Landlord has not repaired roof damage three years after reporting it.

Ojivar1975

Hi all, just after some advice regarding what do do about repairs that need carrying out in my privately rented home.

In November 2020 I called the company that owns my home to inform them the roof was leaking when it rained, I was informed they would deal with it and to be honest when the rain stopped I forgot about it, it doesn't leak over summer but come November 2021 it started again, this time worse.

At this point I emailed the company and notified them of the issue, I managed to lean out the window and take a photo of a missing tile in the roof and suggested this was causing the issue, I heard nothing else back and once again I was slack in keeping up with it.

October 2022 I contacted them again and this time was informed a contractor had been assigned to fix the roof and would be in touch, nothing happened.

Various emails back and forth throughout this time period.

October 2023 I complained that it had now been three years without anything being done, the reply was that the roofer would be here that week, he did come and look and said the roof was too badly damaged under the missing tile to just replace it and he would have to get scaffolding set up but he never showed up again so I contacted them once more.The roofer in question happens to live on the same street as me and I bumped into him, he told me that the landlord's company still hadn't paid him for previous work so he was not taking on anymore from them.

I informed the company of this, stating I didn't care about who owes who what just that I wanted the roof fixed.

November 2023 A new contractor had been assigned the job he turned up and assessed what needed to be done (replace the roof tile and fix the damage it had done), then I never heard from him but he did give me his card so I called him after three weeks he told me he didn't have liability insurance so the landlord wouldn't hire him without it.

I emailed the landlord once again and told them that if they knew this why didn't they just hire someone else?

I emailed the landlord's company every Monday with photos of the damage, videos of the rain pouring in and then some of the mold that had occurred due to the damp.

The day after the mold photo's the companies estate manager was knocking on my door wanting to see the mold, I told him I had cleaned it off but it would keep coming back until the roof was fixed, he only cared about the mold (no doubt because that would be a health issue and he knew he could get in trouble).

Every other email had been replied with "I will pass this on to the estate manager" but I never hear anything back.

So here we are in 2024 and the roof is still leaking, I am aware I can take action against the company but they are well known for evicting "troublemakers", ie people who bother them too much and we can't afford anywhere else nor do we want to move.

Any suggestions for how I should go about this without causing trouble for myself?

Many thanks.

TLDR - Reported leaking roof three years ago and it is still not fixed.

_Penny_Dreadful

Ojivar1975 said:

Hi all, just after some advice regarding what do do about repairs that need carrying out in my privately rented home.

In November 2020 I called the company that owns my home to inform them the roof was leaking when it rained, I was informed they would deal with it and to be honest when the rain stopped I forgot about it, it doesn't leak over summer but come November 2021 it started again, this time worse.

At this point I emailed the company and notified them of the issue, I managed to lean out the window and take a photo of a missing tile in the roof and suggested this was causing the issue, I heard nothing else back and once again I was slack in keeping up with it.

October 2022 I contacted them again and this time was informed a contractor had been assigned to fix the roof and would be in touch, nothing happened.

Various emails back and forth throughout this time period.

October 2023 I complained that it had now been three years without anything being done, the reply was that the roofer would be here that week, he did come and look and said the roof was too badly damaged under the missing tile to just replace it and he would have to get scaffolding set up but he never showed up again so I contacted them once more.The roofer in question happens to live on the same street as me and I bumped into him, he told me that the landlord's company still hadn't paid him for previous work so he was not taking on anymore from them.

I informed the company of this, stating I didn't care about who owes who what just that I wanted the roof fixed.

November 2023 A new contractor had been assigned the job he turned up and assessed what needed to be done (replace the roof tile and fix the damage it had done), then I never heard from him but he did give me his card so I called him after three weeks he told me he didn't have liability insurance so the landlord wouldn't hire him without it.

I emailed the landlord once again and told them that if they knew this why didn't they just hire someone else?

I emailed the landlord's company every Monday with photos of the damage, videos of the rain pouring in and then some of the mold that had occurred due to the damp.

The day after the mold photo's the companies estate manager was knocking on my door wanting to see the mold, I told him I had cleaned it off but it would keep coming back until the roof was fixed, he only cared about the mold (no doubt because that would be a health issue and he knew he could get in trouble).

Every other email had been replied with "I will pass this on to the estate manager" but I never hear anything back.

