Decking needs replacing- renting

Clouds88

Hello,

I am just after any thoughts/advice/if I can actually do anything about it. 

I have lived in my current rental 11 years, hardly asked for anything to be done. The decking has been poor quality for ages, last year we put plastic tiles over it to make it less of a hazard. Reported in December that it will probably need replacing/removing as some had broken through now. Landlord didn’t really respond (through letting agency) about that issue as typically had 2 other minor things wrong at the same time. I think the landlord responded on 7th April following a complaint I submitted to agency.

A guy then came out to quote the landlord for the work, said it would all need replacing. That was 11th April and they have a wait of 4-6 weeks. When he was looking at it more broke away and it’s got worse since then as planks are just rotting away. Chased landlord after a week had passed. Finally two weeks later he wanted another company to come out so they did, this was 10 days ago. This company said 2 months until they can fix it. My foot had fallen through another part of the decking and I’m trying not to walk on it but it’s from my back door up to the grass bit so no way of using the garden otherwise.

I have been in contact with the council private rent qgency and they just said it needs to be done as soon as possible. So is it just a case if I have to wait until he decides to give the go ahead and then another 2 months for the work to be done? I have just had to start paying £48 more rent a month too which I am annoyed about considering they aren’t sorting a massive health and safety hazard and I have 3 kids. 

anselld

Keep pressing for a decision, but yes, once the work has been given the go-ahead you will need to wait a reasonable time for the trades to become available.  If the L will not commit to a decision then the Council may be willing to issue an enforcement notice.

theoretica

It will obviously depend on the details of the decking and garden, but could it be made safe initially (maybe by removing it) before finishing the job on a longer timescale?

Clouds88

Thanks that’s what’s annoying me, why can’t he make a more timely decision given the long time scales for it to be worked on. I wouldn’t care if he put more decking down, slabs or something else I just want it safe for my children to use their garden and before summer holidays. 

The second guy came to see how he could make it safe initially and said what I had done (cover the holes and staying off the larger part) is enough he couldn’t make it any better. But I’m still in limbo waiting on him to give the go ahead to either of these companies. 

pinkshoes

The 6 to 8 weeks time frame for a tradesperson to replace it isn't unreasonable in the current climate.

In the meantime, if you were a homeowner, rather than the tenant, what would you do? You would make it safe of course... You would either take the decking apart yourself, or hire a labourer (much easier to get hold of non skilled people to do work) and pay them a days rate to dismantle it.

As this is a health and safety issue, then ask the agency on Monday if YOU can arrange for someone to dismantle the decking in the short term to make it safe, then deduct it from your rent or the LL reimburse you for it. Or just do it yourself today if you are physically able. 

lookstraightahead

pinkshoes said:

The 6 to 8 weeks time frame for a tradesperson to replace it isn't unreasonable in the current climate.

In the meantime, if you were a homeowner, rather than the tenant, what would you do? You would make it safe of course... You would either take the decking apart yourself, or hire a labourer (much easier to get hold of non skilled people to do work) and pay them a days rate to dismantle it.

As this is a health and safety issue, then ask the agency on Monday if YOU can arrange for someone to dismantle the decking in the short term to make it safe, then deduct it from your rent or the LL reimburse you for it. Or just do it yourself today if you are physically able. 

Just to clarify I don't think pink shoes means that you deduct it from the rent op, but ask the LL to do so 🙂

Noneforit999

As above, 6-8 weeks is not unreasonable. We are mid Spring now so lots of people are having garden work done before summer so its not unexpected that trades are booked up.

Can you not offer to pull up the decking for them to make it safe? What is it sitting on? 

Clouds88

Yes I’ve said Nothing I can do about the wait for the tradesmen. But what is the hold up? Why is he taking weeks and months to give the go ahead for the work. Also I reported the problem December 17th so it’s been 5 months of skirting round it. 

I have emailed them this morning asking if I can pay someone to remove the decking or do it myself. The only thing is the second guy who came to look at it said something about he won’t know what condition the support beams are in until they take it up which gives the impression they aren’t looking at removing it completely and just re doing the top? I have no skills in this area though I work in a hospital, so could have got that wrong. I also have no idea what’s underneath, mud maybe? 

Bendy_House

Clouds88 said:

Yes I’ve said Nothing I can do about the wait for the tradesmen. But what is the hold up? Why is he taking weeks and months to give the go ahead for the work. Also I reported the problem December 17th so it’s been 5 months of skirting round it. 

I have emailed them this morning asking if I can pay someone to remove the decking or do it myself. The only thing is the second guy who came to look at it said something about he won’t know what condition the support beams are in until they take it up which gives the impression they aren’t looking at removing it completely and just re doing the top? I have no skills in this area though I work in a hospital, so could have got that wrong. I also have no idea what’s underneath, mud maybe? 

The delay since December is not at all good. The 'current' delay is, sadly, understandable, due to a large extent to B-19 (no, not a typo :-) )

It is not unreasonable for them to want to know the state of the supporting joists and posts underneath first - this may, or may not, require replacing too. If it's in remotely dodgy condition, then they'd be foolish to not at least treat it with timber preservative, and ideally replace it too, but hey.

Meanwhile, since you know it's potentially dangerous, then if anything happens to you whilst using it, you will - I think - struggle to be able to claim.

Is there anything you can do personally to make it safer, without much effort? I mean, would you be prepared to lift the rotten boards? And would that even make it safer?!  

sourpuss2021

Clouds88 said:

I also have no idea what’s underneath, mud maybe? 

Most likely rats, rats, as big as bloomin' cats!

Clouds88

Just an update, I emailed the letting agency to tell them I have been in contact with environmental health about the Garden and he replied this afternoon giving the go ahead for the work so hopefully only 4-8 weeks until we can use it properly again