Loss of quiet enjoyment

concernedtenant

Can anybody offer some advice?

Our landlord wants to replace our en suite bathroom as there have been ongoing problems with leaks into the privately owned flat downstairs. This has now been temporarily fixed after about four attempts.
The work is due to take around 10 days with no work being undertaken at the weekends. It has been suggested that we are entitled to compensation for lack of quiet enjoyment of our property but the lettings agency has said they think the landlord will be unwilling to pay as the work is necessary and have suggested I write to him directly.
We do have access to a second bathroom but it is more the noise, dust, inconvenience and loss of use of the rooms for two weeks that is causing concern.

Can anyone clarify what our rights actually are?
Thanks in advance,
CT

paul1964_2

concernedtenant wrote: »

The work is due to take around 10 days with no work being undertaken at the weekends.

Personally, I would be happy that I would be getting the use of a shiny new en-suite at the end of it.

However, I would query why it needs 10 days of disruption - our bathroom had a new 4-piece suite installed and was completely retiled within a week.

treetrunks

personally id be happy with the new ensuite. sometimes these things happen. cant see that you'd be entitled to anything.

Mankysteve

So'd rather carry on with leaks and scruffy bathroom?

Hows it takeing 10days to do an onsuite. a 3 or 4 days max really. Unless the leak caused further damage.

concernedtenant

Thanks, for replies so far.
Apart from being avocado our en suite is fine, the shower pressure is great. Obviously the leaks downstairs are distressing our neighbour and need to be fixed.
I agree a shiny new bathroom for 3-4 days inconvenience may well be worth it but I do wonder who will end up paying for it if our LL increases our rent.
I will try and find out why they have quoted 10 days to complete the work. I expect it is to do with the age of the plumbing and the leakage problems.
CT

Jenniefour

This an urgent repair as far as the downstairs neighbour is concerned - quite properly too. And your LL is getting on with sorting it out - again, quite properly. Most people would be quite thrilled to get a new bathroom out of it - some landlords might choose, as they have a right to, to simply repair the leaking plumbing and leave the old bathroom. I would appreciate the fact that you have an extremely decent landlord who not only gets things done but improves the property at the same time. I can't imagine why you think your landlord would increase the rent simply because a new bathroom has been installed and I don't think it would be allowed anyway.

If you want to find out about possible rent increases it should be on your tenancy agreement. And I would ask the LL about why it's taking so long - and also ask him to remind the workmen to clean up at the end of each working day.

concernedtenant

This problem has been going on since August last year prior to us moving in. The LL was unwilling to replace the cistern, the apparent source of the problem according to the plumber and so fixes were attempted on at least four occasions. It is only now eight months on that the LL has agreed to do something proper to sort this out.
I wouldn't describe this as the action of a decent LL. It is also precisely due to this unwillingness to spend the necessary money that we are concerned about a rent increase.

PasturesNew

I'd be more concerned about not being able to pee or wash for 2 weeks.

N79

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd be more concerned about not being able to pee or wash for 2 weeks.

The OP says they have another bathroom - so this is not a concern!

Jenniefour

concernedtenant wrote: »

This problem has been going on since August last year prior to us moving in. The LL was unwilling to replace the cistern, the apparent source of the problem according to the plumber and so fixes were attempted on at least four occasions. It is only now eight months on that the LL has agreed to do something proper to sort this out.
I wouldn't describe this as the action of a decent LL. It is also precisely due to this unwillingness to spend the necessary money that we are concerned about a rent increase.

Then I take back what I said about a decent landlord - this is taking an unseemly length of time.

Snorkerz

I guess it is all a matter of how inconvenient the improvements are -vs- how much of a benefit you will get.

Example - I recently had to replace a kitchen floor in a house occupied by a family with young kids - totally inappropriate for Ts to stay in situ, so they moved to their parents for a few days and paid no rent.

A couple of months later, a new kitchen was fitted - it was an inconvenience to them, but the benefit was theirs too - so no rent deals on that one.

I think there is room for a little bit of compensation in this case - especially if we are talking 10 days worth. If LL is totally intransigent then OP should remember that they can refuse access to the property for the landlord / workmen / agents etc except in the case of an emergency or court order. This isn't an emergency if it has taken so long to resolve.