Landlord wants to make major repairs. help needed!

matnicholas

Hi guys,

I rent a two bedroom city centre apartment, which has a damp problem. Both bedrooms become damp, blister and accumulate mould.
The landlord had tried to fix this issue with some contractors two years before we move in. However, he has been battling with them to prove that they weren’t successful and therefore need to redo the work. This has been a pain to live for the last two years, so am happy that the work will be carried out.


However, it requires two weeks worth of work by contractors and the rooms to be emptied by me. This will make it very hard to live or work in my small apartment.


Is there anything that can be done? Should my landlord find me alternative accommodation? Should I be compensated?


Kind regards,
Mat Nicholas

pinkshoes

Why don't you speak to your Landlord and come to a compromise? Ask for a rent reduction, or alternative accommodation.

Could you not just hand in your notice and find another property to rent?

matnicholas

I could move but that would mean stumping up some money. I also like where I live.

I was looking for some hard and fast rules. i.e. if it was a breach of contract as technically I wouldnt be able to use two rooms for those two weeks.

westlondonbuyer

The works sound like essential maintenance and the landlord has both the right and the obligation to carry them out. However, they are going to cause you a tremendous amount of disruption. You will have to balance your inconvenience over the two week period with the benefit of having a non-damp flat and a conscientious landlord in the future.

How long do you plan to stay in the property? If you were planning to move out in 6 months, for example, I'd ask your landlord simply to postpone works until your tenancy had completed and the place was empty. You could also argue that the extensive building works render your tenancy voidable and you'd like to terminate the tenancy early so that you can move out before works start - few landlords would think this was unreasonable.

OTOH, if you're planning to stay for a long period of time, I'm afraid your best option is to grit your teeth and put up with the hassle in the knowledge that your home will be more comfortable going forwards. This isn't discretionary work (although the timings might be) and so there's no likelihood of compensation.

It may be that the original remedial works were carried out negligently - if that's the case, the landlord should have claimed for alternative housing provision costs for his/her tenants against the other party. He should also look into his landlord insurance cover - there's usually a clause for this kind of cost (although inevitably the insurers are reluctant and/or slow to pay out).

Have a chat with your landlord and see if you can reach a compromise between you. A good landlord who wants to keep you happy might make a goodwill gesture and reduce the rent for the two-week period if you're good tenants, for example, so it's worth a try even if s/he isn't legally obliged to offer you anything in the circumstances.