Scaffolding outside my rented flat - reduction in rent?

kmmr

I must admit I'm slightly surprised at the completely negative responses here. I would be quite annoyed - light is a pretty key part of how your home feels, and what you are paying for.

The difference as a homeowner is that you have some control over the timing and extent of scaffolding. A tenant is totally at your mercy, and you may not be in any great rush as it isn't really impacting you.

I would expect a reduction. And I have had friends who have had reductions for that reason.

I'm a homeowner, and a landlord, and I would offer a discount to my tenant if I felt it was going on a bit long and wasn't fair to them.

Ellie007

I can't see you getting a rent reduction. It is annoying, but that is all.

If it is any consolation I had exactly the same problem, but with no notice. I came out to my kitchen (5th floor of a flat - no overlookers!) one morning to see a 'friendly' builder waving me hello as I stood there in a skimpy nightie...:o

camptownraces

kmmr wrote: »

I must admit I'm slightly surprised at the completely negative responses here. I would be quite annoyed - light is a pretty key part of how your home feels, and what you are paying for.

The difference as a homeowner is that you have some control over the timing and extent of scaffolding. A tenant is totally at your mercy, and you may not be in any great rush as it isn't really impacting you.

I would expect a reduction. And I have had friends who have had reductions for that reason.

I'm a homeowner, and a landlord, and I would offer a discount to my tenant if I felt it was going on a bit long and wasn't fair to them.

Think about this. You may be a homeowner and a landlord, but...

OP is talking about a flat. So her landlord is the leaseholder of the flat, not the freeholder.

Landlord therefore has no control over how freeholder arranges maintenance for the building. Other flats,may be occupied by their leaseholders, but there's nothing those occupants can do about the scaffolding either.,

kissingthepink

If you owned the flat and were paying a mortgage would you expect the mortgage provider to waive the mortgage repayments whilst the scaffolding was there?

kmmr

camptownraces wrote: »

Think about this. You may be a homeowner and a landlord, but...

OP is talking about a flat. So her landlord is the leaseholder of the flat, not the freeholder.

Landlord therefore has no control over how freeholder arranges maintenance for the building. Other flats,may be occupied by their leaseholders, but there's nothing those occupants can do about the scaffolding either.,

When I say homeowner - I do mean longleaseholdowner, so I know the pain of dealing with managing agents.

If it was my own flat (or my rental to be honest) - I would be on the phone to my managing agent (who is indirectly working for me) or my group of co-leaseholders if, after 6 weeks, I had unused scaffolding ruining my flat, or my tenants flat. I would be chasing them, and chasing them - an option that isn't available to a renter. And the landlord may be less inclined to bother for something that isn't such a day-to-day issue for them.

If it's a block of 100 - then the co-leaseholders could help. I'm making a wild assumption based on their being a 'bay window' and the OP talking of being on the first floor only that this isn't a massive tower, but a smallish block of flats.

OP said she was ok with it for a while, but after 6 weeks and no work it seems a little unfair to just say 'that's life'.

Maybe I'm a soft touch...

vjvj

What was the outcome of this? I have a similar situation on my hands.