Renting: Washing machine bust - how long to replace?

StuieUK34

Morning all,

I rent a furnished house, comes with a washing machine, etc...
House is fully managed by the Letting Agent as LL lives abroad....
Reported to the Letting agent 11 days ago that the washing machine is proper broken (which they understand as been problems with it prior)...

When reported, several hours later i was told it would be replaced... I've been away for the week, so told them to let themselves in to change the washing machine.....
Anyway, 11 days later and no washing machine, so looks like a trip to the laundrette.....

Is there a timeframe that an item such as this should be sorted by the LL/LA ?? and if i am to be spending £££ cleaning my clothes at a laundrette, when in theory i pay for a washing machine, is there something i can say to the Letting Agent to make them speed up ?

BitterAndTwisted

No, there is no specific time-frame and the agent cannot arrange for a new machine to bought and installed until the landlord has authorised the purchase and suppplied the finance for them to do it. I suspect this is the reason for the hold-up.

I'm assuming that you've put your observation about the failure of the machine and the agent has responded to you IN WRITING. I'm also assuming that your tenancy agreement states that the landlord is responsible for either repairing or replacing white goods. I suggest you follow it up both by phone and in writing.

sailerboy

If the LL is responsible for repair/replacement, then a 'reasonable' timeframe might be 1 - 3 weeks to arrange purchase/delivery. Longer if permission needs to be sought by the agent from the overseas LL.

It's not an 'emergency'.

If the tenant is responsible then either
a) as long as it takes you! or
b) if the LL nonetheless agrees generously to replace, then any timeframe is better than no replacement!

Have you checked your tenancy agreement?

Oh - and is this not the same query as your lawn mower thread here?

As for the launderette costs - as suggested in your other thread, and assuming you are a friendly person and have made friends with the neighbours, why not ask to use their washing machine occassionally till yours is sorted out?

Fire_Fox

Have you contacted the letting agency to find out what progress has been made? Did you report the breakdown of the washing machine and lawn mower in writing so there is a paper trail?

StuieUK34

cheers for replies peeps....

Things are solved now (well, 1 is)...
Question was more about time-frames.... (in terms of the average time taken to resolve/repair things)

For ref: LA had contacted LL, agreement was in force on the 2nd to replace, but as per my thread, 9 days later, nothing had been sorted... (until now, order placed this morning for a machine)...
Mower issue resolved, meaning i replace, just waiting for confirmation its removed from the inventory.....


See, i am thinking about renting out a property, and advertising it with washing machines and mowers, etc etc... but planning on putting in duff equipment, at least this way, i can charge more for rent as the tennants will be getting extras....

But as i expect the duff equipment to fail after a matter of weeks, when the tennant has just signed a 12 month agreement, i guess i'll still be quids in, and i can tell the tennant to use the neighbours washer for doing his pants and mower for the lawn, or if i am feeling generous enough, i could replace the washing machine when i feel like it
not an emergency, so no rush for me.....

sailerboy

StuieUK34 wrote: »

See, i am thinking about renting out a property, and advertising it with washing machines and mowers, etc etc... but planning on putting in duff equipment, at least this way, i can charge more for rent as the tennants will be getting extras....

But as i expect the duff equipment to fail after a matter of weeks, when the tennant has just signed a 12 month agreement, i guess i'll still be quids in, and i can tell the tennant to use the neighbours washer for doing his pants and mower for the lawn, or if i am feeling generous enough, i could replace the washing machine when i feel like it
not an emergency, so no rush for me.....

Nice one! :rotfl:

dimbo61

This is why many LL,s rent out properties unfurnished.
You also have the added problem that your Landlord lives abroad so emails/texts/phone calls take time and cost more.
Is the LL paying UK tax on his rental income ?

StuieUK34

dimbo
i deal with a LA, so no idea what the LL does!!

Our place was advertised as part furnished, but the LA went into overkill, by listing everything that was left in the house by previous 'private' tennants, including out of date oil and muddy wellies, rusty rubbish and other crap in the garage!

Fire_Fox

StuieUK34 wrote: »

cheers for replies peeps....

Things are solved now (well, 1 is)...
Question was more about time-frames.... (in terms of the average time taken to resolve/repair things)

For ref: LA had contacted LL, agreement was in force on the 2nd to replace, but as per my thread, 9 days later, nothing had been sorted... (until now, order placed this morning for a machine)...
Mower issue resolved, meaning i replace, just waiting for confirmation its removed from the inventory.....

So did you report these in writing? It's very easy for a letting agent or landlord to later claim ignorance.

sailerboy

dimbo61 wrote: »

Is the LL paying UK tax on his rental income ?

Only of relevance to the tenant if rent is paid direct to the overseas landlord.

Since in this case the OP (presumably) pays rent to the agent (located presumably in Eng/Wales) the tax issue is between HMRC, the LL and the agent.

StuieUK34

I got some info wrong...
Turns out my Landlord/lady lives in North Wales, i'm in South Wales

Tomorrow, it will have been 3 weeks, and i still dont have a washing machine....
I thought things were fixed on Tuesday last week when Currys turned up with a washer, however, currys delivered a duff product (delivered on Tuesday evening, called Wednesday morning to say not working)...
Engineers come out on Sat just gone to double confirm its nailed, but as the unit was purchased in store (north wales), there appears to be a big hold up or issue with getting it back and swapped out...
Also appears that same model is out of stock, so have been told today a new model will be delivered, but no delivery date as yet....

Based on an estimate, i could be looking at Tuesday next week before a washer arrives, making it kinda 4 weeks without a washing machine....
At £4.60 per wash at the laundrette, its beyond a joke...

I am looking for some info now please, and not 'high-horse' stuff either....

My house is fully managed by a LA, i do not deal with the LL...
The LA would put a washer in our house within days, but the LL choose to delay, and through a bizarre balls up, are stuck in a rut with Currys over getting a washer delivered to our house....

I'm without an essential item which we pay for as part of our rent (we sold a perfectly good quality washer when moving into this property as the LA said the washer cant be taken out)...
Do i have any grounds to seek costs back for what we are spending at the laundrette (am talking max £25....) ???