Lettings Agency - Take, take, take

Fay_elizabeth

Hi Guys,

We live in a small rental house with our cat & dog. We purposely searched for over 6 months to find a house that was pet friendly so we were obviously very happy to finally get this place.

We have lived here for a year now, when we moved in we kicked up a lot of fuss because the place was an absolute tip, the (cream!) carpet was filthy and stained and the kitchen was on its last legs (doors hanging off, grease stained paintwork) and the 'professional clean' we requested before moving in was never done because they thought it didn't need it!

ANYWAY

We renewed our tenancy about 3 weeks ago to stay for another year with a rent increase of £55 a month, we kind of have no choice because we're saving up for our wedding in October and can't afford to move right now. We agreed to stay on the terms that the kitchen would be replaced and also the downstairs carpet. The lettings agents agreed to the Kitchen, but not the carpet. We accepted this.

Now part of the reason we need a new kitchen is because the cupboard doors have fallen off their hinges so many times there is no where left to actually secure some of the doors to the framework, one of our main cupboard doors has been stood in the kitchen off the hinges since March 6th this year. We have been asking and asking for them to fix it, but because the landlord was 'considering' a new kitchen they won't do anything about it.

Quotes have been taken from 3 separate companies for a new kitchen about 4 weeks ago and we still have no decision, no plan - nothing and the bloody door is still in the middle of the kitchen with all our pots and pans on display!

It just angers me so much how they have put our rent up 10% in a year but can't fix a bloody cupboard door in 3 months!

Should I be angry? What should I do to kick them into action? Sick of it.

thesaint

What was the agreeed deadline?
There wasn't one?
Hmmmm.

You could write giving a "reasonable" deadline, and then if not done, get the work done and then deduct it from your rent.

elverson

Have you had any contact with your landlord about this? Remember that the agent doesn't own the property.

Boatdweller

The agent can't make a decision without the landlord's go ahead. Did you agree a date by which the works would be completed?

Guest101

marina0403 wrote: »

Hello, I'm sorry you and your pet, that you are in such a terrible situation. My advice to you - fulfill your demand conditions, to defend the right as much as possible. In the worst case, move out.

What does any of this even mean?

Alter_ego

Guest101 wrote: »

What does any of this even mean?

I think it translates as "I have nothing to say."

[Deleted User]

I was in the same position. I got some pva glue, tightly packed the hinge holes with cocktail sticks (as tightly as you can manage). Wait a few days for it all to dry off, use a jigsaw to cut the cocktail sticks as flat as you can, sand it and then use that as a base to rescrew the doors into the cupboard frame.

You can buy these as well https://www.amazon.co.uk/CUPBOARD-DOOR-HINGE-REPAIR-KIT/dp/6040126302

Just a quick google search ('repair kitchen cupboard hinge holes')? Less time than badgering the LA.

davidmcn

Alter_ego wrote: »

I think it translates as "I have nothing to say."

Or more likely "I am a would-be spammer bumping up my post count with meaningless comments".

tomtontom

Guest101 wrote: »

What does any of this even mean?

I think it means "I'm making pointless posts until such point I can post spam."

(Cross post!)

Pixie5740

Your contract is with the landlord, not the letting agency they just act as the landlord's agent. So if the landlord doesn't want to or can't afford to replace the kitchen there's nothing the letting agency can do. Sure your £55 pcm increase won't pay for a new kitchen but kitchens don't last forever and this is something the landlord should have been budgeting for already.

So what can you do about it? WRITE (paper, ink, stamp get proof of postage) to the address for the serving of notices given in your tenancy agreement. Remind the landlord about the state of the kitchen and ask for a timescale as to when the kitchen cupboards will be sorted. If your landlord still doesn't pull his finger out then escalate matters to the council.

If a private landlord refuses to do repairs

The alternative is to do nothing and slog it out until you can afford to move. I suppose you could invite your landlord round for tea and cake to discuss the matter but it's probably a bit tricky to bake a cake in a kitchen that's falling to pieces.