Renting

dgtazzman

At least some LA/LL 'care' enough to come and inspect once every 3 months or 6 months, as much as it is an inconvenience, it's also a chance to have a chat about current affairs if needed.

We've been in our current rental for near on 3 years now, saw the LL once, 2 days after we moved in and found the plumbing of the bath was leaking and causing a nice stain on the living room ceiling (which after so long still hasn't been repainted, even after the LL verbally said he would, though I suspect we've been sold on to a different LL without being told as we had a new contract with direct contact details of the LL removed and the LA address as main contact for everything).

The garden was flooding last week due to a burst main, LA/LL just told me to call the water company and let them know how things worked out, didn't bother to come and assess the damage or help out in any way and left all the pushing and pulling with the water company to me, ended up putting back half the paving in the garden myself too after the water company dug it up and didn't bother to put it back.

They also tactically avoided any mention as to what they might do about the little leak we have in the piping of the upstairs toilet. It's my understanding this would fall under the LL's responsibility to fix, but just wanted to have this confirmed.

I'm praying that next year will be the year we finally buy and be done with this. I don't mind putting in a lot of effort, but I'd like to be doing it for my own property, not somebody else's because they just cba.

sandsni

dgtazzman wrote: »

The garden was flooding last week due to a burst main, LA/LL just told me to call the water company and let them know how things worked out, didn't bother to come and assess the damage or help out in any way and left all the pushing and pulling with the water company to me, ended up putting back half the paving in the garden myself too after the water company dug it up and didn't bother to put it back.

If it was a burst main and therefore the water company's responsibility then it really is between you and them, not the LA/LL. Regarding the other faults, have you put them in writing to the LA/LL?

dgtazzman

I agree it is up to me as the tenant to take initial action, but when the back garden is like a waterfall with water spilling out into the street and neighbouring properties, you would at least expect the LL or his representative to come inspect the situation, water can be very destructive, so you'd want to check the extent of damage. The water company is responsible for all damages, but somebody would have had to put in the claim if there had been damage, which luckily it seems there wasn't (though this wasn't clear till 2 days after the incident). That somebody is going to be the LL or his insurance company, not me.

Everything has been emailed to the LA in regards to the toilet, they responded to that email, but tiptoed round the issue and decided to talk about other matters instead, all saved to show it was reported in a timely fashion in case it comes back to bite me later on. LA request that as much as possible is dealt with via email.

With our original LL, I could just phone him directly and he'd be on top of things, unfortunately whoever we have now, has a 'laiser faire' attitude, as long as the rent is paid on time.

sandsni

dgtazzman wrote: »

I agree it is up to me as the tenant to take initial action, but when the back garden is like a waterfall with water spilling out into the street and neighbouring properties, you would at least expect the LL or his representative to come inspect the situation, water can be very destructive, so you'd want to check the extent of damage. The water company is responsible for all damages, but somebody would have had to put in the claim if there had been damage, which luckily it seems there wasn't (though this wasn't clear till 2 days after the incident). That somebody is going to be the LL or his insurance company, not me.

Everything has been emailed to the LA in regards to the toilet, they responded to that email, but tiptoed round the issue and decided to talk about other matters instead, all saved to show it was reported in a timely fashion in case it comes back to bite me later on. LA request that as much as possible is dealt with via email.

With our original LL, I could just phone him directly and he'd be on top of things, unfortunately whoever we have now, has a 'laiser faire' attitude, as long as the rent is paid on time.

The LA/LL told you to get back to them and let them know what had happened with the water company. Did you tell them what damage had been done to the garden? If you had told them there was damage to the house I'd be surprised if they didn't come or send someone to assess it. As you say, it's the water company's fault, not a fault with the LL's property. It's not really up to the LL to assess what damage a water company fault did to the houses down the street.

You say you think it's a different LL. As your contract is with the LL and not the LA, I'd be surprised if the house could change hands without you being informed (but someone more knowledgable than me might contradict that). Is it possible the LL has moved and is no longer local, and therefore has left it in what he thinks is the LAs capable hands?

Is the toilet leaking? Do you know how the fault occurred? It is the LL's responsibility to keep sanitary ware in working condition, but you may be charged for the repair if it was due to misuse or damage.

Write a letter (on paper) directly to your LL. As you have discovered, not all LLs are as good as their word and emails, while useful, don't carry the same weight as good old-fashioned letters. From what I've read on this forum you should have a contact address for your LL, even if it's via the agency. Ask them to reply in writing giving a timescale on when the repairs will be completed.

dgtazzman

Emails these days are in many cases considered legally binding afaik, so I'm not affraid about that.

