Live-in landlords vs rental tenants in freehold block of flats

Guest101

Househelp100 wrote: »

"the main issue is that you have no contract with the tenants, so any issues need to be highlighted to the relevant leaseholder."

Yes, and my frustration is we had no idea there were leaks / problems because the tenants hadn't reported them (another freeholder has checked with their letting agent). - Please stop it. 1: the letting agent should not be discussing it with anyone except the LL and the tenant AND 2: the contract is between tenant and landlord, they could've (maybe not, but you cant be sure) reported it directly to them And now I see, for example, that a pest control solution should have been in problem. Which we as a management company didn't see to and could have been avoided. - indeed, the cost would be substantially less too.

Thanks again for all your help and advice, much appreciated

No problem. Feel free to comeback and ask further questions

Househelp100

"Please stop it. 1: the letting agent should not be discussing it with anyone except the LL and the tenant"

The LL has asked us to liaise with the agency instead of him because a, his English isn't great and b, he lives in Morocco.

Guest101

Househelp100 wrote: »

"Please stop it. 1: the letting agent should not be discussing it with anyone except the LL and the tenant"

The LL has asked us to liaise with the agency instead of him because a, his English isn't great and b, he lives in Morocco.

Grrrr. stop it. Listen to what I'm saying.


I don't care if the landlord asked you to liaise with me on this!


The claim you have, if any, is against him! not the tenant and not the agent.

Househelp100

Thank you. I understand what you are saying and we will have to go through the proper channels in the future.

Can i ask though - on issues such as the tenants leaving nappies in recycling bins (they are the only flat with children in the building). On making them aware not to do this - if the landlord doesn't respond to emails, and we arent allowed to contact his management agency about this, what is a reasonable channel? Or do we just have to suck it up and accept this is part of owning part of the freehold?

IAmWales

Househelp100 wrote: »

Thank you. I understand what you are saying and we will have to go through the proper channels in the future.

Can i ask though - on issues such as the tenants leaving nappies in recycling bins (they are the only flat with children in the building). On making them aware not to do this - if the landlord doesn't respond to emails, and we arent allowed to contact his management agency about this, what is a reasonable channel? Or do we just have to suck it up and accept this is part of owning part of the freehold?

You are allowed to contact the LL's managing agent, that's what they're there for, to manage the tenancy.

I'd be careful appointing a professional management agent for the block, it could cost you even more than the additional costs you have now. If the LL won't respond to you, they're not going to respond to anybody else, they're largely untouchable because of the distance. Keep in mind that anything a management agent will do for you they will charge back to you, along with their own hefty premium.

On the pest control issue I'd use this as an opportunity to be more proactive. Have an agreement that the property is periodically treated in order that no further infestations occur. You're all share the cost, and that will be less than remedying bigger issues if it's not done.

The rubbish/ property in hallways issue is going to be one of perseverance. Put up posters in the hallways, proper ones not bits of paper. Have a chat with the people over a cup of tea and some cake. Cake can solve any language difficulties If the tenants feel a part of the community they're more likely to contribute (in a non monetary sense) to its upkeep.

Guest101

IAmWales wrote: »

You are allowed to contact the LL's managing agent, that's what they're there for, to manage the tenancy. - They don't however manage the leasehold, which is the point.

I'd be careful appointing a professional management agent for the block, it could cost you even more than the additional costs you have now. If the LL won't respond to you, they're not going to respond to anybody else, they're largely untouchable because of the distance. Keep in mind that anything a management agent will do for you they will charge back to you, along with their own hefty premium. - indeed. However they could save money by pre-empting issues too. I'm not advocating any particular company, just that they clearly need help

On the pest control issue I'd use this as an opportunity to be more proactive. Have an agreement that the property is periodically treated in order that no further infestations occur. You're all share the cost, and that will be less than remedying bigger issues if it's not done.

The rubbish/ property in hallways issue is going to be one of perseverance. Put up posters in the hallways, proper ones not bits of paper. Have a chat with the people over a cup of tea and some cake. Cake can solve any language difficulties If the tenants feel a part of the community they're more likely to contribute (in a non monetary sense) to its upkeep.

Agreed, talking to the tenants is fine and reasonable. But any official notice needs to go to the leaseholder

leslieknope

you can't do anything about the flat that has now been sold. the tenants are out, you've already dealt with the issues, the new buyers aren't going to pay for expenses incurred before they bought the property.

as for the nappies going into the wrong bins, why not just introduce yourself and then say "actually this is the recycling. nappies need to go into this one." and see what happens from there? not as a freeholder, just as a fellow person living in the block. you catch more flies with honey after all. and they genuinely may not realise their mistake.

Househelp100

"You are allowed to contact the LL's managing agent, that's what they're there for, to manage the tenancy. - They don't however manage the leasehold, which is the point."

I'm so sorry - i'm not deliberately being difficult but i don't understand - when can i contact the letting agency to approach issues with the tenants and when do i have to speak directly to the landlord?

"why not just introduce yourself and then say "actually this is the recycling. nappies need to go into this one." and see what happens from there?"

I have done this. My neighbours have done this. They have had a call from the letting agency. The flat seems to be overcrowded and the tenants don't speak good English so don't seem to understand well. I have walked them through (patiently), as has my neighbour. Problem persisted so we have had to get these cleared privately a number of times and now locks put on them. This is one of the frustrations of having to sort this and pay for it even though we aren't responsible.

Househelp100

"you can't do anything about the flat that has now been sold. the tenants are out, you've already dealt with the issues, the new buyers aren't going to pay for expenses incurred before they bought the property."

The new buyers are asking the management company to pay to get pipes mended (as the pipe through their flat services four flats). They are sorting out the rat droppings to be cleared from their flat but the bigger issue will need to be dealt with.

PasturesNew

If you have foreigners living there, renting, from an absent landlord, then it all starts with the fact that foreigners do not "know how things work here". As renters they won't "know what the leases say".

So you have a combination of heuristic knowledge not being gained over years of seeing/hearing things and how they work + non-information being supplied.

One way forward might be for the residents to compile a handy/useful Welcome Pack explaining how things work.

Covering stuff like:
- responsibilities
- NOTHING in the hallways for fire reasons
- explain how the bins work, with a nifty photo of each type of bins and a simple/plain list of what goes into each one.

Stuff that people who had never experienced UK flat dwelling before wouldn't "just know" and stuff that's specific to your block/leases and security/fire safety etc.

At least that way you'll be letting them know what you know .... and they will be glad to know what they've not been told.

e.g. I lived in a flat once where only the ground floor flats had a garden, upstairs didn't - some renters moved in upstairs and randomly decided to bring a washing line into my garden, erect it and hang their washing out.... even though the flat lease specifically stated no washing to be hung outside. They didn't know..... they'd never been told that the gardens were not communal and were out of bounds to them, they'd just "assumed" they could hang their washing where they liked as there was grass all round the outside (without physical barriers).