Maintainence issue - agency can't contact landlord

AlecEiffel

Hi all,

Two weeks ago we reported screeching, clattering, running taps in the bathroom to our letting agency. I have called them every couple of days and all I get is that they have left voicemails and emails for the landlord and had no reply, and that they can't do anything without the LL's permission.

The problem is getting worse and the taps now wake us up in the night with random wailing, when the washing machine runs they screech like a baby, and when the heating kicks in they make a gentle hum. When running other taps in the bathroom they vibrate like mad.

At the weekend the bath tap wouldn't stop dripping/slowly running, to the point that I put the plug in and 4 hours later the bath was over half full. In the same period of time I did the same with the bathroom sink and it filled to the point of the overflow.

I have explained this to the agency and all they say is how annoying it must be.

The property is currently being sold to a new LL who is using a different agency so I'm worried that the agency/LL is just fobbing us off now. Surely as we pay a reasonable rent this must be sorted out with or without the LL saying it's ok? What if the boiler packed in or the roof blew away??

Any advice on how to progress this or what our rights are?

Thanks!

G_M

Have you reported this properly?

In writing?
To the landlord?
At the address provided?

Is this a house? Is there a water tank in the attic? Haveyou been upthere? Sounds tome like water hammer. Easy to fix: use google.

AlecEiffel

Problem has been reported to local office via the phone and in person, and the head office maintenance office via phone and email.

We have no address or phone number for the LL.

There is no water tank, it is a combi boiler.

We had the same problem early this year. We were told that the ceramic tap inserts may be worn, but the guy who visited said they didn't have them to hand so stripped and cleaned the mixer tap assembly which solved the issue until recently.

G_M

AlecEiffel wrote: »

Problem has been reported to local office via the phone and in person, and the head office maintenance office via phone and email.

We have no address or phone number for the LL.

So the answer to

Have you reported this properly?

In writing?
To the landlord?
At the address provided?

is : No, you have not.

And if you have not been given, in writing (usually on your tenancy agreement) a postal address "for the serving of notices" then you are in an even better position.

You do not have to pay rent!

Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 Section 48

(1)A landlord of premises to which this Part applies shall by notice furnish the tenant with an address in England and Wales at which notices (including notices in proceedings) may be served on him by the tenant.

(2)Where a landlord of any such premises fails to comply with subsection (1), any rent or service charge otherwise due from the tenant to the landlord shall (subject to subsection (3)) be treated for all purposes as not being due from the tenant to the landlord at any time before the landlord does comply with that subsection.

AlecEiffel

We have a postal address for the landlord in the tenancy agreement, but it is the agency's head office postal address. There are no direct contact details for the LL.

angrypirate

In that case REQUEST IN WRITING the LLs address from the LA. If they refuse to give it to you, then you can withold the rent.

Kynthia

AlecEiffel wrote: »

We have a postal address for the landlord in the tenancy agreement, but it is the agency's head office postal address. There are no direct contact details for the LL.

Then that's what you are meant to use. Write a letter updating the landlord officially, and include a timeline if the contact you've made with the agents. Keep a copy. If you get no response then look at Shelter's website for the guide to going repairs yourself. It's not a quick process and involves more actual letters in the post, but at the end you can legally use the rent to make repairs.

G_M

AlecEiffel wrote: »

We have a postal address for the landlord in the tenancy agreement, but it is the agency's head office postal address. There are no direct contact details for the LL.

In that case use the address provided to properly report the issue...

In writing
To the landlord
At the address provided

That is why the law insists a LL must provide an address!

19lottie82

angrypirate wrote: »

In that case REQUEST IN WRITING the LLs address from the LA. If they refuse to give it to you, then you can withold the rent.

No this is wrong. They have an address for the LL, it's c/o the agent.

G_M

Originally Posted by angrypirate


In that case REQUEST IN WRITING the LLs address
from the LA. If they refuse to give it to you, then you can withold the
rent.

19lottie82 wrote: »

No this is wrong. They have an address for the LL, it's c/o the agent.

Not quite.

The agent's address satisfies the requirement of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 for an address for the serving of notices. It is this Act that allows the tenant to withhold rent (till an address is supplied).

But a tenant has an additional right to the landlord's actual address under Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 . On written request, the agent has 21 days to supply it. If the agent fails to provide he commits a criminal offence.

AlecEiffel

Thanks to everyone for your replies.


We finally have some movement on the issue so hopefully we are on the way to a resolution. If it grinds to a halt I will take the issue further as has been suggested.


Thanks.