Cleaning gutters responsibility

maaa242

Hello. We are renting ground floor flat and after recent rainy days we have now wet walls becouse gutters are blocked. They are blocked on the roof and we have 3 more flats above us. When I send email to letting agents I was told it's my responsibility to clean them.
I don't know how it's my responsibility if there is so many flats above me and I don't even have access to this gutters.
Any advice appreciated

Comms69

maaa242 wrote: »

Hello. We are renting ground floor flat and after recent rainy days we have now wet walls becouse gutters are blocked. - are you sure? that seems unlikely for a ground floor flat. They are blocked on the roof and we have 3 more flats above us. When I send email to letting agents I was told it's my responsibility to clean them. - the letting agents are incorrect, it would be the freeholders responsibility in most cases
I don't know how it's my responsibility if there is so many flats above me and I don't even have access to this gutters.
Any advice appreciated

Letting agents are typically unqualified in pretty much anything (well they may have a PHD in BS...)

AdrianC

maaa242 wrote: »

We are renting ground floor flat and after recent rainy days we have now wet walls becouse gutters are blocked. They are blocked on the roof and we have 3 more flats above us. When I send email to letting agents I was told it's my responsibility to clean them.
I don't know how it's my responsibility if there is so many flats above me and I don't even have access to this gutters.

It's not your problem, your agent is a halfwit who thinks you're in a house.

It's the building management's problem - your landlord should escalate it to them.

maaa242

Thank you I will tell them this.
My agents are horrible and it's last time in using them.

Comms69

maaa242 wrote: »

Thank you I will tell them this.
My agents are horrible and it's last time in using them.

They're your landlord's agents.


You need to tell your landlord this.

pinklady21

Suggest you write a polite letter to your landlord to advise them that the gutters are blocked and that this is potentially causing a dampness issue in the property. You have tried to report this problem to the agents, who claim it is not their responsibility. Can the landlord advise what happens next please, as clearly you do not wish the property to deteriorate while you are living there, and clearing the gutters will prevent this happening.

theartfullodger

Comms69 wrote: »

They're your landlord's agents.


You need to tell your landlord this.

Indeed: Use Shelter process & draft letter here...
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/how_to_report_repairs_to_a_private_landlord

Send to landlord (yes, LANDLORD) copy agent, keep copy.

thelem

Comms69 wrote: »

They're your landlord's agents.

You need to tell your landlord this.

By all means attempt to tell your landlord that your agent is not providing a good service, but don't make too big a thing about it. There is a good chance your landlord can't change agent without also changing tenant, which would not be good for you! The landlord can of course complain to the agent, or give you alternative contact details for when the agent is not doing their job.

maaa242

Thank you for all advices.
I will look for my landlord details and send him letter

FBaby

How do you know it's the gutters though? Walls will get wet through the winds and rain. Have you spoken to the other people in the building? Surely they will have the same issues. What are they doing about it?

Personally, before contacting the LL, I would try to make sure that there is first an issue and second that it is not already being dealt with.

lwhiteman88

FBaby wrote: »

How do you know it's the gutters though? Walls will get wet through the winds and rain. Have you spoken to the other people in the building? Surely they will have the same issues. What are they doing about it?

Surely that's for the landlord to work out.