Big bill from council - Who's responsible?

silverchair

"I agree that under normal circumstances 2-3 days would be quite acceptable, however I do not think it is reasonable that any tenant should allow an obviously urgent deadline to expire before passing on a communication of this type, effectively denying the LL any chance to deal with it before the council took over.


BTW I have no direct dealings or contact with my tenants, all communications are via the managing agent.[/QUOTE]"



Letting out a house is a business. The tenants aren't your secretaries & have their own commitments to prioritise first (work etc), before dealing with your problems.

It seems to me that the managing agent arent doing their jobs.

mbga9pgf

FarmerGilesUK wrote: »

Hi all

Just having a major issue with drainage at the property I rent out.

Apparently they've had an ongoing problem with a drain blockage that I've only just found out about.

My previous tenant (who died unexpectedly before Xmas) had chosen not to inform me about this, so the first I know about it is when I receive an enforcement notice from the Council, 24 hours after the notice expired.

The notice (to clear the blockage) was hand delivered to my current tenants on the 11th April by a chap from the council. Managing agents email me the notice on the 14th April - Notice expired on the 13th. According to the managing agent, the tenants dropped the notice in to their office on the 14th.

Council have therefore now engaged a contractor to clear the blockage.

This leaves me facing a potentially very large bill as the council's contractor are having serious problems clearing the blockage. 3 visits so far and the drains are still blocked.

My view on this is that *if* they had let me know about this immediately, I could have got my own contractor in to clear the drain and at the very least could have avoided the project management costs that the council say they will levy on top of the actual work.

I'm inclined to think that I should pass at least some of the costs on to my tenant (who is imo negligent in not informing me immediately of the notice).

Where do I stand on this?

Regards

Bit difficult for your tennant to inform yoiu if they had croaked it! :rotfl:

moromir

I'm a bit confused.. is your property a flat or a house?

lynzpower

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

However long this process has been and by whatever means you were notified about the enforcement notice, the bill is yours.

Enforcement notices aren't issued within five minutes of the council becoming aware of the problem with the property. It surprises me that your new tenants would go ahead and contact the council without first making the agents aware that this problem existed and making a request for them to address it on your behalf or for you to make the arrangements yourself.

I would be asking some very searching questions of the agents.

wish I could thank this twice. Spot on.

Environmental Health officers inspecting private rented properties HAVE to inform the agent or the landlord that they are inspecting.

Is sounds to me that your agents have been keeping something quiet.

Sounds to me like an Emergency remedial notice?