Adivce needed new to renting.

lotty41

Moved into 4 bed town house on 28/09/12, new build 5 years old. Painted white throughout. Paid 6 months rent up front.
Agent came to property 5 days later as I wasn't happy with the state of the walls and a few other things. The last thing I wanted was to get off to bad start with letting agent. Previous tenants had lived here for 5 years. They had taken out nails etc out of the walls and badly filled holes in put a blob of white paint over the handy work, also put paint on marks/staines, smear marks where they have washed parts of the walls. The Whole house is covered in white blobs and smear marks , the house hasn't been repainted since built so the original white paint is not so white therefore all the touch ups look terrible and very noticeable, have counted at least 30 blobs apart from other new paint smears. The rubber seal on washing machine was thick with black mould and stank to high heaven, agent said they would replace seal. Dishwasher filter stunk due to old food left in it, cooker filter thick with grease, one burner on cooker not working, toilets were dirty, one had urine staines splattered on back panel. Carpets obviously were not proff cleaned as stated. I asked the agent who cleaned the property, the previous tenants did. She said she did the inventory but because she felt previous tenants were very clean she didnt check everything, and stated that she has to do a lot of inventorys and sometimes it's not possible for her to check things like toilets!! She told me that the walls are general wear and tear but accepted they needed repainting and it would not be a prob, she said her father does the decorating and it would only take a few days. She said if I didn't hear anything regarding repairs to let her know. Almost 4 weeks later I didn't hear anything, so after numerous phone calls, leaving messages for her to call me back, no calls returned, however I received an email a few days ago stating that the landlady would like to see how the first 6 month tenancy goes and then she may consider repainting. Also I have paid 6 months rent up front. I may be wrong but I'm thinking that maybe letting agent hasn't told the landlady the true state of the walls, otherwise I'm sure she would enquire as to why then the previous tenants received all of the deposit back. My plan is to write to the landlady myself, not to go in all guns blazing, but to ask if it would be possilbe for her to pay me a visit. I would also like to offer the next 6 monts rent up front because after the 1st 6 months it is a monthly rolling contract.

Thanks for reading, any advice would be apreciated.

Lotty

thelem

These are mostly things that you could have checked when you first looked at the property, so I don't think there's much you can force the landlord to do, unless you have written promises that weren't carried out (e.g. professional cleaning). I'd also expect her to fix the cooker.

Why are you so keen to pay the rent so early, surely this just weakens your position in any negioations? Similarly, why do you want another six month contract? That will mean you paying more fees to the agent, and on a rolling contract the landlord need to give you two months notice anyway.

PS Some paragraphs would make your post much easier to read.

G_M

First - you're right not to foul up relations by going in all guns blazing. Be polite/diplomatic.

1) have you received, signed, and returned an inventory? If so, how does it describe the property? Is it accurate? If not accurate, do not sign!
If you have signed, and it is accurate, then you have agreed to accept the property in the current condition.
If you signed and it is not accurate (eg describes decor as 'brand new' or suchlike), you need to get a correction IN THE POST asap, ideally with photos. Send to the landlord at the address on the tenancy agreement "for the serving of notices"

2) by all means contact the landlord - that's who your contract is with, and that's who owns the property, and receives the rent.
Nothing wrong with introducing yourself, inviting him to tea so that you can have a chat.

3) The agent sounds like they are saving money by not doing proper inspections/inventories. As they act for the LL, and are paid to do these, they have a duty to do so "stated that she has to do a lot of inventorys and sometimes it's not possible for her to check things..." is no excuse.

The LL would probobly be shocked to hear this!

Callie22

Paying rent in advance is never a good idea unless you absolutely have to. My partner and I did it once, after university when we had no employment/credit records, but it was a nightmare. We couldn't get any repairs done until we started paying the rent monthly again - not that I'd ever fail to pay the rent but the possibility that you 'might' is often the kick up the backside that some LLs and LAs need ...

Fire_Fox

Please use paragraphs, walls of texts mean many will not bother to read and makes my eyes hurt.

You are not in a position to insist the landlord repaints the property, they have no legal obligation to supply you with smooth walls! You are in a position to insist the inventory accurately reflects the condition of the place when you moved in: they should give you a clean and safe washing machine and dishwasher, but you've left it far too long to get that resolved by the landlord now. Presumably you have just done a couple of service washes with products you can buy in the supermarket.

You should be reporting ALL problems with the inventory and any damage or breakdowns during the tenancy to the landlord in writing. Send two copies from different Post Offices and keep the proofs of posting with a copy of the letter, so you have evidence if you need to complain to Environmental Health or there is any problem with returning your deposit. The only time you should use the telephone is in an emergency and that should also be followed up in writing. By all means drop the letting agent in it, try to quote word for word what she said rather than paraphrasing.

lotty41

Thanks for all your replies.

I did sign the inventory, it was incorrect but was a page to put faults, which I did. I didn't return the inventory until the letting agent had come to visit me, but have to say I dont have a copy of it, so will need to get on to that.

I do not expect smooth walls, but I do expect to be able to sit in my lounge without looking at blobs of paint and smear marks staring back at me, same for every bedroom, kitchen and halls.

When I viewed the property obviously I couldn't see these marks as the tenants had not done any painting at that point. It was only when they had taken items off the walls to move that they tried to make good. They had a lot of things hanging on the walls, had I seen the walls in the state they are in now, I would have asked if they intended to repaint, I would not have moved in if the answer was no.

Taken on board regards paying another 6 months up front.

The walls are that bad that if they do not get repainted then I would probably have to move, it really is an eye sore.

As for checking everything when viewing as mentioned, how was I going to do that? There was tenants still living here, so checking toilets, dishwasher etc was not an option, who looks to see if there are urine staines on viewing and even if there were you would expect them to be cleaned surely.

Guess I have a lot to learn about renting.

lotty41

Fire Fox, why have I left it to long to regarding washing machine? I actually called the agent the day after I moved in, it was them that arranged to come a few days later to check out my complaints, she said the rubber would get changed, the fact that it hasn't been done cant be my fault...or is it??:(

lotty41

I paid 6 months in advance because I am not working at the moment.

Fire_Fox

lotty41 wrote: »

Fire Fox, why have I left it to long to regarding washing machine? I actually called the agent the day after I moved in, it was them that arranged to come a few days later to check out my complaints, she said the rubber would get changed, the fact that it hasn't been done cant be my fault...or is it??:(

I assumed you'd done some laundry by now! Does the seal actually need changing, is it leaking water? If not the machine just needs service washes and the seal, powder drawer and filter cleaning out. Appreciate you should not really have to do this but you are likely to be waiting a long time for someone else to do it.

Buy from the supermarket or a discount store like Home Bargains - a pack of washing machine descaler, a pack of washing soda, some enzyme-based/ biological powder be that stain remover or regular washing powder. None of these should be expensive. Run these through as three separate hot washes - empty no laundry load - they will neutralise one another if you use them together.

Scrub out the powder drawer with an old toothbrush and wash down the seal with regular washing up liquid and between each service wash leave the door open for the inside to dry out fully. Don't use bleach or chemical sprays on the seal, you will rot it. The black sludge and smell comes from using only laundry liquids, not running service washes and the machine door not being left open. You get the same stuff down drains if you don't use drain cleaner regularly.

lotty41

Ok thanks Fire Fox. Have en suite top floor, family bathroom 1st floor, loo ground floor. The family bathroom smells horrible, drains I assume, what's the best thing to use to get rid of that awful smell?

lotty41

Have had to leave the plug in bath and sink, which has done the trick.