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Can someone check this letter to our landlord please?
johnsons_baby
Posts: 388 Forumite
Hi folks,
Concerning leaving our rental house due to the landlord not fulfilling his repairing obligations, we have been asked to put our 'grievences' in writing, which I have done, could someone have a look at it and suggest any amendments/adjustments please? Not really sure if it's right but having a try!
Many thanks for any advice......
Dear Landlord,
RE: House we rent from you (address)
With reference to the above property myself and my partner (name) rent from you.
We have become extremely dissatisfied with your failure to address the statutory repairing obligations within the property in a reasonable amount of time.
As you are aware, we reported an issue of mortar falling from the area above the patio doors on 06/12/2010, this is the area between the door head and the area where the lintel has been removed. Your maintenance manager attended that afternoon and advised verbally that the damage would be repaired in the interim and that you, as the landlord, would replace the doors and make good the
damage before Christmas.
I also reported shortly afterwards that the patio doors were becoming stiff to open and a gap appeared between the doors where they overlap, which is letting in rain and the wind.
Whilst we are both aware this winter was extremely harsh and to an extent unexpected, we do feel that is unreasonable to have expected us to await ANY form of repair for almost 2 months.
As was pointed out and observed by your maintenance manager, the lounge is extremely cold and draughty, the curtains billow considerably even with a light breeze and the temperature of
the room rarely gets above 11 degrees celcius, even with the heating on.
In order to try to keep the house at some degree of habitable temperature over the extreme cold snap, for ourselves and our two children, we have had to have the heating on full, 24/7.
As you are aware, the heating is run on propane, since the commencement of our tenancy in November, we have spent in excess of £400 on bottles, £300 of that has been in the period 6/12/2010 until the present date, which we also find unreasonable, particularly as a lot of heat is lost as a result of the said door issue.
I visited your office on (date) and was initially advised by your team that you had yet to decide your course of action and when I visited your offices again on (date), you refused to carry out any form
of repair or replacement owing to the fact that 'there is a recession and shortage of builders'.
As a result of your failure to address the statutory obligations placed upon you, myself and the children have been unable to live at the property since 2 January and are staying with relatives, (partner) has remained at the property. As you are also aware, I am pregnant.
Other maintenance issues have also failed to be addressed:
* Handle on utility room door is absent and has been since the start of the tenancy- advised upon moving in your would send someone to repair, this has not happened and
I have spoken to your staff ad e-mailed regarding this.
* You advised you would provide smoke alarms- we are still awaiting these.
* The shower is not working properly- the temperature changes rapidly and again, you said the manufacturer would attend as it was under guarantee- numerous reminders later
no one has attended
* Garage door is broken, cannot be lifted, you advised this was expansion due to the cold and would rectify itself once temperatures rose- again, numerous e-mails and calls to your office and nothing has been done in this respect.
My partner and I have no option but to put the welfare of our children and ourselves first and therefore due to the failure of your duties under S.11 of the Landlord and Tenanct Act 1985 which states' as a Landlord you are responsible for repairs to the
structure and exterior of the property, sinks, baths and any other sanitary installations within the property' We give notice that we intend to vacate the property on 3rd March 2011.
We will, as per our tenancy agreement, pay 'all reasonable costs in re-letting the property', which your administrator has advised is 2 weeks rent, we are also willing to privately advertise the property at our own cost and introduce any prospective tenant to your agency.
As per our tenancy agreement, we will have the carpets cleaned and the garden will be left in good order, please arrange for a checkout inspection 3 days prior as per our tenancy agreement.
We await your acceptance of the above in writing.
Yours Sincerely,
Your (unhappy & very cold) tenants.
Concerning leaving our rental house due to the landlord not fulfilling his repairing obligations, we have been asked to put our 'grievences' in writing, which I have done, could someone have a look at it and suggest any amendments/adjustments please? Not really sure if it's right but having a try!
Many thanks for any advice......
Dear Landlord,
RE: House we rent from you (address)
With reference to the above property myself and my partner (name) rent from you.
We have become extremely dissatisfied with your failure to address the statutory repairing obligations within the property in a reasonable amount of time.
As you are aware, we reported an issue of mortar falling from the area above the patio doors on 06/12/2010, this is the area between the door head and the area where the lintel has been removed. Your maintenance manager attended that afternoon and advised verbally that the damage would be repaired in the interim and that you, as the landlord, would replace the doors and make good the
damage before Christmas.
