Tenant wants rent reduction - but is he entitled?

jjlandlord

Guest101 wrote: »

The tenant i suppose could've bought heaters and asked LL to pay for them?

Yes, but then the heaters should be given to the landlord when no longer used (I say that because I'm sure some would think this means free heaters, woohoo!)

Now, of course the landlord could say 'free heaters' as goodwill, considering that they are very cheap.

bigbananas

jjlandlord wrote: »

We don't know why the heating wasn't fixed sooner.

Assuming that the landlord is at fault for that delay: What would an owner-occupier do if the boiler is out of order for 2 weeks?

I doubt he would pack and move to a hotel, but rather get electric heaters and deal with it until resolve.

A tenant is expected to behave as an owner-occupier would.

I did end up delaying the fix due to the decisions I made. The letting agents asked my permission for them to send their plumber straight away. I agreed. He suggested a "quick fix" because the proper fix required a new part that would take his suppliers upto 10 days to deliver and cost £600. So I opted for the quick fix, which took him (on and off) 3 days, but failed the following day. So I agreed for him to order the part. It then struck me I may be able to get the manufacturers to bare some of the cost and gave them a call. They then mis-sold me a one off repair for £300 that would do the job (and was told they had the part on the van). 2 days later, after I cancelling the letting agents plumber (!!!!ing him and the agents off!) the manufacturers engineer has visited and quotes me an extra £600 plus a weeks wait for the part!! So I said no chance and got yet another plumber in. This guy does the job within 4 days, taking the grand total to 2 weeks!
So, because ironically I was trying to get the job done quicker and for a fair price it ended up looking like I cocked up! This is the arguement the letting agents have against me which is why I'm pretty certain they have goaded the tenant into this 2 weeks reduction.

mjoneseyjones

jjlandlord wrote: »

Be very careful taking advice from people who cannot up with a better retort

I don't think we should be surprised that someone who entertains themselves by giving bad advice in childish text speak would deliver such a terrible retort.

fishpond

supermassive wrote: »

Supposing the 'alternative' heat was adequate in terms of providing a level of comfort... would the 'compensation' then be for losses caused by the increased electricity usage to run this alternative heating?

Fact of the matter is, you're not allowed to leave a tennant without heating when the tenancy is likely to state that there's gas central heating in the property.

Would you move out in that circumstance or would you continue to live in the house and either Freeze to death, or run heating that would cost you an arm and a leg all because the landlord couldn't be bothered to get the heating fixed sooner?

In either of those circumstances (freezing or footing a large electricity bill) it's likely that the law would be on the tenant's side.

I have never seen that written in law?

Guest101

mjoneseyjones wrote: »

I don't think we should be surprised that someone who entertains themselves by giving bad advice in childish text speak would deliver such a terrible retort.

1: just pointing out that you are no more qualified than I.
2: I've urged you numerous times to highlight what is wrong and provide corrections, which you don't ( I suspect you don't have a clue )
3: simply saying I'm wrong, doesn't prove anything.
4: by all means share your wisdom. Or go back under the bridge. Or do whatever you want, as it's a free country.

fishpond

bigbananas wrote: »

I did end up delaying the fix due to the decisions I made. The letting agents asked my permission for them to send their plumber straight away. I agreed. He suggested a "quick fix" because the proper fix required a new part that would take his suppliers upto 10 days to deliver and cost £600. So I opted for the quick fix, which took him (on and off) 3 days, but failed the following day. So I agreed for him to order the part. It then struck me I may be able to get the manufacturers to bare some of the cost and gave them a call. They then mis-sold me a one off repair for £300 that would do the job (and was told they had the part on the van). 2 days later, after I cancelling the letting agents plumber (!!!!ing him and the agents off!) the manufacturers engineer has visited and quotes me an extra £600 plus a weeks wait for the part!! So I said no chance and got yet another plumber in. This guy does the job within 4 days, taking the grand total to 2 weeks!
So, because ironically I was trying to get the job done quicker and for a fair price it ended up looking like I cocked up! This is the arguement the letting agents have against me which is why I'm pretty certain they have goaded the tenant into this 2 weeks reduction.

Reading the post above, I would suggest it was not your fault, you did your best under the circumstances.
To make sure he departs, give him an S21 and if needs be, follow it up. Otherwise you may never sell the property without giving the buyer vacant possession, unless the new owner wants a sitting tenant.
Or propose a rent increase. (see if he is still so nice).
P.S Tell the agents to b****r off and mind their own business.

dodger1

Guest101 wrote: »

yay we agree.

think the problem is the LL didnt provide heaters at the time. Hence the compensation now.

The tenant i suppose could've bought heaters and asked LL to pay for them?

LL was informed that tenant had alternative heating, see post 11. It appears that the tenant just decided to go and stay elsewhere immediately rather than see what the problem was and could it be fixed in a reasonable time.

The tenant wants two weeks compensation and the repair took two weeks, that tells me he just moved out instantly. LL needs to give us more info about when the tenant moved out.

bigbananas

dodger1 wrote: »

LL was informed that tenant had alternative heating, see post 11. It appears that the tenant just decided to go and stay elsewhere immediately rather than see what the problem was and could it be fixed in a reasonable time.

The tenant wants two weeks compensation and the repair took two weeks, that tells me he just moved out instantly. LL needs to give us more info.

He wants 2 weeks comp because that's how long he was without heating/hot water. I don't know of his exact whereabouts to be honest but the plumbers have told me he had a portable heater so he would have been using the property at some point.

dodger1

Did he contact you before leaving the property?

bigbananas

dodger1 wrote: »

Did he contact you before leaving the property?

Nope. Haven't heard anything from him directly.