Tenant Advised not to pay rent!

MissMoneypenny

moneysavinmonkey wrote: »

On a practical level if you simply withheld rent you will get an eviction order as soon as nyou are two months behind... it is all very well then going to court to argue that the repairs cancel out the rent arrears but by the time you get a hearing date you will be living in a cardboard box on the street!

It would all be done at the same hearing.

MissMoneypenny

Hot Water

“hot water was not working properly. Again due to the complex problems it took about 4 weeks to solve the problem. The whole system was blocked and a number of parts had to be replaced”.

“The water was intermitant”

I’m no plumber I’ll admit, but if the whole system was blocked, then how was the hot water able to be intermittent?


Heating
“Pipes were blocked etc, after replacing radiators and pipes it was eventually fixed took about two weeks in total.”

“When the heating broke it was just one radiator in there bedroom”

If you are now saying it was just one radiator, then why was that not replaced in one morning/day?

wisbech_lad

What I have done in the past (as a renter) is get the LL to put down a deposit - normally 10% rent on a two year contract. Any repairs or replacements required I arrange, get the proper quotes and invoices, and then deduct from this. At the end of the tenancy, give the LL back the remainder of the deposit. As LL has a 10% deduction allowable for wear and tear - so they are not out of pocket. Stuff gets done fast and at good quality (I am not going to use cowboys). Of course, not every LL will agree, but there are plenty of places to rent and I am a bluechip tenant - works best with absentee LL who prefer not to have the hassle of maintenance or the cost of a managing agent.

That is if renting from a private LL. At the moment, renting from a decent property company, so no need (they are responsive enough on repairs/ replacing appliances etc)

moneysavinmonkey

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

It would all be done at the same hearing.

Mi Moneypenny - can you clarify the source of this advice? It is very important that the correct information is given for anyone reading this thread.

I stand by my believe that you should not withhold rent as if two months arrears build up you can be easily evicted under Section 8.. the shelter website advises that doing this would be very risky (their emphasis!)

http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-4081.cfm#wipLive-13074-3

Why not just inform the landlord you will do the works yourself and given him a deadline + price, then send him an invoice and sue if he doesn't pay up at that stage.. no need really to withhold rent + risk eviction.

RabbitMad

Debt_Free_Chick wrote: »

If it were me, I'd offer them bu88er all.

I am now of the opinion that they are being completely unreasonable. They have exacerbated (I hestitate to go as far as "wholly created"!) the inconvenience for which they now wish to be compensated! :mad:

I totally agree. I think you should have said this in your original post as this is very relevant.

Yes I think offering them Bu88er all is very fair. Write them a letter pointing out the the inconvenience was created by them not granting access to the property Mon - Thurs.

clutton_2

cheeky gits !!!!

pocket8s

I have spoke to them this morning and they have informed they are fuming and that they are going to see a solicitor. they want 4 weeks rent free as compo!

They want to stay at the property they should feel hard done by, to be honest i dont want to evict them. They were good tenants before all this.

Excuse me missing out info on the OP but didnt want to write an essay. Only gave more info when this debate erupted.

Thank you for your thoughts its appreciated.

CB1979_2

for god's sake give them a 25% reduction for the next 2 months or 50% reduction for the next 1 month.

i must admit, when my heating broke down, i asked if they minded getting themselves a couple heaters and i'd refund them that night.

went there, they paid £20 for 2 heaters so i gave em £40 for the inconvenience & for the extra electricity they may have used for the 3 days whilst we waited for BG to get the part for the monday.

could it be they have overspent at xmas and have a few bills to pay
also their "CAB" advice, is probably asking a bunch of strangers on an internet forum as what's fair

clutton_2

did you offer to be in the house when the heating engineer wanted a mon-thursday appointment ? - if you did then they are being utterly unreasonable.

PosterBoy77

clutton wrote: »

""I would have moved into a hotel for the month and billed the landlord for the cost."" - and he need not have paid you a penny and you would still be liable for the rent - how dumb is that ?

You are right that the landlord would not have had to pay for the hotel. However, if the property was not habitable, the court would likely order that the tenants would not need to pay for the rent either.