Nasty Bathroom

theartfullodger

We have recently rented a property and are planning on staying for the next 4 years. It is a nice property and our landlord has been very good so far but we have also been excellent tenants.

But your initial tenancy fixed term is for 6 or 12 months?? Don't want to make you worry but I'm sure you appreciate that after the end of the initial fixed term the landlord can give you notice 2 quit with 2 months notice without needing any reason?? (i.e. can get you out even iff you've been paying on time, every time, model tenants, no issues...). So perhaps consider how to suggest to Landlord this work... (eg I wonder if you would consider, would improve property, make more attractive... ). Sadly some Landlords if they get a few what they consider irritating requests from tenants may just decide to find a new tenant. That you request is reasonable may not matter.

Hope you can work it out: Most Landlords are keen on improving their properties, especially if it will be a cheap deal for them

Best regards

Artful

tbs624

Talk to the LL - none of us on here can say what he will want to do. If he sees the excellent job you say you have done of the rest of the property he may be happy to accommodate you on the tiles issue. Plain white tiles aren't that expensive and should he want to relet in the future the bathroom would obviously be less appealing with a patchwork effect in place.

It may however be that the LL has spare tiles which do match the ones that are currently in place.

neverdespairgirl

Jowo wrote: »

I've done a little research into it after you made this point but still can't see how this obliges the OPs landlord to make improvements to the bathroom instead of a repair because non-matching tiles will cause anxiety, based on the principles of the DDA summarised in this link...

I don't think it's cut-and-dried. Not my area of law. there are parts, however, which are potentially relevant, such as s.22:

(3)It is unlawful for a person managing any premises to discriminate against a disabled person occupying those premises—
(a)in the way he permits the disabled person to make use of any benefits or facilities;
(b)by refusing or deliberately omitting to permit the disabled person to make use of any benefits or facilities; or
(c)by evicting the disabled person, or subjecting him to any other detriment.


From your own link


How the duty works

The duty to make adjustments in relation to rented premises applies very differently to the duty to make adjustments in relation to service provision. It is owed to the individual disabled person and there is no obligation to make the adjustment unless there has been a request, or would could reasonably be regarded as a request, for the adjustment by, or on behalf of, the disabled person. Once there has been a request, the duty applies to the provision of auxiliary aids and services, such as:

• information in an accessible format
• the removal or replacement of any furniture, furnishings, materials or equipment
• the replacement or provision of any signs or notices
• the replacement of any taps or door handles
• the replacement, provision or adaptation of any door bell or door entry system
• changes to the colour of any surface.

The duty to change the terms on which accommodation is provided arises where, in addition to a request having been made as outlined above, a term of the letting makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for a disabled person to enjoy the premises or to make use of any benefit or facility which he is entitled to use; and the term would not have that effect if the disabled person did not have a disability.

Jowo_2

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

I don't think it's cut-and-dried. Not my area of law. there are parts, however, which are potentially relevant.

Clearly the DDA law is going to be long and complex but that succinct summary from the link I provided does not, in my reading of it, mean the OPs landlord has to retile a bathroom to accommodate their OCD issues.

The requests for adaptions made by disabled tenants that the landlord is obliged to consider and honour appear to be related to auxiliary aids and services, and seem very much orientated towards accommodating physical impairments.

If the landlord had said to the OP "I'm not giving you the tenancy because I never let people with mental health issues live in my property" that's a clear breach.

I really can't find any evidence that compels a landlord to make improvements to a property that are aesthetic in nature, though like yourself, this isn't my specialist area of knowledge.

Tiddlywinks

The OP has a pre-existing medical condition (the impact of which should have informed any personal renting decisions) yet still chose to move into this property despite its less than perfect upkeep.

The LL did not lie about the condition of the property, the OP appears to have had ample time to consider its suitability (considering their individual medical requirements) and then took the decision to rent. They could have chosen to rent a new build instead but, no, they considered this property to be suitable.

Why should the LL now have to make everything super-duper shiny and new to accommodate the OP? I do not think that asking a LL to re-tile the bathroom of a rented property because the new tenant cannot deal with mis-matched tiles is reasonable - even considering the requirements of the DDA. I feel that it would have been more reasonable for the tenant not to have rented the property in the first place by exercising a bit more self awareness.

OP - I'm sorry but you chose to rent the property fully aware of its condition - now you have to live with that decision.

If I were your LL, I would consider you to be 'high maintenance' and end the tenancy sooner rather than later (anticipating that these demands can only continue through a long term tenancy).

Nixer

OP you say that you have done lots of work on the place since you moved in. I can sort of see why, given your OCD, but normally I think that doing work on someone else's house is a really bad idea for two reasons 1) you need permission and 2) it isn't your property and any money and time you spend is improving someone else's asset - at best you only get short term benefit from it - possibly only 2 months benefit if you are in periodic. If you had a 4 year AST it might be worth doing improvements (with permission) but I have never heard of a private landlord being willing to issue one for more than a year. In my opinion you would be better off investing time and money in something like cognitive behavioral therapy for your OCD (if you haven't already tried therapy) rather than investing in someone else's asset.

clutton_2

as a LL - if i had a tenant who wanted to stay for 4 years, i would certainly want to do what i could to keep them, especially a tenant who redecorates gloss to a high standard !

why not get a quote for full tiling and do as others have suggested and ask the LL if you can split the cost.... but i suggest you pay for a professional tiler... amateur tilers will produce a poor unequal finish, possibly exacerbating your condition ....

talk to your landlord.... and see if you can negotiate a joint effort to get the bathroom up to a good standard. If you show him the redecoration you have done up to now, he will see that you are improving the property (hopefully) and that he will want to invest in the property for you .....

good luck

not_loaded

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

…Why should the LL now have to make everything super-duper shiny and new to accommodate the OP?…

To be fair to the OP making ‘everything super-duper shiny and new’ is NOT what is being requested/discussed here.

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

…If I were your LL, I would consider you to be 'high maintenance'…

Crikey - quite the opposite in my opinion. The high maintenance (of his property) is a bonus to the LL surely?

I have an OCD related problem, and I fight to control it. However, where the house maintenance and redecoration is concerned, my other half absolutely loves it.

RoseRed, I would talk to the LL accentuating the positives you can offer. Unless he has other plans, I’d have thought an OCD tenant for four years would suit him well. (apologies for making OCD sound like a good thing, I know it’s not…)

FATBALLZ

MadnessOfHPC.co.uk wrote: »

If I was that landlord I would firstly be livid to have only be told of the tenants mental illness AFTER they had already moved into my property, and secondly, demand that if they wanted the request to be accommodated then I'd ensure a professional tiling job was completed but add this total figure onto their rent to be spread out over the 4 years term.

I hope you make sure everyone you deal with is aware of your mental illness.

bitsandpieces

OP: nothing unreasonable about asking if tiling can be sorted. LL may well say yes, especially if you're happy to pay (a little tiling shouldn't cost a fortune).

MadnessOfHPC.co.uk wrote: »

If I was that landlord I would firstly be livid to have only be told of the tenants mental illness AFTER they had already moved into my property

I wasn't aware that LLs took a full medical history of prospective tenants. Should I write to let mine know that I occasionally get eczema? :rotfl: