Renting - unhappy - what to do?

daphne_descends

Hi,

Sorry if this gets long - I don't want to go on too much but feel a bit of context might help understanding the situation.

OH and I moved into a new rented house five weeks ago. We moved because our previous landlord was selling - so admittedly did feel very rushed, and took the first place that came up which allowed pets (if nothing else I have to admit the cat flap is a god send).

We were told by the LA that we could decorate, which sounded okay - better to choose something (obviously within reason) that go for magnolia everywhere.

However now we are in and the house is full of problems - how much can you really find out in a 15 minute viewing? The walls in our bedroom are so uneven, I don't think a bit of filler is up to the job - plastering maybe but I'm not paying for that.

Our check-in was a bit of a wake up call as almost every room in the house had a note that it was due to be re-done SIX years ago, and hasn't. The carpets, which didn't look terrible on a gloomy January afternoon, are severely worn and clearly not cleaned - professionally or otherwise - before we moved in. My gripe here is that we'll be expected to have this done when we move. If the LA kept the previous tenants deposit I can't help but wonder what was done with it.

I'm not a snob by any means, our last house was getting rough around the edges but renting, you can put up with a fair bit. But at a glance this house needs:
- fresh paint and carpet in every room
- new kitchen including tiling - and skirting - some wood rotten (should I have inspected skirting on viewing?)
- new bathroom - mis-matched and cracked tiles. woodchip wallpaper - two poorly done layers of paint mean the colour underneath shines through
- new carpet on stairs to attic room - noted on inventory as DANGEROUS and check in agent advised LA to replace immediately - NOT done yet

Kitchen and bathroom are mostly cosmetic, just very outdated - I can't help think we shouldn't have settled for this, don't most tenants expect a higher spec/level of presentation? But what it boils down to is to even decorate our bedroom is looking like a fair bit of work - repair/replace part of the dado rail (either that or rip the rest off, and possibly bring down a wall?!), remove/replace/repair half-finished shelving, buy and put up curtain rails and curtains - as tenants should we be doing this? but if not, well the paint is so terrible in there I can't put up with it much longer.

Also check in agent advised LA that there are NO smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors - five weeks later we are still waiting.

The upshot is I am three months pregnant, and we were looking for a place to start our family, and we're just not happy here - or at least, not happy to spend money on a house that perhaps the LL doesn't care about.

I know not every option might be the most ethical but putting ourselves first I think we can either:

- stay, and spend some money making this house more like a home
- stay until the end of the tenancy (next feb)
- complain - mostly that all these things that have not been done six years ago are going to be unrealistic to maintain (would you steam clean a threadbare carpet?)
- in short, do a runner. lost out on deposit but learn a lesson

We are tied into a twelve month tenancy - this was because after viewing in mid-jan we couldn't move until 25th feb - as the previous tenancy had to end on a rent day. We agreed as the risk was not finding anywhere and being served notice - what do landlords expect people to do - give notice on existing home and 'hope' to find somewhere with four weeks?? Isn't it usual to have a gap between finding a property and moving in?

Sorry for the length of this - the more I think about it the more upset I am - we were happy before - and then excited about moving in - how blinkered we were. But with a baby on the way I think we need to act sooner rather than later whatever we do.

Any advice or thoughts are very welcome.

MortgageMamma

Oh no you poor thing

I was once in a similar situation when I relocated from Manchester to Lancashire. Hubby had a job as a temp postman and I didnt have a job then so we just had to take what was available to us, which was quite similar to what you are experiencing.

1, try not to get too down about this, as you are pregnant and you need to be as calm and unstressed as possible, that little baby thats growing inside you will come out a right little whinge bag if you dont destress (I know, Ive had 3)

2. Your LL doesnt give a monkeys love, and no amount of whinging and whining will change that - if you contact the local fireservice or go on their website their fire safefy officer will come out and inspect the house, plan an escape route, give advice on how to manage a fire and fit you some quality smoke alarms for nothing, they have a ten year battery life. How do I know this? One of my clients came to my new house to arrange his mortgage on thursday and very very kindly did all this for me and fitted four alarms. At least your house will then be safe.

3. Don't rush anything, out of the frying pan into the fire? Have your baby, recover and then think about the next move. Try not to let the decor get to you - you will be out of there soon enough- but I'd try not to stick to the whole 12 months tenancy

4. get yourself on the council and local housing association waiting lists, as you are in a bad condition property, likely on a moderate income and have a sprog on the way I would think you would get a slight priority, at least they are good landlords and will fulfil their legal obligations

5, everything you do with the landlord or letting agent, send in writing recorded delivery, you might need it

Good luck and keep your chin up.

MM

VickyA_2

Do you rent direct from the landlord or is there an agent?

We're in rented accommodation, but we've never had any problems like you. Friends have had something similar to you and they went straight to the agent. Did you not complete and inventory which had to be done on the day/first week of moving in to note down the state of the property? Can you write a letter to the agent/landlord stating your disappointment AND pointing out the "terrible state" of the property and the fact that you would "dread" to bring a child into the world in that state (ok, so a little strong, but a little bit of tugging at the heart strings can be tried).

