Tenants rights during repairs

Guest101

Hi Everyone,

Quick question. In my rented home ( I am the tenant) we have noticed a leak from upstairs. It seems to be the drainage pipe for the ensuite shower.

We have reported this to the letting agent (property is managed), but as we have gone on holiday, have told them we will notify when we return, and they may send a contractor out to take a look.

The leak actually seems to be coming from the landing on the 2nd floor, in the area between the ensuite and the 2nd bedroom and the landing (the ensuite and 2nd bedroom share a wall).

Now unless im completely off the mark, this is going to involve taking up carpets, floor boards etc.

What are my rights during this disruption? Am i entitled to alternate accomodation? compensation for disturbance etc.

(this was not caused by us, we have lived there less than 2 months)

Werdnal

You would be entitled to alternative accommodation IF the property is uninhabitable. I wouldn't have thought a few hours/maybe overnight (which is likely all it will take) to pull up floorboards and isolate/fix the leak will warrant you moving out. I suspect the contrator will merely identify where it is, cut off that section of pipework and installa new section, bypassing the leak.

Why did you not permit the agents to allow contractor to do this work whilst you are on holiday, which would have solved the issue you seem to have with the work being done whilst you are there?

Could you not have arrange a family member/friend to be at the property to meet and supervise the contractors and have it sorted before you get back. We had our bathroom gutted and reinstalled whilst we were away on 2 weeks holiday!

moromir

They'll probably be in and out in less than a day, it takes minutes to take up carpet and floorboards, plus however long to install a new joint.

More likely the waste under the shower has become disconnected (especially if the tray is some kind of plastic that flexes if you stand in it) and the water is just finding the path of least resistance under the floor.

Quite frankly you sound like you're out looking for a fight when theres no need.

Are there alternative faciliities? Ie a basin or bath? It is not unreasonable to expect you to use these for a day.

Guest101

Werdnal wrote: »

You would be entitled to alternative accommodation IF the property is uninhabitable. I wouldn't have thought a few hours/maybe overnight (which is likely all it will take) to pull up floorboards and isolate/fix the leak will warrant you moving out. I suspect the contrator will merely identify where it is, cut off that section of pipework and installa new section, bypassing the leak.

Why did you not permit the agents to allow contractor to do this work whilst you are on holiday, which would have solved the issue you seem to have with the work being done whilst you are there?

Could you not have arrange a family member/friend to be at the property to meet and supervise the contractors and have it sorted before you get back. We had our bathroom gutted and reinstalled whilst we were away on 2 weeks holiday!

The only family we have in the area weren't available to come (were away also) and I dont know the contractor so dont trust them in the house. All my friends work full time.

Thanks for the info about the time for work

Guest101

moromir wrote: »

They'll probably be in and out in less than a day, it takes minutes to take up carpet and floorboards, plus however long to install a new joint.

More likely the waste under the shower has become disconnected (especially if the tray is some kind of plastic that flexes if you stand in it) and the water is just finding the path of least resistance under the floor.

Quite frankly you sound like you're out looking for a fight when theres no need.

Are there alternative faciliities? Ie a basin or bath? It is not unreasonable to expect you to use these for a day.

The facilities are beyond the landing, so not really going to be able to access it, and with 3 kids a bath/shower is pretty needed.

But no im not looking for a fight, just want to know where i stand legally before agreeing to anything.

G_M

As others have said.

Must admit I'm surprised someone as knowledgable as yourself who advises regularly on the forum needs to ask.....

:huh:

Guest101

thx GM, to be honest it's not something ive encountered. I figured that if the job was done in a day I wouldnt get anything, or expect anything.

But if it lasts longer I wasnt sure. But thanks for the compliment

Werdnal

But the issue is that the house would not be uninhabitable. I few floorboard lifted, a few carpets rolled back and maybe no shower overnight - hassle - yes, slight inconvenience - yes, but you can still live there. You are not completely without water, heat, light, or exposed to the elements (ie hole in roof, doors and windows missing) - the things that EHO would deem make it uninhabitable!

If the work drags on and gets more intrusive, ask for a rent reduction or some form of compensation for your inconvenience by all means, but alternative accomodation is never likely to happen unless the contractors cut off the water for days, leave you completely without washing facilities or knock down an external wall!

Whilst you may feel aggrieved having to have this work done so soon after moving in, if it is a small and recently occurring leak, there is no way the LL would have known about it until it became bad enough for you to see evidence. You have reported it quickly and it sounds like the agents/LL are going to be proactive in getting it put right. You need to ask yourself, if you were an owner-occupier, would you choose to move out under these circumstances? You then need to employ the same attitude to this instance, put up with the minor hassle of having workmen round, and be thankful the repairs look like being addressed quickly.

moromir

Guest101 wrote:

The facilities are beyond the landing, so not really going to be able to access it, and with 3 kids a bath/shower is pretty needed.

But no im not looking for a fight, just want to know where i stand legally before agreeing to anything.

With all due respect, where you stand is that you either put a towel down in the bathroom and fill the basin, then everyone has a sponge bath for the day or buy a bulk pack of baby wipes for everyone to use that day.

You could easily have had an adult conversation with the landlord or the plumber to ascertain what they need to do, what will be out of commission and for how long, then you know where you stand but instead you seem to be getting het up on 'what ifs' and telling the landlord how its going to be - we all know how that ends.

Your landlord appears to be doing their best to rectify the problem - you might consider being grateful for that rather than getting set to demand compo?

Guest101

Im not sure where my 'attitude' has been shown, but if that is the case, it's certainly inadvertant.

I merely wanted to know my lega position in advance so as not to be messed around, as that can and does happen.

By all means this work needs to be carried out and whilst i may be incinvenienced for a day, it's not a huge problem.

The what if's are me trying to pre-empt any future problems and certainly a post on here saying x has happened what can i do now. The usual answer being (and one ive used myself) you shouldve asked here sooner.

Im certainly not telling the LL (or specificall the managing agent) how things are going to be, beyond what is reasonable. IE that I wish to be there when work is done. The contractors arent likely to steal the house itself, but seeing as i dont know them from John, if something goes missing it may not be spotted immediately and certainly would be impossible to prove who took it.

I have reported it straight away and so far the agents have acted in a top notch fashion, which i do appreciate.

I don't know the extent of the work, but being in a house with 3 young kids (aged 6, 4 & 1) showers and baths are a regular thing, more so than if i had teenagers anyway. So if the work did proceed to be more than a few hours/ over night I would be mightily annoyed.

Add in the fact that the leak is coming from the upstairs landing, that if the work did last a prolonged period, I could not, and i do mean could not, have my kids stay there with floor boards up and pipes exposed. That would be the same regardles of rented or owned accomodation.

Seeing as my last experience with pipework was when I was a teenager, I do not know what this involves and thought it best to check my legal standing, incase they say that X & Y need to be done and it can take 48 hours for example. I like to be prepared, apparently that is me being ar**y and pickig a fight. If it has coe accross like that then i do apologise.

Clearly this work is beneficial to both myself and the LLs, but I am the one who will be inconvenienced, and I doubt the agents are going to send someone to stay with the contractors whilst they work. So I just wanted to make sure I wasnt having my pants pulled down

moromir

If it does run over night and you're concerned about being upstairs, then have a "sleep over" in the living room, make it into a game and the kids will love it.

I still don't really buy that its a massive thing to not have use of a bath overnight. Kiddies 1 and 4 can be bathed in the kitchen sink, the 6 year old can have a sponge bath - they'll all enjoy the novelty!