Teething problems with landlord

RaspberryJam_2

Hi all, I'm having a few issues with my landlord, and I wanted to ask for some advice. I'll just list the issues and if you have any input, I'd be grateful.

I really like my landlord, and I LOVE our home. He's a very busy man, and I appreciate that, but if I don't have these problems worked out, I'm afraid we'll have to move again, which is the last thing we want. So, how should I handle this? I don't want to offend him, or rub him up the wrong way. Any advice?

RAS

Read your tenancy agreement. What exactly does it say about your tenure (does it exclude the garage and drive for example)?

How long is the fixed term?

Then report back here.

Fermerswife

What an awful sounding landlord!

I would either ask him to come round to discuss a few issues with the property or
Send him an email with a list of concerns similar to what you've outlined above.

If none of those work then you'll need to speak to citizens advice or your local authority housing seem for some advice. There's no way a landlord should have locked windows that can't be opened, his stuff in a locked room, be coming round with his mates or have such a damp problem you need to tape bags around the place! I think perhaps I would be looking for a new place - & I'm a landlord myself!

RaspberryJam_2

It's a 12 month tenancy and there's nothing contained within about limitations on the garage and/or garden(s). It looks like a standard template agreement, to be honest. As I say, I have no qualms about him storing his stuff here, as he made it clear that he was doing so from the start. But the intrusion is bothersome, I have to say.

G_M

Write to him (yes a letter) poitely pointing out the issues and asking for a timescale to fix

RaspberryJam wrote: »

1. ALL windows in the house are locked. We have asked repeatedly for the keys, but he can't seem to locate them. It's so hot and I'm almost 8 months pregnant and quite badly asthmatic. Not being able to ventilate the rooms is a nightmare for me!
Or go to a locksmith/DIY store. Most window locks are standard and keys can be bought for a few £s. Or google eg

http://www.replacementkeys.co.uk/window?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Popular%20Adwords&utm_term=window%20key



2. His stuff is still in one of the rooms (locked) upstairs. We rented the property to use all of the rooms, and we can't access that bedroom until he's cleared it out. Again, we've asked him several times in the month we've been here and he says he'll come to empty it, but doesn't.
Give him a deadline after which you will enter, pack his stuff and place in a commercial store, and deduct the costs from future rent.
See Shelter advice here for series of letter templates to use:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/tenants_repairs_and_improvements/tenants_doing_repairs

I know this applies to repairs, but the principal is the same

3. He's storing his stuff in the garage, too, which we knew before we rented the property. However, what we didn't realise is that he'd be coming around with his friends --without notice-- to get his quad bike out and sit revving it on the drive for an hour at a time, when my children are in bed. Aside from anything else, it's unsettling when I'm sat at my dining table and some random bloke walks through my garden! (LL's friends)

Is the garage excluded form the tenancy? Do you want it cleared? If yes, see advice for 2) above.

If you are happy to let him use the garage but are concerned about the noise, your letter should politely say so, and point out he's breaching your right to Quiet Enjoyment of the property.

Ask him to ask his friends not to use the garden as this is now your home.

4. During one of the visits with the quad bike, he crashed it into the drive gate and warped it, so it now won't stay closed and swings open, which isn't ideal as we have people parking out on the street. We've had things stolen from the back garden because we aren't able to lock it in its current condition.
Reprt the damage in writing and request a date for it to be fixed

5. This is a smaller issue, but is concerning me in light of the problems we're having thus far. The cellar has a huge damp problem, and I've had to tape black bags over the edges around the door to stop the house from smelling very bad. Now, when we agreed to take the property on, he had said that he would resolve this issue, as well as any other problems we might have. Unfortunately, I'm just not sure he's going to, and the thought of getting through a winter here with a newborn and a worsening damp problem is playing on my mind.
Reprt the problem in writing and request a date for it to be fixed

We also have a leak under the bath that's dripping through the ceiling and into the hallway. We informed him last week but we've heard nothing from him since.
Reprt the damage in writing and request a date for it to be fixed

If he is approachable and you want to be a diplonatic as possible, invite him round to tea (have a cake) to discuss how you are settling in and to iron out a few issues.

Have a list ready, and discuss each point.

After he's left, then write the letter confirming each issue and recapping whatever he said/promised at the meeting.

Otherwise, just write.

But either way, put it all in a letter.