Tenancy Maintenance?

JWIOW

My partner and I have recently rented a flat, through a lettings agent (first time, we used to use private landlords) and have encountered a few issues with the flat since moving in.
The first was that the shower was not working, which was rectified within a few days of moving in. The maintenance guy had been around whilst we were not there, with no prior warning - but we were pleased that it was sorted.
Since then, we have found that the toilet blocks incredibly easily - we informed them of this over a month ago and nobody has been to sort this.
There is a large ridged plastic skylight above the stairs which is leaking quite badly, this again we reported over a month ago.
When we first moved in, we doubled checked it would be okay to hang pictures on the walls. I put this in an email as requested and they said that they would have someone put these up for us.
The landlord has their own maintenance person, and within all the chasing - the lettings agent suggested I chase the maintenance guy myself and gave me a mobile number.
The maintenance guy is a nightmare to get hold of, has suggested we try clearing the toilet ourselves (like we wouldn't have already tried this before reporting it!!) and said that he probably can't put up pictures as there may be cables or pipes in the walls.
This is just pathetic excuses and he seems useless!!

I was just wondering, should I be the one doing all the chasing?
Was I wrong in thinking that this is something the lettings agent should be doing? I thought that's what the £200 fees I paid to them were to cover, as well as the £60 every 12 months to renew my tenancy.
I feel bad chasing them on these things, and one of the main reasons I moved away from private was the fact that chasing the landlord on things that needed doing was tedious.

Any help/advice would be much appreciated.

Pixie5740

It's not uncommon for landlords and letting agencies to give tenants the contact details of workmen. It allows the tenant and the person carrying out the work to find a mutually convenient time to do the work without playing Chinese whispers through the landlord or letting agency.

The £200 fee you paid was for "admin" and the £60 fee doesn't have to be paid at all, just let the tenancy become periodic after the fixed term ends.

What address is given in your tenancy agreement for the serving of notices? Is it the letting agency's address or an address for your landlord? The letting agency may just have been engaged to find a tenant rather than for a fully managed service.

Once you've identified who you should be contacting about repairs and maintenance from your tenancy agreement then contact them (in writing), explain the maintenance issues and that you are having a difficult time pinning down the maintenance man.

LEJC

TBH it may depend on whether the LL used the agency as a tenant find service or has a managed contract with them.


It sounds to me as if he used the agency on a tenant find only basis...the fees you pay to the agency are not to chase the LL or to contact him on your behalf but to cover the agency costs in producing your tenancy agreement and introducing you to the LL.


you should have contact details for your LL,you need to send him a letter detailing your snagging list ....some of the points you make can and should be looked at by your LL or his maintainece man.
Just because you started your tenancy through a letting agent does not mean that they are responsible for fixing any issues that arise during the tenancy....


I am a LL and have recently swapped from a fully managed service with the agent to a tenant only find the difference being cost,however you should be able and be given proper means of contact to your LL.


I suggest you address the point of picture hanging with the LL....as if you do not and go ahead and hang pictures you may find you are charged at the end of your tenancy to rectify the holes and paintwork on the walls....I also understand to a point wwhat the handyman is saying to you about cables/pipework,I have at least one wall that I have had to have written into the contract as being not suitable for pictures,even though it is a very dominant wall in the house...a fwe cms behind the pasterboard are the main gas and water pipes running top to bottom and you would cetainly know if you hit one when knocking in a picture hook!!!!!!....so not by all means a pathetic excuse.


I have also found as a LL that some of the newer toilets that can be insalled nowadays especially the smaller ones are not as efficient at flushing and as such this might me a fact you have to learn to live with...but without seeing exactly what you have its very difficult to suggest a solution.


In summary you should contact your LL and ask them respond to your queries...as a LL I would have no problem meeting with you and discussing your concerns,you should be able to expect a similar attitude from yours....




your contract should provide contact details for your LL...use that as your point of contact
HTH

JWIOW

Thank you both for your responses.
My tenancy agreement has my landlord's name, however has the address as that of the Lettings Agent? Who does this mean is the person I need to liaise with?
After a strong email to the lettings agent today, reminding them that I require notice to ensure that our pedigree house cat is shut in a room to prevent escape... I got a text from the maintenance guy just now (3pm) stating that they will be visiting the flat tomorrow.

Hurrahh!!! Some update, at last!

I will wait and see what is actually done tomorrow, as I'm not holding my breath much will be rectified.

I believe it is also law that key holders should provide tenants with 24 hours notice prior to access, is this correct?!
When we first moved in, the maintenance guy accessed the flat with no prior warning whatsoever, whilst we were not there!

Pixie5740

Yes, the letting agent or the landlord should give you 24 hours notification before they, or someone acting for them, enters your home.

It sounds like the letting agency has asked the maintenance man to contact you to arrange a visit. If you're not happy with him turning up at your home at 3pm then text him back to re-arrange. It also sounds like your landlord has opted for a fully managed service from the letting agency since the address for the serving of notice in your tenancy agreement is the letting agency's address. However, if you keep experiencing problems then you can write to the letting agency requesting the landlord's contact details. By law the letting agency must supply these details to you within 21 days. Then you can write to the organ grinder rather than the monkey.