Nightmare landlord

nightmareinnorthlondon

missile wrote: »

Exactly what I was thinking. Why did the OP not contact the Letting Agent? Why contact LL when he was on holiday?

LL should certainly have sorted these items before letting but he hardly qualifies as "nightmare landlord". I bet he is not best pleased at having his holiday interupted and perhaps this is what OP wanted? I would not be surprised if LL issues section 21 to evict OP at first available opportunity.

We DID contact the letting agents who said it was the landlords responsibility and they were not being paid to deal with the flat and to speak to LL directly!!!

missile

nightmareinnorthlondon wrote: »

We DID contact the letting agents who said it was the landlords responsibility and they were not being paid to deal with the flat and to speak to LL directly!!!

In my experience it is the letting agent who prepares the inventory and any decent agent would forward your complaints to LL. It seems you were easily fobbed off by this letting agent.

There is no need for capitals and exclamation marks. I do hope this is not a sample of how you communicate with LL?

Gandalfthegrey

Some letting agencies only find the landlord a tennent - nothing else. Some landlords chose to have their property fully managed by the agents, but the OP has said twice now that the agency was just paid to find tennents.
I dont think most people would flush the chain when they view a property to rent, besides this is a basic need, anyone would just besume it would be working.

OP - I wouldn't pay for a plumber then bill the LL, how can you trust he would pay you back? I suppose though if he doesnt pay you back then you could withold your rent. But not worth the hassel.

He sounds like a nightmare.

Good luck

shellsuit

missile wrote: »

In my experience it is the letting agent who prepares the inventory and any decent agent would forward your complaints to LL. It seems you were easily fobbed off by this letting agent.

There is no need for capital and apostrophes. I do hope this is not a sample of how you communicate with LL?

What is capital? And don't you mean exclamation marks? (apostrophes?)





nightmareinnorthlondon, I hope you get sorted soon. It's awful not to have emergency contact numbers. I private rented for 12 years and never had one. You can bet that anytime there was a major problem for us, that it happened on a Friday evening (when the office was closed till the Monday morning) , or over Christmas holidays. :cool:

tbs624

James_N wrote: »

This always amazes me: did you not view and note these problems before you agreed to rent this place. If not, why not, and who is to blame now? If you did, and noted these deficiencies, why did you go ahead?

I think you're being a tad unfair there James_N.

The OP says

• flat was filthy dirty and we spent the first two days cleaning it
• Toilet was broken and would not flush
• doors painted heavily so do not shut
• Lift was broken so cannot take the pram up or down
• No proof that our deposit will be protected
• No inventory or contact details whatsoever

1. It is not always possible to fully assess state of cleanliness when viewing a property, especially if the flat was occupied when it was viewed, and in any case, it is fair to presume that the outgoing T will clean up and/or the LA/LL will ensure that the property is in an appropriate state to be re-let

2. How many Ts ( or indeed potential OOs) actually try flushing a lav/running a shower before going ahead with their rental/purchase? As the LL is obliged under stat to maintain lavs etc it is fair to expect it to be in full working order, and it may actually have been working on the day the T viewed

3. If you are shown around a property you don't usually do the external door opening and closing - they key holder does. Again as the LL is legally required to maintain the exterior of the property it would be reasonable to expect that the door fulfil their actual purpose.

4. Lift may have been working on the day that the OP viewed

5. You can ask a LL/LA, when viewing a property, which tenancy deposit scheme will be used but you of course won't know whether the LA/LL will properly deal with the deposit until you are into the tenancy itself.

6. Contact info/inventory are usually provided as part of the signing up process but as G_M says lack of inventory disadvantages a LL more than it does a T.

tbs624

missile wrote: »

LL should certainly have sorted these items before letting but he hardly qualifies as "nightmare landlord". I bet he is not best pleased at having his holiday interupted and perhaps this is what OP wanted? I would not be surprised if LL issues section 21 to evict OP at first available opportunity.

If the LL fails to scheme register the tenancy deposit he will be unable to serve a valid S21 Notice until such time as the deposit does get registered by him.

tbs624

G_M wrote: »

Write (WRITE) to the LL (address should be on the contract - if not write to the agnt asking for the LL's address: they have 21 days to give it or you can stop paying rent

Don't confuse the requirements of LL&T Act 1985, s1 with LL&T Act 1987, s48.

LTA85 says T can write and ask for name and an address for the LL and LA etc must oblige within 21 days of receipt of the request or be committing a criminal offence.

LTA87 says that where a LL has not provided an address at which Notices relating to the tenancy may be served then rent is not due
( although LL can ask for it to be backdated once Notice address has been given) There is no "21 day" requirement here - this one is not about T asking for the info - obligation is on LL to provide if he expects his rent to be paid.

Agree with rest of G_M's post

tbs624

OP - keep it polite & keep everything in writing, via the LA initially, asking them to pass it on. As other have said, take photos , and keep them safely with your tenancy paperwork. If you initially report any thing by phone always follow it up with a letter saying " I confirm our phone conversation of (date) when we discussed y and my understanding is that it was agreed that you would y and z by (date), and that we would provide access t the property on (date) or (date)" Always keep a copy for your own records.

G_M has given you a link to Shelter's guidance on getting repairs done and there are sample letters available there.

LL is legally obliged under S11 (1) (b) of the LL&T Act 1985 to

"...to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences, but not other fixtures, fittings and appliances for making use of the supply of water, gas or electricity)...."

That said, I think I'd first google "lavs that wont flush" and see if there were any basic checks/alterations that I could make myself rather than face too much of a delay.

If you have ongoing unresolved repairs issues as the tenancy progresses then you can seek support via the Council's private sector tenancy relations officer and or the EHO

The_Blue_Hatter

Maybe im being to simplistic but id get a plumber in and deduct the amount from the rent. Before doing this have written evidence that you have contacted the LL about the problem and that this is your only way of getting it sorted.

In regards your deposit. Assuming your deposit is 1 months rent I would simply not pay your last months rent and tell him to keep the deposit. Its not the nicest way to go about things but it protects your money.

tbs624

The_Blue_Hatter wrote: »

Maybe im being to simplistic but id get a plumber in and deduct the amount from the rent. Before doing this have written evidence that you have contacted the LL about the problem and that this is your only way of getting it sorted.

The correct way to do this is contained within the Shelter Guide to Getting Repairs Done" pdf to which G_M has already linked.

In regards your deposit. Assuming your deposit is 1 months rent I would simply not pay your last months rent and tell him to keep the deposit. Its not the nicest way to go about things but it protects your money.

The tenancy deposit is there primarily to cover dilapidations. A LL whose T doesn't cough up their final rent payment is always at liberty to pursue the T for payment of that rent, via the small claims court. Ts have to consider how likely it would be that the LL *would* take that route.