So here we are in 2024 and the roof is still leaking, I am aware I can take action against the company but they are well known for evicting "troublemakers", ie people who bother them too much and we can't afford anywhere else nor do we want to move.

Any suggestions for how I should go about this without causing trouble for myself?

Many thanks.

TLDR - Reported leaking roof three years ago and it is still not fixed.

Assuming you’re in England the next step would be to report the matter to the council’s private renting team.  

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

propertyrental

You should have been reporting the issue, and following it up, from the start in writing.

To the landlord at the address provided 'for serving notices", with copies to the agent.

And if/when nothing was done you should have referred the matter to to the council's Environment Dept.

Any damage to your posessions from the leak should be covered by your contents insurance.

Murphybear

I’m sorry to hear of your idiotic landlord.  

You should contact Environmental Health Dept at your local council.  They will visit the house and do a report.  If any work needs to be done, and that can be anything else not just the issue which the tenant reported,  they will contact the landlord and tell him (not ask) to get the work done.  EH have great powers.  If the LL refuses then EH can arrange it themselves and send the bill to the LL.  

This is based on my personal experience as a letting agent.  

One point, your LL was right to not use someone who didn’t have public liability insurance

Ojivar1975

propertyrental said:

Any damage to your posessions from the leak should be covered by your contents insurance.

Sadly we don't have contents insurance (can't afford it). Luckily their has been no serious damage to our possessions only the carpet, wallpaper and ceiling,

Ojivar1975

Murphybear said:

I’m sorry to hear of your idiotic landlord.  

You should contact Environmental Health Dept at your local council.  They will visit the house and do a report.  If any work needs to be done, and that can be anything else not just the issue which the tenant reported,  they will contact the landlord and tell him (not ask) to get the work done.  EH have great powers.  If the LL refuses then EH can arrange it themselves and send the bill to the LL.  

This is based on my personal experience as a letting agent.  

One point, your LL was right to not use someone who didn’t have public liability insurance

Thanks, I've emailed him again if no response I will contact EH.

Agree on the PLI, the roofer even offered to do it if I paid him and then charged the landlord, no way in hell was I taking on the responsibility!

newsgroupmonkey_

Murphybear said:

I’m sorry to hear of your idiotic landlord.  

You should contact Environmental Health Dept at your local council.  They will visit the house and do a report.  If any work needs to be done, and that can be anything else not just the issue which the tenant reported,  they will contact the landlord and tell him (not ask) to get the work done.  EH have great powers.  If the LL refuses then EH can arrange it themselves and send the bill to the LL.  

This is based on my personal experience as a letting agent.  

One point, your LL was right to not use someone who didn’t have public liability insurance

And the S21 will shortly follow in the post.

RAS

As above, write!

To the LL at the address in your contract for the serving of notices, even if that is the EA's office.

Pen, paper, stamps, mail. If you really want to freak them out, send two copies from different post offices and keep the certificates of posting. No need for tracking or signed delivery. 

Detail as above, but very briefly. Date and one line explainer.

I'd finalise by pointing out that it is their house that is getting increasingly damaged and you have reported repeatedly in a tenant like manner.

Then go to the EH if there is no action (as opposed to promise of action). 

theartfullodger

Why haven't you moved?  Such a shame prospective tenants don't require previous tenants  references about what landlords are like.  (Entirely legal )

Ojivar1975

theartfullodger said:

Why haven't you moved?  Such a shame prospective tenants don't require previous tenants  references about what landlords are like.  (Entirely legal )

We haven't moved because there is nowhere else to rent at the price we pay anywhere nearby, although I should point out we had a 30% rent increase last year which is even more annoying given the lack of repairs.

propertyrental

newsgroupmonkey_ said:

Murphybear said:

I’m sorry to hear of your idiotic landlord.  

You should contact Environmental Health Dept at your local council.  They will visit the house and do a report.  If any work needs to be done, and that can be anything else not just the issue which the tenant reported,  they will contact the landlord and tell him (not ask) to get the work done.  EH have great powers.  If the LL refuses then EH can arrange it themselves and send the bill to the LL.  

This is based on my personal experience as a letting agent.  

One point, your LL was right to not use someone who didn’t have public liability insurance

And the S21 will shortly follow in the post.

which will be invalid if the council have served an improvement notice on the LL (Deregulation Act).