I also reported shortly afterwards that the patio doors were becoming stiff to open and a gap appeared between the doors where they overlap, which is letting in rain and the wind.
Whilst we are both aware this winter was extremely harsh and to an extent unexpected, we do feel that is unreasonable to have expected us to await ANY form of repair for almost 2 months.
As was pointed out and observed by your maintenance manager, the lounge is extremely cold and draughty, the curtains billow considerably even with a light breeze and the temperature of
the room rarely gets above 11 degrees celcius, even with the heating on.
In order to try to keep the house at some degree of habitable temperature over the extreme cold snap, for ourselves and our two children, we have had to have the heating on full, 24/7.
As you are aware, the heating is run on propane, since the commencement of our tenancy in November, we have spent in excess of £400 on bottles, £300 of that has been in the period 6/12/2010 until the present date, which we also find unreasonable, particularly as a lot of heat is lost as a result of the said door issue.
I visited your office on (date) and was initially advised by your team that you had yet to decide your course of action and when I visited your offices again on (date), you refused to carry out any form
of repair or replacement owing to the fact that 'there is a recession and shortage of builders'.
As a result of your failure to address the statutory obligations placed upon you, myself and the children have been unable to live at the property since 2 January and are staying with relatives, (partner) has remained at the property. As you are also aware, I am pregnant.
Other maintenance issues have also failed to be addressed:
* Handle on utility room door is absent and has been since the start of the tenancy- advised upon moving in your would send someone to repair, this has not happened and
I have spoken to your staff ad e-mailed regarding this.
* You advised you would provide smoke alarms- we are still awaiting these.
* The shower is not working properly- the temperature changes rapidly and again, you said the manufacturer would attend as it was under guarantee- numerous reminders later
no one has attended
* Garage door is broken, cannot be lifted, you advised this was expansion due to the cold and would rectify itself once temperatures rose- again, numerous e-mails and calls to your office and nothing has been done in this respect.
My partner and I have no option but to put the welfare of our children and ourselves first and therefore due to the failure of your duties under S.11 of the Landlord and Tenanct Act 1985 which states' as a Landlord you are responsible for repairs to the
structure and exterior of the property, sinks, baths and any other sanitary installations within the property' We give notice that we intend to vacate the property on 3rd March 2011.
We will, as per our tenancy agreement, pay 'all reasonable costs in re-letting the property', which your administrator has advised is 2 weeks rent, we are also willing to privately advertise the property at our own cost and introduce any prospective tenant to your agency.
As per our tenancy agreement, we will have the carpets cleaned and the garden will be left in good order, please arrange for a checkout inspection 3 days prior as per our tenancy agreement.
We await your acceptance of the above in writing.
Yours Sincerely,
Your (unhappy & very cold) tenants.
0
Comments
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sounds good0
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Speak with ARLA first - they can tell you your rights.
I rented a few years ago where the landlord tried to charge me for paper coming free from the ceiling in the bathroom and ARLA gave some good advice. You can also go to an obudsman.0 -
Dear Landlord,
RE: House we rent from you (address)
With reference to the above property myself and my partner (name) rent from you.
We have become extremely dissatisfied with (concerned about) your (apparent) failure to address the (what we feel are your) statutory repairing obligations within (to) the property in a reasonable amount of time.
As you are aware, we reported an issue of mortar falling from the area above the patio doors on 06/12/2010, this is the area between the door head and the area where the lintel has been removed. Your maintenance manager attended that afternoon and advised (us) verbally that (he understood that) the damage would be repaired in the interim and that you, as the landlord, would (seek to) replace the doors and make good the damage before Christmas.
I also reported shortly afterwards that the patio doors were becoming stiff to open and a gap appeared between the doors where they overlap, which is letting in rain and the wind.
Whilst we are both (all) aware (that) this winter was (has been) extremely harsh and to an extent unexpected, we do feel that is unreasonable (not reasonable) to have expected us to await (for) ANY form of repair (whatsoever) for almost 2 months (now).
As was pointed out and observed by your maintenance manager, the lounge is extremely cold and draughty, the curtains billow considerably even with a light breeze and (consequently) the temperature of the room rarely (never) gets (reaches) above 11 degrees celcius, even with the heating on.
In order to try to (In an attempt to) keep the house at some degree of habitable temperature over the extreme cold snap for ourselves and our two children, (get rid of this) we have had to have (needed to have) the heating on full, 24/7 (for a great deal longer than would ordinarily be necessary).