The toilet is just a gasket that needs replacing, but the toilet unit will have to be taken off to get at it I think. No fault of ours, just time and rotting rubber.

Of course I kept the LA in the loop on the water situation, though we were without sewage for near on 3 days and they basically didn't give a hoot. It's a small effort to come round and look at what's going on, I know if I was a LL, I'd be up there in a flash, or if I couldn't and had outsourced maintenance to the LA, as ours has, I'd expect them to get up there and look what's going on, that's what they are getting paid for.

I only have the LA address and the contract specifies contact must be via email or, in urgent matters, via phone, which goes to an answering machine as the department that deals with these urgent issues is mostly unstaffed. They tend to answer around 2 or 3 hours later to be fair though.

Don't know what the legal requirements are, but we were likely sold around 2 years ago as we and the other properties our original LL had popped up on rightmove as 1 portfolio of buy to let properties, including tenants and was removed a few months later, suggesting a sale.

newbian

Lagoon wrote: »

All that said I've been renting for years and expect to keep doing so for a considerable length of time, possibly forever, because of those high rent prices. I'm satisfied that if you're a good tenant and obey your LL's rules, they won't push their luck either. It's easier for them to have one family in their home long-term, paying their rent regularly. Our current rental contract was only valid for six months, and we were supposed to have inspections every six months. We've now lived here for a few years, had only one inspection and feel confident that our landlord won't get rid of us without any good reason because we're good tenants, we can be trusted and we keep the property in good condition.

You're lucky. We were in the place we planned to stay in until we'd saved up a deposit when the landlord - nice guy, no problems - gave us 2 month notice with no explanation. We found out a close friend of his from the US was moving to London so he kicked us out to rent to the friend.

Current landlord refused us a break clause in the second year of the lease, but had us over a barrel because we were planning to buy and couldn't deal with the cost and stress of moving twice in a year. So now we're stuck paying rent for months in a flat we don't live in until a new tenant is found.

I'm from abroad and renters have more rights back home - longer tenancies, rent control, etc. In the big city near where I grew up only the rich buy - people rent for 50 years, raise kids and grandkids, decorate, whatever they'd like. Here there is too much insecurity and few rights for tenants. We didn't want to buy but the thought of having a kid (planning next year) without a permanent home is terrifying so we saves up and did it.

Okydoky25

I'm a renter. I've lived in 6 in 5 years! What annoys me most is I have to pay all these fees and then 6 months later your out on your ear when they decide they want the property back even after promises that it won't. Or it's repossed (happened to us twice now and poss happening again!) I understand we only have a contract for so many months but as long term renters I really would like to stay longer and not keep having to find £1k plus every 6 months to move!

I'm now in a rental with a 12 month agreement but getting hounded by the LL creditors as they owe money to everyone it seems including the mortgage company who were unaware it was being Let!

I think LL should be made to provide information proving they have the right to let and have certain insurances in place at the very least.

Excited13

Okydoky25 wrote: »

I think LL should be made to provide information proving they have the right to let and have certain insurances in place at the very least.

The thing is even if the LL CTL it doesn't mean the property won't get repossessed.

Just on another point whilst I accept peoples comments about the renters POV what about the LLs who struggle to gain possession of their properties due to non payment etc as it takes months. I know I would not want to become an accidental LL as like there are lots of bad LLs there are lots of bad tennants.

Lagoon

newbian wrote: »

You're lucky. We were in the place we planned to stay in until we'd saved up a deposit when the landlord - nice guy, no problems - gave us 2 month notice with no explanation. We found out a close friend of his from the US was moving to London so he kicked us out to rent to the friend.

Current landlord refused us a break clause in the second year of the lease, but had us over a barrel because we were planning to buy and couldn't deal with the cost and stress of moving twice in a year. So now we're stuck paying rent for months in a flat we don't live in until a new tenant is found.

I'm from abroad and renters have more rights back home - longer tenancies, rent control, etc. In the big city near where I grew up only the rich buy - people rent for 50 years, raise kids and grandkids, decorate, whatever they'd like. Here there is too much insecurity and few rights for tenants. We didn't want to buy but the thought of having a kid (planning next year) without a permanent home is terrifying so we saves up and did it.

Yes. We've rented two properties. The first property again, we were in for years. If memory serves, the original contract was for a year. We considered moving out a few times, and gave the landlord warning. Each time he dropped the price, which was very kind of him, as he wanted to keep us there.

Eventually we had to move, and genuinely felt a little guilty!

Decorating is the one bit that gets me down. Our house is worn down, with 60s decor, and it would be nice to change that. Still, when you're renting you see little point in redecorating even if option could. That's a lot of expense for someone else.