12 month contract up in August

ste_coxy

Hi guys, I am just after a bit of information please.

I have had a 12 month contract with my property since August 09. It is due to expire in August and I am wondering if I have any leeway in bartering for a reduction in rent if we were to sign another 12 month contract.

We had X amount of problems when we first moved in including:

dirty matresses, cupboard falling to bits, living room in a state lots of dirty cutlery, broken oven door and damp carpets that stunk the flat out as someone had forgotten to ventilate the flat before we moved in.

Since then we have been without our dishwasher for a period of 2 months and also when there was the big freeze we had no water for nearly 2 weeks. I think the dishwasher has actually broken again and I am not looking forward to trying to chase up our letting agency to get this repaired as they are less than helpful - we always have to chase them up and make complaints about their customer service.

Could we use this to try and get say £50 off the rent - it is currently £700 a month at the moment.

Also, when we first moved in due to the bed situation I had with the mattress being disgusting I asked them to remove the bed completely and I would put my own bed in from my parent's house but they said the landlord had nowhere to put it. The mattress they suplied me with is not very supportive and I would prefer my own one instead. Can I enforce them to remove this so I can have my own?

Your advice would be much appreicated.

lizzielondon

how much are similar properties in the same area going for at the mo?

Sammy85_2

If you've been in for a year without increase already, in your position i would expect the landlord to be thinking of increasing the rent, so unlikely he'd consider a reduction. All depends on your current rent compared to others in the area.

What are the rents like for comparable properties in your area?

ste_coxy

Why would you say you would expect for the rent to increase?

They are all around the £650-£675 mark. Although, I think ours is slightly bigger and better situated as we do not have neighbours directly to the left or right.

What about the situation with regards to the bed?

Alias_Omega

ste_coxy wrote: »

dirty matresses, cupboard falling to bits, living room in a state lots of dirty cutlery, broken oven door and damp carpets that stunk the flat out as someone had forgotten to ventilate the flat before we moved in.

Since then we have been without our dishwasher for a period of 2 months and also when there was the big freeze we had no water for nearly 2 weeks. I think the dishwasher has actually broken again and I am not looking forward to trying to chase up our letting agency to get this repaired as they are less than helpful - we always have to chase them up and make complaints about their customer service.

Could we use this to try and get say £50 off the rent - it is currently £700 a month at the moment.

Also, when we first moved in due to the bed situation I had with the mattress being disgusting I asked them to remove the bed completely and I would put my own bed in from my parent's house but they said the landlord had nowhere to put it. The mattress they suplied me with is not very supportive and I would prefer my own one instead. Can I enforce them to remove this so I can have my own?

A landlords view -

It sounds like you have rented the house furnished, which will come funny enough furnished. The items may have been sourced from 2nd hand shops / house clearances, or even held from old stock.

If you viewed the house, you should of agreed what should stay, be replaced etc before moving into the house, as once you sign the tenacy agreement, your saying that you are happy with the good that are in the house, both in condition and quality.

With the rent issue, you probably havent been issued notice to quit, so the landlord would be looking for you to stay on, which will mean less hassle for him, and a tenant at a time when rental properties are everywhere.

They may want to keep the tenant, but they fully understand what other houses cost to rent, and the costs incurred for moving, especially the fee's with moving telephone lines, internet, sky tv etc.

If you came to me, wanting a rent deduction, i would tell you no as i would call your bluff.

Though if you gave me notice to quit, maybe that would be a different question....


Se