Sorry, don't know what else to suggest. Some landlords are out there to make as much money as possible and aren't actually aware of the state of their property OR just ignore it because they want the cash. :rolleyes:

Edited to add: Mortgage Mamma has just added a fab post. Ignore mine!

dealornodeal_3

My advice to you is to contact your agent by writing a civil letter, remain calm but explain you are pregnant and that the house is unsuitable to your needs! What puzzles me is the 1 year contract, as the majority are 6 months. Ask the agent if they can find you alternative accomodation! Renovating the property with you in it would not be something considered in your condition!

I wish you luck, but dont hold your breath, as you unfortunately signed a contract!

MortgageMamma

I'm sure one of my broker buddies rents property in berkshire, I;m going to email this thread to him and see what he says

VickyA_2

dealornodeal wrote: »

What puzzles me is the 1 year contract, as the majority are 6 months. Ask the agent if they can find you alternative accomodation! Renovating the property with you in it would not be something considered in your condition!

A friend who rents in South London always seems to accept that she has 12 month tenancies. I've always found this bizarre too, but she seems to think it's the norm?

Rick62

Isn't 12 month tenancy, but with 6 month break clause the norm?

Unfortunately the landlord does not give a damn is not about to, don't waste your time. Do document everything, including taking photos, as they will try and blame you and keep the deposit.

Are you renting through an agent? If so i would write to them with a list of the most pressing things (eg stairs to loft) stressing the health and safety aspects and demanding they be fixed and including quotes. For the rest, make OK for minimum cost, but it sounds like you will be moving next feb, if not before.

Mr_helpful

Little known fact A 12 month AST is subject to stamp duty.
Any way easy solution Phone the environmental health dept of your local council and ask them to inspect.

daphne_descends

Thank you all for reading and taking the time to reply.

OH and I talked most of the night about this and I barely slept, running through our options.

I think we are going to go about things as follows:

1) I don't want how I feel about the house to make it sound worse - the walls certainly aren't about to fall down and we have hot water, gas, elec etc. It is double glazed and the garden seems pretty well cared for.

Is the LL lazy or is it the LA's place to say, 'look mate you should spend a few quid decorating'?
Money has been spent on the house - just not recently - the loft has been converted and would make a fantastic space for an office or bedroom with a bit of work - the main bedroom has had the original floorboards polished and stained (choice of colour less than desirable but never mind) - also I think the double glazing is fairly recent.

In light of this, and while trying not to be pessimistic (but without being hopelessly optimisic, iykwim) I am going to write a letter to the LA to express how we feel about everything that hasn't been done - at check-in, we had already handed over our money and signed, there wasn't much we could do, but hearing the agent saying 'this was supposed to be done six years ago' time and time again was a shock. The check-in agent does not work for the LA and is independent and I feel happy with the accuracy of the inventory - I don't feel it 'talks up' the property in any way.

Basically, I am going to say that whilst we agreed in principle to decorate, the scale of the jobs is not something we're going to do for the fun of it. I will suggest - hopefully written in a way that doesn't sound cheeky or begging - that we are prepared to do a lot of the jobs if we are compensated in some way - a new sofa, tumble dryer, dishwasher for example.

2) If the response is alright, then great - we COULD be happy here. If it's not then I think we might have to just up and leave.

We are doing okay for money at the moment - OH is fairly well paid but is a contract worker so what we don't have on that front is any long term security. Touch wood, that hasn't been an issue yet as he's had plenty of work. So, we could afford to move again even if we had to forfeit the deposit.

But could we afford to next Feb? I work for my local council and maternity pay is basic, so I will be receiving only SMP by that point (£108 a week I think). And moving with a 5 month old baby does not sound appealing. Not to mention the cats - we have just got them settled in here! I can't help thinking it would be better - for us - to do it before the baby comes so we can be settled.

I am pretty sure we wouldn't qualify for HA housing. Our current salaries are too high even for WTC. AFAIK nobody will consider your future earnings - just what you get now. We chose this house for a few reasons, we are close to the train station (OH commutes), close to my parents (really going to need them) (no car), close to my work (okay, only important for another five months), it's a fairly quiet street and okay in other respects!

I wish I could turn back the clock and do it all differently. Our previous landlord has a buyer but are still a way off from exchange - could've stayed there a while. Should've questioned the 12 month tenancy more - why weren't we offered 6?
The LA said the LL MIGHT wait 6 weeks IF we signed a 12 month - he didn't even suggest asking for 6.
The last tenants moved out in November - if the LL had people queuing up to move in surely he wouldn't have waited for us anyway?
That also means the place was empty for nearly four months, why not use that time to put a few things right?

I suppose what it comes down to is does the LL not care at all or is it partly shoddy management of the property by the LA?

We have put tester pots on the walls of our bedroom, so are committed to doing that - and that's fine - the colour is so bad in there I'd go crazy if we didn't do it anyway - we might be £50 down but at least have a more harmonious place to sleep while we are here.

daphne_descends

Mr_helpful wrote: »

Little known fact A 12 month AST is subject to stamp duty.
Any way easy solution Phone the environmental health dept of your local council and ask them to inspect.

Can you tell me what this means? In laymans terms.

What are environmental health 'triggers'? (Not found any mould or damp except on external wall of extension).

PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD

I'm amazed ! why did you rent this dump in the first place ? were you wearing sun glasses ? the problem now is this MUPPET LANDLORD has got your deposit, if you looked at the property more carefully at the time you might have been able to negotiate some reduction, or rent free period . Very difficult situation. Tell your LL the place is depressing and you want something towards decor or you will leave .