homeowner rights against rented properties

slgiles

hi all, am new here but in desperate need of advice. My partner bought our terrace house a few years ago when both houses either side of us were owned. Since then, one of the owners has sadly passed away and a landlord has bought the property and rented it to the council. The problem is, the house is unsightly and in need of modernisation and general repair both inside and out. For example, the windows in both the front and back doors have been smashed and are boarded up. The back yard is full of weeds and overgrown. The inside is no better. The kitchen has doors missing off the units. The carpets were pulled up due to a leak and haven't been replaced so there are bare concrete floors in some of the rooms.

Doesn't sound like much I know but here is our concern. We now want to sell up and move to a larger property in a quieter area of the town. We know the property next door is going to put off potential buyers and if we do get any nibbles, they will probably offer us less than ours is worth because of it. I know that if I was a buyer, It would put me off. We feel this property is letting our street down and unfortunately it is the end terrace so we are the only neighbours.

PS, we have spoken to the landlord, just last night. He genuinely doesn't care. It's easy money for him (as he put it) and he is simply going to 'paint' over the boarded windows.

So what I need to know is, do we have any rights as homeowners to make the landlord sort out the property because his property would be single handedly stopping us from selling ours?? Do we have any rights at all? Can we engage a solicitor etc. Surely homeowners have rights too??

Guest101

You do have rights, but not in this case. Sorry

The simple fact is, he's a homeowner too, and it's his perogative to let his property waste away, that's upto him. However:

You may have a case to take to the council if: He has a rodent problem, if this house is used for illegal activity (by teeenagers etc - drugs would be a great one).

but you cannot sure if you disagree with how keep maintains his property. It would be like him saying, you've got a shed and i disagree with that.

Whilst you have my sympathies, you cannot expect to have control over another person property

Edit: You could also make a claim if the structural integrity of his property was affecting yours. he must maintain it structurally, IE If his roof collapsed and it affected your property etc. However asthetically no, sorry.

slgiles

Understand and thanks for the reply. Is this the case even if that property can be proved to be reducing the value of a neighbouring property i.e. ours?

Southend1

slgiles wrote: »

Understand and thanks for the reply. Is this the case even if that property can be proved to be reducing the value of a neighbouring property i.e. ours?

If his property was enhancing the value of yours would you be offering to pay him the difference?

mrginge

It makes no difference whether next door is rented out or not.
If you believe that the owner is neglecting their responsibilities, get on to environmental health and see what they say.

xylophone

rented it to the council.

Have you approached the council? Presumably the tenants have rights to reasonable standards in the property and to glass in the windows?

Guest101

xylophone wrote: »

Have you approached the council? Presumably the tenants have rights to reasonable standards in the property and to glass in the windows?

I get the feeling it was the tenants that caused it...

Guest101

mrginge wrote: »

It makes no difference whether next door is rented out or not.
If you believe that the owner is neglecting their responsibilities, get on to environmental health and see what they say.

I dont hink simply leaving the property in a state of disrepair breaches that legislation

slgiles

Southend1 wrote: »

If his property was enhancing the value of yours would you be offering to pay him the difference?

no, absolutely not. It's up to me to improve the value of my property but I certainly don't expect someone else to decrease it's value by their actions or lack of.

Guest101

slgiles wrote: »

no, absolutely not. It's up to me to improve the value of my property but I certainly don't expect someone else to decrease it's value by their actions or lack of.

I'm sure everyone sympathisies with your predicament, because i agree it's not nice. You've dne nothing wrong.

Have you considered offering to buy the property from the LL, do it up and make a quick buck?

slgiles

xylophone wrote: »

Have you approached the council? Presumably the tenants have rights to reasonable standards in the property and to glass in the windows?

Hi, yes we have approached the council directly on a number of occasions. They have told the property will be tidied up before being rented out again. It is falling on deaf ears it seems, because the landlord is already next door hoovering and getting ready to 'paint' up the boarded windows rather than replacing the glass.

It would appear their version of 'tidying' up is different to mine