As you are aware, the heating is run on propane, (and) since the commencement of our tenancy in November we have spent in excess of £400 on bottles, £300 of that (which) has been in (for) the period 6/12/2010 until (to) the present date, which we also find unreasonable, particularly as a lot of (ALL of it, surely!) heat is lost as a result of the said door issue.
I visited your office on (date) and was initially advised by your team that you had yet to decide your course of action and when I visited your offices again on (date), you refused to carry out any form
of repair or replacement owing to the fact that 'there is a recession and shortage of builders'.
As a result of your failure to address the (your) statutory obligations placed upon you (get rid of this) myself and the children have been unable to live at the property since 2 January and are staying with relatives, (partner) has remained at the property. As you are also aware, I am pregnant. (Sorry, but being pregnant is hopefully not your landlord’s fault or responsibility. Ladies who are preggers don’t need more heat than those who are not, so I would omit this).
Other maintenance issues have also failed to be addressed (despite being reported to you in good time):
* Handle on utility room door is absent and has been since the start of the tenancy: we were advised upon moving in that tou would (arrange to) send someone to repair (install one). (Your records should show) that this has not happened (been carried out) and
I have spoken to your staff and e-mailed (contacted your staff both verbally and by email) regarding this.
* You advised you would provide smoke alarms- we are still awaiting these.
* The shower is not working properly: the temperature changes rapidly, and again you said the manufacturer would attend as it was under guarantee. Numerous reminders later no one has attended
* Garage door is broken (and) cannot be lifted (raised). You advised this was expansion due to the cold and would rectify itself once temperatures rose- (Are you sure about that? Every schoolboy knows that cold makes things contract, not expand) again, numerous e-mails and calls to your office and (but) nothing has been done in this respect.
My partner and I have no option but to put the welfare of our children and ourselves first and therefore due to the failure of your duties under S.11 of the Landlord and Tenanct (Tenant!) Act 1985 which states “as a Landlord you are responsible for repairs to the
structure and exterior of the property, sinks, baths and any other sanitary installations within the property' We give notice that we intend to vacate (We feel we have no other alternative but to indicate our intention to vacate) the property on 3rd March 2011.
We will, per our tenancy agreement, pay 'all reasonable costs in re-letting the property', which your administrator has advised (indicated) is (will be) two weeks rent. We are also willing to privately advertise the property at our own cost (expense) and introduce any prospective tenant to your agency.
As per our tenancy agreement, we (confirm that we) will have the carpets cleaned and the garden will be left in good order. Please arrange for a (mutually convenient time for the) checkout inspection 3 days prior (before 3rd March) (also) per our tenancy agreement.
We await your acceptance of the above in writing.
Yours sincerely,
Your (unhappy & very cold) tenants.
A pedant writes: I've tidied it up a bit for you. I'm not happy about the bit concerning the garage door. Not that the sod has declined to do anything about it but that they are waiting for the temps to rise so that door will expand (not contract). This doesn't make any logical sense to me at all. But then again he is an agent.....0 -
Aw thanks a million Bitter and Twisted, you are a veritable genius!
Yes he did say that about the garage door, it left me wondering what planet he was on but as we do not use the garage other than for OH's bits and pieces and it does have a side door, we weren't overly concerned initially but now as OH is getting a company car, we would have liked the opportunity to utilise the garage.
We are meeting him face to face tomorrow, or at least we are supposed to be, I anticipate by the fact that they asked us to write a letter he might not be there, he does try and avoid talking to anyone, when we first went to the office to look at what they had, he wouldn't even raise his head to acknowledge us, even though he was manning the office on his own and the last time I went in, he tried to avoid talking to me, but still, you can't anticipate what he might do in advance!
Many thanks once more B&T0 -
what date did you move in and what was the fixed period of the agreement you signed ? ... without that information no on can tell you if it is legal for you to move out yet or not0
-
The OP has a couple of other related threads.what date did you move in and what was the fixed period of the agreement you signed ? ... without that information no on can tell you if it is legal for you to move out yet or notjohnsons_baby wrote: »I checked my tenancy and there is a clause which says that if I wish to leave before the end of the fixed term, I must pay all reasonable costs associated with re-letting the property, which I am more than willing to do.
However, the other half has a friend who is interested in the house, even with it's issues!.0 -
johnsons_baby wrote: »Garage door is broken, cannot be lifted, you advised this was expansion due to the cold and would rectify itself once temperatures rose- again, numerous e-mails and calls to your office and nothing has been done in this respect.
Haha, I love this.
Last I checked metal shrunk in the cold, not expended.0
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