Garage included in tenancy agreement but we can't use it!

kjmtidea

We moved into our house 4 years ago, we rent through a letting agent. We have a garage that we were given the keys to when we first moved in but the letting agent wasn't sure what garage is ours because they are in a big block for the whole road.

The letting agent didn't get back to us, the key that we have doesn't fit any of the garages. Over the past 4 years we have been constantly asking for them to sort this out for us and they always promise they will but we are still waiting!

I know it's not a major thing but we have 4 children, dragging all their bikes and scooters through the house to the shed is getting extremely tedious. Not to mention that we are paying for it after all. So what would my next step be? Other than screaming and shouting :rotfl:

Thank you.

G_M

Have you put your complaint in writing?

To the landlord? How often? Do you have copies of the 4 years-worth of correspondance?

Have you had a reply? What was it?

kjmtidea

Most of it was done over the phone to our letting agent, twice yearly they do an inspection and when I mentioned it then, they wrote it on the paper work.

I did write to our landlord and got a reply stating that he wanted everything done through the letting agent.

G_M

Well it's time (actually well past time) that
a) you stopped having friendly chats over the phone etc and started writing formal letters and
b) you forced your landlord to stop hiding behind his agent.

What is the garage worth to you as a % of the total rent you pay? 10%?

So write and ask for a reduction in rent of 10% for the failure to provide the garage that formed part of the contract. Back-dated 4 years.

If/when you get a refusal, an excuse, a fob-off or no reply, you write again, heading the letter "Letter Before Action" giving the landlord (NOT the agent) 7 working days to refund your money.

After 7 working days you go to the Small Claims Court and make a claim for the money.

Simple.

BitterAndTwisted

Everything being done through the letting-agent is getting you nowhere. I'd write again to the landlord asking which garage is included in your tenancy agreement. When you next come to renew the tenancy I would negotiate hard for a rent-reduction to reflect the lack of a garage for the last four years. Quite frankly, I don't know why you haven't done that already. I'd be asking for a ruddy refund.

silvercar

Download the deeds from the land registry site for £4, that should show you which garage belongs to your property.

CloudCuckooLand

4 years...it will soon be out of time, under the Statute of Limitations..!