Landlord taking a long time to do repairs

abc.xyz

I rent an en-suite room in a HMO. Stupidly, I relied on the letting agency's photos and signed the contract without looking at the room. When I moved in, I discovered that the bathroom floor (a wet room) was sinking into the ground because shower water had gotten underneath the floor tiles and caused water damage. They told me that someone would come to fix it the week after. They never did. This was Feb 2020.

Five weeks ago the letting agency advised me they would be sending someone round to do the necessary repairs, and that this would take 4 days. Someone came and it actually took him a week and a half just to rip out the floor. Fine. Then he disappeared leaving my bathroom with no floor, shower, toilet. I waited a week, nothing. So I called the letting agents and they told me that they needed a specialist tiler to replace the floor tiles. Oh, thanks for leaving it to me to ask you. Whatever. I wait another week.

Then I get a call to say that they had booked a tiler, and he would be on his way in 30 mins and I need to move out of my room (currently working from home). Fine. Then 15 mins later I get a text to say they aren't allowing the tiler inside because he's refusing to wear a mask.

I call them last week, and they tell me they'll find out and get back to me. Had no call back. I emailed them on Tuesday, haven't had a reply. I am very annoyed that something they told me would take 4 days to fix has taken over 5 weeks and isn't even done yet. They may want to use Covid as an excuse, but they shouldn't have started the work without having a tiler booked. They have given me another room/bathroom to use. But that's another story too. It's filthy as they haven't had it cleaned since the last tenant moved out, and one of the employees even went in there and threw all my things away thinking that they belonged to the last tenant. Classic case of left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing! Then I went in there the other day to use the bathroom, to find a workman doing repairs in there. Again, got no prior warning for that either.

What are my options? People have told me to withhold partial rent, complain to the council, etc. Not sure if the first one would be right though.

Slithery

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/doing_the_repairs_if_your_landlord_wont

[Deleted User]

abc.xyz said:

I rent an en-suite room in a HMO. Stupidly, I relied on the letting agency's photos and signed the contract without looking at the room. When I moved in, I discovered that the bathroom floor (a wet room) was sinking into the ground because shower water had gotten underneath the floor tiles and caused water damage. They told me that someone would come to fix it the week after. They never did. This was Feb 2020.

Five weeks ago the letting agency advised me they would be sending someone round to do the necessary repairs, and that this would take 4 days. Someone came and it actually took him a week and a half just to rip out the floor. Fine. Then he disappeared leaving my bathroom with no floor, shower, toilet. I waited a week, nothing. So I called the letting agents and they told me that they needed a specialist tiler to replace the floor tiles. Oh, thanks for leaving it to me to ask you. Whatever. I wait another week.

Then I get a call to say that they had booked a tiler, and he would be on his way in 30 mins and I need to move out of my room (currently working from home). Fine. Then 15 mins later I get a text to say they aren't allowing the tiler inside because he's refusing to wear a mask.

I call them last week, and they tell me they'll find out and get back to me. Had no call back. I emailed them on Tuesday, haven't had a reply. I am very annoyed that something they told me would take 4 days to fix has taken over 5 weeks and isn't even done yet. They may want to use Covid as an excuse, but they shouldn't have started the work without having a tiler booked. They have given me another room/bathroom to use. But that's another story too. It's filthy as they haven't had it cleaned since the last tenant moved out, and one of the employees even went in there and threw all my things away thinking that they belonged to the last tenant. Classic case of left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing! Then I went in there the other day to use the bathroom, to find a workman doing repairs in there. Again, got no prior warning for that either.

What are my options? People have told me to withhold partial rent, complain to the council, etc. Not sure if the first one would be right though.

If you withhold your rent without following the due process given in the link @Slithery has provided then you will be in breach of contract and in arrears.  I don't know hot the letting agent decided a job that no one had looked at would take 4 days but that's letting agents for you - full of s h i t.

Again using the information in the link Slithery provided you can escalate the matter to the council.  I wouldn't bank on the council doing much to help you at the moment though because of....you guessed it....covid.

At the very least it does appear the landlord or his agent is actually doing something about the repair.  Is this an ensuite bathroom?

DCFC79

Lol a specialist floor tiler to replace the floor tiles, surely floor tiles dont need a specialist.

greatcrested

Post 2: Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new tenant protection (2015) plus the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018

abc.xyz

Lover_of_Lycra said:

If you withhold your rent without following the due process given in the link @Slithery has provided then you will be in breach of contract and in arrears.  I don't know hot the letting agent decided a job that no one had looked at would take 4 days but that's letting agents for you - full of s h i t.

Again using the information in the link Slithery provided you can escalate the matter to the council.  I wouldn't bank on the council doing much to help you at the moment though because of....you guessed it....covid.

At the very least it does appear the landlord or his agent is actually doing something about the repair.  Is this an ensuite bathroom?

I thought as much. They must have looked at it prior to me moving in, because there was thick tape all over the tiles. I guess to try and stop them moving/stop more water going underneath. Could definitely tell the tape had been there a long time though as most of the colour had washed away.
It's an en-suite yes, and doesn't appear they're doing much about it since I've had no contact since they cancelled the tiler for not wearing a mask. I'd have thought they'd want to get it done asap, since they're losing rent on another room while I'm having to use the bathroom in there.

dimbo61

Finding another tenant and even getting workmen in to undertake work is rather difficult at the moment.
Builders, tilers and other professionals have families and parents and don't want to work in properties where there are residents at home.

abc.xyz

Update: A tiler came two weeks ago to have a look at the bathroom. Apparently he said he will fit it in between his other jobs. He hasn't returned yet. It's 7 weeks since they started the work, and I now have a fly infestation in my bedroom. I suspect they're coming up through the open sink/toilet pipes in the bathroom. Not to mention the disgusting smell. Any advice appreciated please. I am considering withholding rent money now. My health is now at risk.

I cannot afford to get the work done myself.

greatcrested

When was the last time you wrote to the LL? Did you ask for a timeframe? What was the reply?

But assuming you have been acting formally over this, and without response or resolution, then EH is the next step.

Not witholding rent.

abc.xyz

greatcrested said:

When was the last time you wrote to the LL? Did you ask for a timeframe? What was the reply?

But assuming you have been acting formally over this, and without response or resolution, then EH is the next step.

Not witholding rent.

I haven't written to them. The letting agents have their office in the HMO building I live in. So I just go and knock on their door and speak face to face. A couple of emails have gone back and forth. The original timeframe was 4 days for the whole thing. Since then, they haven't given me any other timeframes. Every time I ask about an update they say "we're waiting on a tiler" or "I'll ask the managing director to get back to you" then nobody gets back to me. I'm constantly doing the chasing. Even when the tiler came to have a look two weeks ago, they didn't call me after to give me an update. I had to call them to find out if he would be taking the job. They're absolutely useless.

What is EH?

anselld

abc.xyz said:

greatcrested said:

When was the last time you wrote to the LL? Did you ask for a timeframe? What was the reply?

But assuming you have been acting formally over this, and without response or resolution, then EH is the next step.

Not witholding rent.

What is EH?

Environmental Health Officer - at the Council.
However as this is an HMO there is probably a separate Private Sector Housing department who deal with licensing issues.  If the HMO is licensed there should be a copy of the license displayed in the property which will include contact details.

One or the other of these (both at the Council) have the power to inspect and serve enforcement notices with regard to safety issues which would include lack of hygiene facilities and incomplete repair work.