Tenant help ...

Cherryjack

Hello,

I am renting a property and the tenant is calling each month making requests ..
it was rewired before she moved in, new carpets, curtain poles everything..

Since shes been there she asked for a hand rail (done) New window locks (done) curtain poles to go back up after being pulled down (done)

she asked for new doors as there is a small gap underneath (declined) and also the change to gas and electric meters (declined)

Shes now called asking for the cuboard doors in the kitchen to be tightened.. and says she has gone thru 3 washing machines in the last month and the fuse keeps blowing..

Shes only been in since may and had been a bit of a nightmare! Anyhow i sent an electritian round to test the electrics and he said the washing machine looked like it had been purchased from the dump yard!! it had water leaking out the front and back, all the seals had gone and even water was leaking from where you put the powder in and it was broken and was flooding the kitchen! (i rent unfurnished with no white goods).. i now have to pay a £45.00 fee to the electritian and im really annoyed the woman is crazy!! Its being let thru a letting agent and ive had enough.

Is this normal?? should i have to foot this bill when she would clearly know she had a faulty washing machine??

Thanks for you advice and sorry for the rant (pregnancy hormones) lol :beer:

G_M

Some of this is normal and some isn't. Letting property is a business and part of that is dealing with tenants' requests and repairing faults.

If you let though an agent why aren't they dealing with this - that's what you pay them for isn't it?

Keeping a tenant happy is always a good idea (so well done on the early stuff), but there is obviously a limit.

If the tenant has introduced a series of her own cheap washing machines which leak, causing potential water damage and electrical faults then she needs to understand that is her responsibility - not just to fix the machines but to pay for the damage. I would send her the electrician's invoice with a polite letter explaining why you are charging her.

However - you could consider buying a washing machine yourself for her? That way a) she is happy b) you know it's a decent one that won't leak and c) you have one to offer the next tenant in due course. Many tenants do expect or at least hope for them.

edit: when you say " the change to gas and electric meters " do you mean she wanted the meters moved!!!? (crazy!)
Or she wanted to switch supplier (which she has every right to do)

Cherryjack

G_M wrote: »

Some of this is normal and some isn't. Letting property is a business and part of that is dealing with tenants' requests and repairing faults.

If you let though an agent why aren't they dealing with this - that's what you pay them for isn't it?

Keeping a tenant happy is always a good idea (so well done on the early stuff), but there is obviously a limit.

If the tenant has introduced a series of her own cheap washing machines which leak, causing potential water damage and electrical faults then she needs to understand that is her responsibility - not just to fix the machines but to pay for the damage. I would send her the electrician's invoice with a polite letter explaining why you are charging her.

However - you could consider buying a washing machine yourself for her? That way a) she is happy b) you know it's a decent one that won't leak and c) you have one to offer the next tenant in due course. Many tenants do expect or at least hope for them.

edit: when you say " the change to gas and electric meters " do you mean she wanted the meters moved!!!? (crazy!)
Or she wanted to switch supplier (which she has every right to do)

Thanks so much for having a read.. yes she wanted electric meters put into the property?? i explained the the letting agency that i didnt want these as it could put people off in the future and would cost her more? I was wondering if i could send the invoice to the letting agency to pass on.. i dont want to be mean of course (its the 1st time renting) but even the letting agents have called her in for a meeting because she adds something each month .. and they are getting sick of it. I dread the phonecalls.. i know i need to get a thicker skin, but the washing machine fee is really annoying..
The electritian said its was unbelievable and a death hazard! so kinda worried about the property aswell.. i didnt really want to get into the buying white goods.

clutton_2

who is paying for the electric bills and where is the meter currently ?

WeegieWumman

Hope that this will help somewhat
www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/landlord-obligations

Yorkie1

This T sounds like a right royal pain in the backside. When does her fixed term expire and would it be easy to find another T if you chose to give her notice?

property.advert

clutton wrote: »

who is paying for the electric bills and where is the meter currently ?

I'm surmising that the tenant is potless, cannot budget for utility bills and wants pay as you go meters put it.

nikki1520

You'll find if she gets far enough behind, the utility company will just do it anyway, with no reference to you or the agent. And there's nothing you can do about it, apart from cite it as a breech of the lease when you get to eviction.

Then when you get a new tenant, there will be a charge to have them removed (assuming the new tenant passes the credit check) Aaaarghh!!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but just been through this

property.advert

nikki1520 wrote: »

You'll find if she gets far enough behind, the utility company will just do it anyway, with no reference to you or the agent. And there's nothing you can do about it, apart from cite it as a breech of the lease when you get to eviction.

Then when you get a new tenant, there will be a charge to have them removed (assuming the new tenant passes the credit check) Aaaarghh!!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but just been through this

A tenant wanting to pay more for PAYG electric and buying crappy bust up washing machines is a sure fire sign of likely future problems with the rent.

I'd serve notice ASAP and make sure I got better tenant next time. The warning signs are all over this one.

Cherryjack

clutton wrote: »

who is paying for the electric bills and where is the meter currently ?

Hello,

she is paying for the bills and the meter is under the stairs in the kitchen :beer:

Cherryjack

Thanks everyone for your comments and links.. so today ive sent the painter in who is a good friend.. found out a few things (shes not happy with the walls-some of the paint is removed in patches.. on investigation a 1st birthday baloon was found attached to the curtain pole alond with sellotape on the walls so looks as if she has stuck lots to the living room wall and is going to complain about it soon. Also found out that she gave up her social worker job and now works just part time at morrisons so she look after the children. Apart from this the house looked in good condition..