Issues in new flat - how to approach agent

waitingformagic

UPDATE: Most problems sorted now! Agent and property service people have been very understanding and I've even had minor problems fixed that I wasn't going to report! Just waiting on one more person to come fix things! YAY!

Hi everyone, I need a little advice on how to approach my letting agent in a way that won't annoy them too much...

I recently relocated far from home and took my time picking somewhere as it was such a big move. I chose the flat based on location and because I liked the d!cor and because I didn't have to share with randoms! It is advertised by an agent who specialise in student property, however they do take on young professionals. I don't know if this means they are regulated slightly differently? The flats in the block are all self contained, it's like a normal block of flats and off the top of my head I have a normal tenancy agreement (assured shorthold I think it is?)

Anyway, I paid the entire lease's rent up front as I didn't want the hassle of having to have a guarantor - these were my only two options. (No I was not rich, yes I am now poor.) I went into the office, paid, and got my keys. I wasn't given them at the flat but at the office and there was no inventory etc even though it is furnished. That was probably my first mistake.

1 * I went to shower the next morning and found I had no hot water, so I went to the boiler to look for the immersion switch, only to find my bedroom and lounge were completely flooded, water flying out everywhere! Thankfully I only had an overnight bag with me and!I was heading home that morning but I called them and it was fixed within days (and the carpet cleaned and lounge mopped up).

2 * Forward to the next week when I officially moved in with all my stuff. The coffee table and tv stand are not fit for purpose as one is seriously wobbly and the leg on another doesn't even screw on!

3 * The hob only gets mildly warm. The oven works but I need a hob, I love cooking!

4 * On top of that, my bath tap/shower head doesn't give out much hot water - and certainly not enough to mix with cold to have a powerful wash so I've been having stone cold showers. I bought a new shower head that offers different settings of power - that helped but it doesn't sort the temperature.

I had a couple of other issues - ladybird invasion (I've liberated the little perverts), and it being decorated despite knowing I took it for the d!cor, but these are more niggles that I don't need to mention.

I know!they should fix the water and!hob!and have the tables removed but they told me when I moved in that any items I want removed, I will have to pay!for the removal!of as!they!put them in storage. As they are broken, and I had no inventory taken, what if they blame me? Can someone tell me how they might approach the situation on both the hob/water and on the removal of items that I can't even use?

Sorry it was long, wanted to give as much info as poss!

Cheers peeps! x

Keezing

I think the points you've raised are reasonable and you should have no worries about raising them with your agent.

The water pressure may be a problem for the whole building and is something that could have been checked at the viewing.

waitingformagic

Thanks Keezing. The water issue is more the lack of hot that comes through the bath tap and shower attachment, not the pressure itself as the cold is more than happy coming out normally! The bathroom sink and kitchen sink do provide a decent amount of hot, so I don't know why I get so little from the bath. And I mean little. I physically cannot get it to give me even a lukewarm shower or bath.

I've never checked the taps before - will do in my next place!

ThePants999

They're regulated exactly the same - which is pretty much not at all.

No inventory is a sign of a poorly managed property, which bodes very badly for getting this all fixed :-( but by itself, it ultimately is to your benefit, as the landlord will be unable to prove any claims against your deposit.

Don't worry about whether you "annoy" anyone. You are (or should be) pretty bloody annoyed already, and I suspect being annoying will be the only way you'll get this resolved! Just make sure that you don't do what other people have done prior to coming here and complaining - ask nicely, verbally, and attempt to withhold rent later when nothing happened (not that you have that particular choice). You need to stay on top of it, you need to set out timeframes for resolution, and you need to be communicating in writing to the address specified in your tenancy agreement for serving of notices, as WELL as calling.