Where does my landlord live? I'm not sure!

ceh209

I'm about to move in to my new rented place, having started my tenancy agreement on 1st March. Signed the contract, it has the landlord's address in - great I thought, she actually lives in this country, and quite local aswell. Perfect, should be a lot simpler to get repairs done.

Now I was only given 1 set of keys on 1st March (it's a 2 bed flat for 2 people) and the letting agents are now washing their hands of it as they're not managing the property...

I've got the landlady's (english) mobile number, I was told she was on holiday till the end of the month of February, so on 2nd March I phoned to enquire about another set of keys. (BTW it's apparently a 'special' set that I would have to send away to get another one cut).
She says 'oh I'm still on holiday, i'll be back tomorrow.'

Phoned her on 3rd March, at the first attempt got her answerphone - in Spanish. At the 2nd attempt she answered, 'oh i'm still not back, i didn't get my flight. i'll be back tomorrow'.

Hmm getting a bit suspicious now! I'm going to try again tonight, what do you think my best course of action would be if she's still not back? I want to talk to her about some minor repairs aswell, but getting another key is the most important thing.

As a related point, how can I serve notice on her (for anything - repairs, leaving etc) if she has an address in this country but isn't actually here?

BitterAndTwisted

As long as you have an address for sending notices it's not your business where your landlady is today or sleeps at night. Stop phoning and send a recorded delivery letter to the address on your tenancy agreement requesting the additional set of keys and noting the issues which need attention and keep a copy for your own records.. Never deal with any landlord by phone !

ceh209

I thought it would be simpler and quicker to arrange over a phone call... of course I will write pretty damn soon if I can't get a proper reply. Problem is only 1 of of can realistically move in with only 1 set of keys! (yes i know it would technically be possible for both of us to move, but hardly at all convenient)

Not worth hassling the letting agents about it all then?

G_M

If the agent is not managing the property they will not be interested. Even if they are, your contract is with the LL. Write to her.

Use her address on the contract for communicating, and for serving notices. There's a complex discussion on landlordzone here about the best postal service to use for serving notices, and whether they are deemed served on the day of posting, day of delivery, or 2 days after posting (and if they are returned unsigned for).

Are the keys really so special? Mosty locksmiths will cut most keys. I don't htink there's any legal requirement for the LL to give more than one set of keys.

If you have reason to believe she's an overseas landlord (bit early to say) then tax is an issue for you(see here).

BitterAndTwisted

I thought you said that the agents had washed their hands of it? if they're not managing the property then they obviously cannot help you with issues regarding additional keys or repairs, unless they actually hold a second set of keys and haven't passed them on.

I'd be having a look in your local hardware store to see if I could change the barrels on the locks. It's a five-minute job and only requires a screwdriver. This is obviously no help if the lock with key which has to be sent away for is on the shared front door. Changing the locks will also prevent the landlord from popping in when you're not there and haven't given your permission for them to enter.

ceh209

well i take it back... at least partly

i did get hold of her, she is back in the country! she told me the locks had been changed since the original 'special' ones, so the agents were talking rubbish and I should just get another set cut myself. Definitely changing the locks now if that's been her advice to previous tenants.

She doesn't seem interested in doing any of the minor repairs i mentioned unfortunately. However I've now discovered the oven doesn't heat up (I really have tried everything, the fan comes on but no heat), so I'll be writing to her about that today. Before you ask, yep I've looked at shelter for the right procedure, as I'm pretty sure she won't fix it herself.