Private tenancy - 1st day - broken items

m0bov

You should have agreed the inventory as part of the moving in process.

sovesky

Thank you all for the help. I've been dealing with a small local agency, which likes to do business their own way, and as it shows, it could be identified as unconventional.

I've taken your advice and listed all the issues I can identify, so that they can be included in the inventory checks. This will be sent written to the letting agency.

Thanks again

G_M

Don't wait for the inventory, which might or might not be sent, and which they might or might not amend.

Write today. Get your comments recorded in writing as near the start date of the tenancy as possible.

Your contract is with the landlord, not the agency - that's why you should write to him/her.

FestiveJoy

sovesky wrote: »

I was told the inventory will be sent to me in 1 week.

What is the point of that???

Not only is that a week too late, but the festive season will be over by then.
You need the inventory today so you can sign it, marking and agreeing with the landlord/agent any omissions and/or damages as appropriate.

:xmastree::xmastree::xmastree:

elsien

Slightly baffled by the first thought being to ask whose responsibility bulbs are, instead of just putting a new one in to see what happens.

G_M

elsien wrote: »

Slightly baffled by the first thought being to ask whose responsibility bulbs are, instead of just putting a new one in to see what happens.

If it is the light fixture that is faulty, the LL should be asked to fix it.

If 4 bulbs have gone, then the tenant should

a) replace the bulbs, and

b) record that on the inventory (which does not exist) or in a letter. When the tenancy ends, the tenant can remove and take with him 4 bulbs

AlexMac

Re. the original Q; "who's responsible?"...

Mailbox; as a fixture, I'd say usually the landlord. And it's unlikely an inventory would even pick this up unless it's obvious, so worth poinying out unless it's such a simple DIY fix that it's easier to mend than write a letter.

Lightbulbs? While I always spell out in tenancy agreements that new bulbs are down to the tenat, I'd consider it shabby if they didn't work to start with; so maybe the agent or the LL are a bit idle or cavalier> But...

Don't over-react? I consider myself a good landlord, albeit I'm not really a professional one with only 2 small BTL flats. When stuff breaks I fix it pronto. In recent years I've had leaks fixed the same day and have replaced boiler, fridge, washing machine and a dishwasher , usually within a day or two of being notified of the problem. In consequence, my tenants stay on for years, reducing my costs (I get hardly any lost rent through voids and have very few agency finder-fees).

But, no matter how incompetent the agent (or whether they were distracted by Christmas parties?), I might start to worry as a LL, if, immediately on moving in, a tenant started writing formal letters about a couple of lightbulbs...? Assuming everything else is OK?