Getting out of long term rental contract

Mr_Kite

I signed an 18 month rental contract on a flat. The landlord moved out just before I moved in. On the day I moved in arrived to find the building (with 3 flats in it) covered in scaffolding and tarpaulins. The landlord said they were just replacing a few roof tiles and would be done in a couple of weeks, and arguing seemed like more hassle than it was worth.

5 months later and the building is still covered in scaffolding and tarpaulins. The builders have replaced the roof, work which was so noisy that it drove me out of the house entirely if I wasn't at work - and sometimes they even worked weekends. The flapping tarpaulin still keeps me awake at night. My bedroom lacks natural light due to the tarpaulin.

If I wake up late the first thing I see out the landing window in the mornings is the builders standing on the opposite side of the window (I think they're now doing the guttering). They have also rewired the common areas of the building (which required access to my flat one day, and resulted in my bike in the hallway being damaged) and replaced the windows (leaving them half finished overnight for one day).

The landlord claims they replaced far more of the roof than required because they damaged the roof when attempting a more minor repair, and furthermore that the work has taken even longer because he is suing them and so they have purposefully slowed down.

Living here is horrible, but the landlord says he will only let me out of the contract once the scaffolding comes down so he can find a new tenant.

:mad:

Old_Git

if your landlord wont let you out of the contract ask for a rent reduction .
Have you spoken to the workmen to ask exactly what work they intend to do ,and the time frame.

Mr_Kite

He agreed to a small rent reduction for two months some time ago, but it has since reverted to full price. The workmen themselves are eastern Europeans who likely just do what they're told. I could phone the building contractor, or try talking to the foreman, but it seems a bit late for that now - no doubt they will say they are almost finished.

At this point, even if there is only a couple more month's work, I want to leave anyway, because the experience of the last 5 months has led me to associate the house with being miserable. I'm also concerned that even when finished they might leave the scaffolding up for another month or so anyway just for somewhere to store it until their next job.

HappyMJ

Do you have a break clause in your tenancy agreement you could use?

Mr_Kite

There is no break clause, but the landlord says he will let me out once the scaffolding comes down.

JencParker

Mr_Kite wrote: »

There is no break clause, but the landlord says he will let me out once the scaffolding comes down.

That's convenient! It all sounds a little too convenient for the landlord. Have you spoken to the builders to find out whether it really was only a few tiles changing? I too would find it completely unsatisfactory.

AndyAtu

How much notice do you have to give your landlord? Did you use a letting a agency? Some agents accept a 2 months notice regardless of the duration of the agreement. Also, most landlords and agents are happy to let you out off an agreement if you help them find a new tenant.

I agree with the old git, it is worth speaking with the workers to see how much longer will they be working on the building. It doesn't matter they're Eastern European, as long as they speak enough English to say 2weeks, 2months or 2 years, they are likely to be more honest than the landlord. At the end of the day, you've already put up with this for 5months, you've got a year left of your agreement, if they're only going to be there for another month or so is it really worth of the hassle of getting out of the agreement?

And if he's only going to let you out of the agreement when the work is finished, is it really worth getting out of it? It just sounds to me he wants to get rid of you more than you want to get out of the property so that he can charge the next tenant far more on the rent, now that the property would be significantly improved.