Putting a tumble dryer into a rented flat - landlady's response

anna25071970

Not sure if this is the right section to ask but here goes; I rent a property with my husband and child. There is a washer dryer here but the dryer part is rubbish. I was thinking of buying a vent type dryer to put in the bedroom (the only place I could put it at present). I would put it on solid floor and the vent would go out the window. I have spoken to the letting agent who have relayed this to our landlady.

The landlady has come back with the following response;

1) That we could only use the dryer between 10-4am to mitigate disturbance to neighbours

Our answer - This is fine with us although our neighbours would be hyprocrites to complain about noise at ungodly hours.

2) That any wear/tear caused by the dryer to surrounding area be made good at our expense.

Our answer - This is fine. So long as landlord can prove that wear/tear has resulted solely from use of the dryer and not normal wear/tear from normal usage of the room.

3) She is concerned that flat will look cluttered and messy when she tries to sell it/rent it out in the future.

Our answer - We rent this flat and have all our possessions here. We would do our best to make it look uncluttered and presentable but there is little storage space and we feel that this is a bit unfair. She is either renting us a flat or a showroom and if it is a showroom we should be paying less .

I have to respond to the letting agents soon and just wanted to check exactly how I should reply to the landlady's points and whether my answers above are acceptable. Obviously I would be polite and compromise as much as possible but I don't know how much the landlady can dictate on such issues and how much rights we have as tenants with such an issue.

Cheers.

TrickyDicky

Afaik, there is nothing she can do to stop you buying stuff and using the flat as you want. No need for any permissions from her, assuming you dont do any damage to the flat itself or the existing posessions in there.

You can also ignore the comments about using it 10-4. Use it whenever you like. Thats a problem for you and your neighbours to sort out!

Sammy85_2

I wouldnt say you could have anything you want in your house, but something like this shouldnt require permission.

I wouldnt have asked in the first place, but since you have, just reply saying you will ensure no damage is caused by it. Take some pictures of the area before hand as proof for your records.

Be sure you have the vent through the window before using or you could cause damp/damage to internal decor/fittings.

anna25071970

Sammy85 wrote: »

I wouldnt say you could have anything you want in your house, but something like this shouldnt require permission.

I wouldnt have asked in the first place, but since you have, just reply saying you will ensure no damage is caused by it. Take some pictures of the area before hand as proof for your records.

Be sure you have the vent through the window before using or you could cause damp/damage to internal decor/fittings.

I didn't realised I'd officially asked. I just mentioned it briefly during the flat inspection to the letting agent that I *might* at some point buy a dryer. Didn't realise this would be reported back to the landlady as "can I put a dryer in the flat".

iamana1ias

Why are people so obsessed with tumble dryers? They're completely unneccessary, even in a small flat.

ET1976

Just to add, I have no idea what this kind of dryer looks like or what the bit going out of the window entails, but I have a clause in my lease which says nothing can be hung out of the windows. As it's a flat, it's likely your landlady is a leaseholder so it's possible there might be such a clause in her lease.

It probably wouldn't be an issue but you can get some busy-body types in neighbouring flats who report this kind of thing to the freeholder, so best to be absolutely sure.

anna25071970

iamana1ias wrote: »

Why are people so obsessed with tumble dryers? They're completely unneccessary, even in a small flat.

iamana1ias - What do you suggest then? There is very little room and we are currently using a clothes horse which means we can't access one area of our flat when the washing is out.

ET1976 - Thanks. Will check our tenancy agreement.

poppysarah

iamana1ias wrote: »

Why are people so obsessed with tumble dryers? They're completely unneccessary, even in a small flat.

Ah go on then how do you dry your clothes on a damp rainy week?

mikey72

My tenant never asked me. (I'd have put a vent through the wall if she had, but she's happy running the hose through the door)
As to hanging out of the window, it doesn't need to hang, just rest it on the windowsill, or trap the end with the frame.

iamana1ias

anna25071970 wrote: »

iamana1ias - What do you suggest then? There is very little room and we are currently using a clothes horse which means we can't access one area of our flat when the washing is out.

ET1976 - Thanks. Will check our tenancy agreement.

When I lived in a tiny studio flat I had an overbath airer and a clothes horse. It had storage heaters (not radiators) and you weren't allowed to hang clothes outside.

I just had to be very organised, and wash smaller loads. Bedding got washed weekly and hung over the bedframe to dry. I often hung tops on hangers from the curtain pole (with or without the window open). Even without the heating on it never took long to dry stuff, even towels would be dry overnight.

You just need to be practical about it

anna25071970

iamana1ias wrote: »

When I lived in a tiny studio flat I had an overbath airer and a clothes horse. It had storage heaters (not radiators) and you weren't allowed to hang clothes outside.

I just had to be very organised, and wash smaller loads. Bedding got washed weekly and hung over the bedframe to dry. I often hung tops on hangers from the curtain pole (with or without the window open). Even without the heating on it never took long to dry stuff, even towels would be dry overnight.

You just need to be practical about it

Thanks for your reply but your suggestions sound totally impractical and wouldn't apply to our flat (totally different specifications by the sound of it). I think I'd rather be an obsessive and buy a (practical) tumble dryer .