?! Consequently, I tried to put a cycle on but now there is no water entering the dishwasher at all!

Naturally, I want this to be sorted prior to Christmas but it not looking likely as the letting agency are a nightmare to get a response from - they ignore their emails, trying to get answers over the phone is like pulling teeth, they promise phone calls back but then you end ringing them back yourself as you know they won't bother and they insist on someone being at the property to let the repair man in but this is hard with us both working during the day. I tried to organise directly with the repair man for tomorrow evening and Thursday but he has not bothered to reply.

What I need to know really is:

• Does someone really need to be at the property? Can the letting agency not just let them in?
• Where do we stand after we have already waited 2 weeks for this to be sorted and it has still not been resolved? They have already caused us inconvenience for the trouble taken for someone to be in the property and then nobody turned up.
• What else can I do to get this resolved as I have just sent them an email to complain about their 'service'.

Your help would be most appreciated.

Morvern_callar

Can't you use the sink to wash the dishes in like us poor folks do?

Gwhiz

As a matter of interest - why did you not try to fix the problem yourself first? I had a DW that was blocked - just took out all filters, had a rummage and, hey presto it all works!!

Or is that too simple?

ste_coxy

morvern_callar - we have had to do this but not really the point is it - if something is broke it needs fixing?

gwhiz - had already looked on the internet for solutions and tried removing the filter to no avail.

Gwhiz

ste_coxy wrote: »

morvern_callar - we have had to do this but not really the point is it - if something is broke it needs fixing?

gwhiz - had already looked on the internet for solutions and tried removing the filter to no avail.

Oh well..at least you tried!!! Good luck getting it sorted!

BitterAndTwisted

The reason why the letting agents appear to not be tackling the problem is that any expenses incurred have to be santioned by the landlord first. You contact the agents, they contact the landlord for authorisation, then they arrange a repair if the LL OKs it. It's not the agents who are messing you around, it's much more likely to be the landlord not being contactable or not wanting the money spent.

In your position, if you want the repair done before Christmas I'd contact the agents and ask them for authorisation from the landlord to arrange a repair myself.

ste_coxy

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

The reason why the letting agents appear to not be tackling the problem is that any expenses incurred have to be santioned by the landlord first. You contact the agents, they contact the landlord for authorisation, then they arrange a repair if the LL OKs it. It's not the agents who are messing you around, it's much more likely to be the landlord not being contactable or not wanting the money spent.

In your position, if you want the repair done before Christmas I'd contact the agents and ask them for authorisation from the landlord to arrange a repair myself.

Thank you for this.

Can I take this out of next month's rent any expense occured?

Fire_Fox

It's not the letting agent's job to repair the dishwasher, it is the landlords responsibility. You cannot withhold money from your rent unless you have the prior agreement of the landlord, or unless you have followed the correct procedure and the landlord has still not repaired within a "reasonable" timeframe.

Have you put your complaint into writing directly to the landlord and copy to the letting agents? I would fax or hand deliver one copy and send the second recorded or special delivery (Xmas post).

BitterAndTwisted

ste_coxy wrote: »

Can I take this out of next month's rent any expense occured?

No, you can't, not without the landlord's express permission in writing. Do as Fire Fox suggested and put your request for a full repair in writing. You might need documentation in future as an audit-trail.

Fire_Fox

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

I wonder if this is actually is the landlord's responibility, I'm not sure because the dishwasher hasn't actually malfunctioned has it?
He might say the tenant blocked the dishwasher pipes by not scraping the plates properly?

What's the procedure if the tenant blocks the toilet or plugs up the shower with hair?

We blocked a pipe recently and our landlord fixed it but I wonder if we should actually have been responsible for clearing it?

The landlord can't prove that it is the tenant's fault until they have attempted a repair - if there is a food blockage then they can certainly argue basic maintenance wasn't carried out, but it may be the pump has gone or some other mechanical fault.

theartfullodger

Why not eat out until someone fixes it for you???

Wish I could afford to live somewhere with a Dishwasher...

Cheers!

Lodger