Landlady in private rent is narking me off!

Lou67

We have rented our house since Oct 2010, and we went through a bona fide letting agency, who act as a go between, between tenants and landlords... We signed for a year then, and in Oct 2011, we signed for 1 and a half years which takes us to when our daughter is 18. Then she goes to uni and we will get a smaller and cheaper house probably.

Thing is ok; when we moved in, the previous tenants had left it a shambles and the work needed was done : knackered shower, loose electrics, plastering, doors hanging off etc, but apparently the landlady took it out of the old tenant's bond. Our agent sent their contractors out and the things were done.. Except a couple of doors that won't shut properly.

So, fast forward to winter 2011, just after we signed the new 18 month contract. The carport roof split with the rain and wind and the rain was pouring through, onto the electric light, so we told our property agent as it was a bit dangerous and also we are told to report everything. One of their contractors came out, and gave a quote of £700 as he said the whole roof of corrugated plastic sheets needed replacing.

That night, the landlady who had never met us, or had anything to do with us, came around and said she wasn't paying that and they would do it themselves soon (her and her boyfriend) 3 months - and half dozen calls to her and the property agent - later, they sent a mate of their around who replaced 3 or 4 panels and charged them about £70, but warned them that the roof was knackered and needed replacing in full. It took 3 months after first reporting it!

Also, the lean-to in the back area that goes from the back door to next door's fence, has always leaked a bit, but now is leaking very badly. It has got worse in the past couple of months... The contractor fixed that too when he did the carport roof (mid Feb) but the panel did not match the others and it's come loose in the wind, and leaks much worse than it did before... When it rains heavy, we can't go out of the back door as an inch of water collects by the back door and loads of stuff we kept on the shelves in the back covered area has been ruined and it's useless now.

Also, the carport roof has got really bad again, the landlady's builder mate said it all needs replacing and he will do it for £400, but this was 2 months back and she has not sent the guy around to do it yet. I phoned the property agent yesterday and they contacted her, and she has proper whinged at the property agent about how she can barely afford the carport roof, let alone the back roof area, so THAT will have to wait! Not being funny, but she just got back from 3 weeks in South Africa and is saying she can't find the money for the badly leaking lean-to!

Also, the shower broke in April and again, the landlady insisted on doing it herself, as she wasn't happy with the property agent's contractor's quote, and it took 2 weeks to be fixed! Her boyfriend did it, and he isn't even a qualified electrician! We don't have a bath so had no other way to keep clean either!

Upshot is, the property agent keeps letting the landlady say 'we will do it ourselves,' and the bloody jobs aren't being done properly or even at all!

Also, she said to the property agent, "I didn't even choose to be a bloody landlady: I bought this house with an ex partner, and when we split up, I took over the mortgage and put the house up for sale, then it sold and I bought another house at the same time with my new partner, and the sale of *this* one fell through, so I am stuck with it! I have a mortgage that is more than the house is worth and can't afford to keep shelling out for repairs!' Well sorry lady, but you ARE a landlord!

I am so peed off. Can anyone advise on if I can do anything? the property agent just say 'it's her right to take over the repairs and refuse us...'

Fire_Fox

Have you written to the landlady and formally reported all the repairs that need doing? You have the right to be able to use the areas of the property and facilities like showers, they form part of the contract. Not actually sure she is allowed to have a unqualified person touch an electric shower, and having no washing facilities is unacceptable, probably makes the house legally uninhabitable.

Under certain limited circumstances you can do repairs yourself and take the money out of the rent but you need a solid paper trail first. Not sure whether a lean to would fall under that, it doesn't sound like it is a building?

The agent is being unprofessional whinging about the landlady, he should be recommending you write to her if he can't get anything done or surrendering management.

Lou67

Hi Firefox. Thank you.

I have actually reported everything to the property agent as my contract said that we have to go through them. But they also said that in their contract with the landlady, it does say that the landlady is allowed to repairs them done herself if she is not happy with the quotes from the contractors. Fine. But she takes so long. And is basically saying she is not prepared to fix the lean-to anytime soon! And her whining about how she doesn't want to be a landlady grated on me! Basically, she doesn't want to spend any money!

Fire_Fox

Lou67 wrote: »

Hi Firefox. Thank you.

I have actually reported everything to the property agent as my contract said that we have to go through them. But they also said that in their contract with the landlady, it does say that the landlady is allowed to repairs them done herself if she is not happy with the quotes from the contractors. Fine. But she takes so long. And is basically saying she is not prepared to fix the lean-to anytime soon! And her whining about how she doesn't want to be a landlady grated on me! Basically, she doesn't want to spend any money!

I understand all that. I am advising you to report to the landlady in writing because ultimately you are contracted to her and she is responsible for the repairs. The agent is only contracted to her not you and is clearly toothless.

She can employ anyone she wants to do the repairs as long as they are appropriately qualified and they are done in a timely manner. Once you have a paper trail you *may* be able to do the repairs yourself out of the rent. Keep copies of all your correspondence and preferably proof of posting/ delivery.