Money Moral Dilemma: Should we push for a rent reduction or show 'forbearance'?

crmism

You should expect to find the place in working order and in habitable condition when you take up occupation, and I reckon the landlord is simply using the pandemic as an excuse to do nothing if he can get away with it. No matter what he says, he has a responsibility to his tenants on grounds of health and safety alone, and there's nothing to prevent him getting the repairs and maintenance done, even with the present movement restrictions.
Next time he calls for his rent, pay him only half and tell him he'll get the rest when he's done what's expected of him and all other landlords. He might threaten legal action and a court application for non-payment, but his costs would far outweigh the lost money. I certainly think the magistrate would take a sympathetic view and favour dismissal of the landlord's application.

hb2

The Shelter website sets out the correct process for getting repairs done by the tenant if the Landlord does not meet his/her obligations. 

SXX

I'm not a landlord but do feel for them with the extra fees they've been shafted with over the last 4-5 years. The majority who complain about them are usually polar opposites with their finances; prioritising spending over saving/investments.

True - I do know a handful of people who had the opportunity to get onto the housing ladder but for whatever chose not to - so they are now serial renters and they are so anti-landlords.  But they completely forget that if it wasn't for the private and landlords they would be stuck because they do not qualify for social housing and/or they now cannot afford to get onto the property ladder.

hazdriver

Have you got a gas safety certificate ? its a legal requirement

savingmore

I also get frustrated by people’s opinions on ‘fatcat’ landlords.  we own a small and modest three bed semi which we rent out.  it is the main platform of our income, it’s our only house.  if we were to lose income from it, that’s our income.   we keep the property in goodbye condition and attend to repair so and maintenance in a very timely fashion.   everyone is in unique circumstances.  

regency_man

As someone who has seen both sides of the fence, having rented for 8 years before getting 'on the ladder' and now being a landlord myself I try my best to be a responsible landlord, as I know a lot of people do. 

 

In this situation, yes absolutely you should request a rent decrease to cover the cost of the repairs.  I would consider the gas rings not working a potential appliance safety issue and this should be fixed even with the current situation.  If your landlord still refuses to arrange this, then ring a few local tradesmen, ask if they would take the job.  If they will, then you know your landlord is just using this as an excuse.  Challenge the landlord with this information, and if they still refuse to take action or reduce the rent, then I would pay for the repair yourself and withhold it from the next few months rent, writing to the landlord to explain what you did.  Yes, you’ve potentially breached contract here, but potentially so did the landlord.  This just puts you back in the negotiating power-seat as they now have to get something off you, rather than you get something off them.

 

It is very frustrating, thinking back to my renting days, how many landlords on here automatically make everything the tenant’s fault, when it’s more than likely down to the agent. 

 

Specifically comments like: 

1. Why on earth did you move into a place if it was in such a bad state?  Why didn’t you inspect it first?  - Well, this may shock some landlords (especially those who’ve never rented) but finding a good place to rent is a really hard job.  You've often got some personal time pressure (new job, homelessness, relationship ended etc) and you’re juggling the search around full-time employment, on top of this the agents do their best to make you feel that pressure, implying there are lots of other people 'interested' so that you sign on the line ASAP and they get their fee/commission.  It's not like buying a house, you don't get white-glove service from the agents, for renters it's usually a whistle-stop 10 minute slot for your 'tour' with the agent hurrying you around because they need to get to their next appointment - certainly not enough time to check individual appliances and beds in detail.   Want a follow-up viewing? Forget it, the agent will threaten that they don’t have time for this and will offer the property to someone else instead.  On several occasions I viewed places that were good location/size etc but were a bit grubby or had some maintenance issues, only to be assured by the agent that those would be taken care of by the landlord before moving in.  Then you've signed, payed your non-refundable agents fees and it's too late if the landlord doesn't make good on the promise (or whether the agent even actually bothered to ask/tell the landlord about it). 

2. Didn't you get a Gas Safety certificate or some other document?   - Yes, it's a legal requirement for the landlord to supply one, not for the tenant to jump through hoops to get hold of one.  If you think a tenant is going to give up on their non-refundable fees and restart their search for a place to live from square one (remember the personal pressures) just because a Gas Safety certificate isn't on the doormat they day they get the keys, you're living in a fantasy world.  I mean, what is your point?  It’s not going to help their situation.  Threatening to sue the landlord for not supplying a certificate isn’t going to improve things here.

3. Didn't you note this on the inventory?  Did you sign off on the inventory?  - Noting something on the inventory and actually getting something fixed are very different things.  You may happily sign off the inventory as 'hob 2-rings not working', this does NOT mean you're happy to live with two broken rings for the rest of your tenancy!  There is no provision in an inventory to insist on a fix, so again, what is a renter to do?  Their only option is to not sign it (therefore lose the property and be homeless) or sign it and hope to negotiate with the landlord. 

4. Just talk to the landlord nicely, be civil.  – Do you have any idea how impossible this sometimes is?  Many agencies offer it is a ‘valuable’ service to their landlord clients that they will never have to deal with the renters directly.  Typically all issues have to be funnelled through a call centre or the support desk in the agents office.  Any attempt at ‘conversation’ or good-will generation are torpedoed by the agent’s spin on things.  You could politely and calmly state that you have an issue with the cooker and beds, and that while you understand the difficult situation currently, you’d appreciate it if the landlord could look to remediate it as soon as possible – only to find that the phone-desk worker at the agency notes it down as “tenant complained about cooker/bed – demands it fixed ASAP”. 

123emi

I'm writing to you to get advice on the possibility of reducing my rent payment per month. Currently, both me and my flat mate are in our second year of university. We are both full time students, who are not living in the property at the moment due to the pandemic. We rented out our flat last September, for a year with the possibility of prolonging it.

I understand it is up to the owner to decide on the amount payable during Covid -19, however our landlady persists that she needs the full amount. Being a 20-year-old British citizen and a full time student, who is not getting any financial help other than from my parents, I wonder if any reduction applies to my case. 
I would appreciate your advice on this matter. 

Emilia