LL responsibilities (shall i be cheeky?!)

popsicle79

we're renting a 1890's end terrace tiny wee house. it does not have an energy efficiency certificaate as we moved in june '08 and they weren't compulsory til oct '08 *sigh*

the LL has requested a rise of £25 p/m and i'd like to ask for a bit of assistance from them for my additional £300 a year, ie a new boiler (ours is clockwork i think!) , or some better window frames (ie not falling apart!) or something to make me feel better about dumping £1000's of pounds into his pockets every year...

how should i go about asking this? obviously through the letting agent, but how to put it delicately!

all help gratefully accepted

Werdnal

To be honest if the boiler and window frames are adequate, ie working, then LL has no obligation to replace them. If you have a genuine request for repair, then present it through the LA and wait and see.

When was last rent increase? Most LLs review annually, and £300 a year is not a huge jump, especially if there been no increase for a while.

If you begrudge paying your rent, then move somewhere cheaper!

Annisele

I felt a lot better about "dumping £1000's" into my landlord's pockets once I worked out what his yield on the property must be.

I have a pretty good idea of what the property I live in is worth (because it's an estate, and flats just like it sell quite regularly). I also have a reasonable idea of how much an interest only mortgage would cost me (assuming I could get one at the LTV I'd be talking about).

I'm sure my landlord can get better mortgage rates than I could, but I'm not really interested in how much money he's making; I'm interested in whether I could get a better deal if I did something else. Buying my current flat (or one like it) doesn't make sense for me, and renting somewhere else doesn't make sense because I'm paying less than the market rent (my LL likes long term Ts).

Your circumstances might mean that it's worthwhile for you to do something other than pay your LL's £25 per month increase. However, I think you need to weigh up your alternatives before you decide whether the £25 is unfair.

tbs624

Try contacting the LL direct, but first check what else there is available in your area and at what rent. LA may have pushed LL to up the rent as they in turn receive an increase in commission. Experienced LLs tend to prefer to keep reliable Ts in place ,by not increasing rent annually: they have to balance the potential increase in income against the costs involved of gettin a new "unknown" T in place if you decide to go. However, you too have to balance that 300 quid per annum against the potential costs involved if you moved elsewhere.

If the wndow frames are "falling apart" LL has a statutory repairing obligation with which to comply. When you say that the boiler " is clockwork", does it do the job of heating the place and providing hot water, or not? Has it been subject to annual check and certification (if gas)?

gordonbennet

A new boiler and new window frames are going to cost the LL considerably more that £300!

It's reasonable for a LL to increase the rent each year by a small amount assuming the place is pretty well in the same condition as when you first took it. Expensive renovations such as new boiler and new windows would warrant a far higher rental increase. Unless of course they really need a repair, and replacement is the most cost effective option.

popsicle79

thanks for all the responses,
it's not so much that i think the increase is unfair, rather that i would like to know what the usual amount of landlord upkeep is.

I have spoken with the LA and they have arranged for a general contractor to look at the window frames and some other oddjobs that need doing around the place
we are long term tenants, 7 years in our last place and 3 yeas so far in this one. The LA has said to me houses do not get looked after in this area as people ususally only stay a year and then it gets cleaned and let again without long term issues being dealt with as no-one staying for 'only a few more months' raises problems like these. it seems we are at the end of a long chain of short term tenants and picking up all the loose threads!

but they (the LA) are being very helpful in listening to my requests and my LL is obviously not a tyrant who's in it for the money!
thanks again