A few renting queries!

littleemmie

Hi everyone,

I have a few questions regarding our rented house. We moved in end of August 2007 and have a 12 month contract. Although the house isn't perfect, we would ideally like to stay here for at least another 12 months, maybe more depending on OH's job.

Firstly, we have no inventory. The house is let unfurnished but there is a washing machine, fridge/freezer, oven etc which I presume should be on some form of inventory. Will not having an inventory disadvantage us in any way and should I ask for one (although I appreciate we've been here 9months now)? I also don't think we have been told where our deposit is being held - I certainly don't recall being told and don't have a bit of paper telling me!

Secondly, out contract states that we are only allowed pets with written permission from the landlady. I asked out letting agent for permission and in terms of the pets they said that only applies for animals such as cats and dogs, as we have 2 guinea pigs we don't need written permission. I brought this up during an inspection too and a different person told me the same. Is this right? I also asked for permission to put picture hooks up and was granted it but again have had nothing in writing. Should I ask for this again?

We have had an inspection every 3 months, the most recent being 2 weeks ago. I tried to re-arrange the day (the letter said we could do this) as neither of us could be in at the time but was told the inspection lady was only in our area on that day but could make ours the last appointment of the day but had no specific time and we didn't have to be in anyway. We missed the lady by 10 mins and found a business card on the mat saying she couldn't wait as had other appointments. We phoned the letting agent to ask if the inspection had been carried out and wanted to know if all was ok and was promised a call back which has never arrived. Should we have had some sort of report of the inspection and if so when? As I have been in for the others I have been told verbally all is ok.

Finally, sorry guys!, we had a problem with out washing machine a few weeks ago. The letting agents arranged for a plumber to come out the following week but within half an hour of me phoning them my neighbour (a builder who will be fixing a bad leak in the bathroom) came round on the off chance and he helped me fix it. I asked the letting agent to cancel the plumber and was told this was fine. Anyway, the plumber turned up on the original date and told me he was going to charge because noone had cancelled (fair enough). My question is, who should be responsible for this? I cancelled within half an hour and the letting agent said they would investigate but haven't got back to me. This has happened before, when I rearranged the gas man so that I could be in for him only for him to turn up on the original date. Luckily I was in but just leaving and was late for work.

I'm really sorry this is so long! I'm just worried that if for any reason we can't stay another 12 months in Aug, we will be in trouble!

Thanks for all your help, :cool:

tbs624

It’s always best for thereto be an inventory from the start of a tenancy, but the fact that there isn’t one is more of a disadvantage to the LL/LA than to you, since they would need to prove what state the property was in of they wanted to make any deductions (you could always take some dated photos now if you are planning to stay longer, even though you're part way into the tenancy)

The LA/LL is obliged by law not only to register your deposit with one of the 3 schemes but also to give you the “prescribed info” on where it is held etc within 14 days. You can check with the schemes yourself before approaching the LA/LL if you want to see here for more info : http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TenancyDeposit/DG_066373

Always get anything like permission for pets, redecoration /alterations, nails in walls etc in writing ( & keep it safely with your TA) - even if you have to print it out yourself and get them to sign it.

You have the right to quiet enjoyment of the property - you decide who comes in and when. LL/LAs can only do property inspections on a date and at a time that you have agreed with them. It’s not up to them to decide unilaterally, you have every right to be there and they should not be letting themselves in without your explicit agreement.

If the Letting Agents arranged the plumber, it was up to them to cancel the appointment after you’d told them. Any cancellation fee is therefore down to them to sort out. You can always use your phone bill to show that you did actually call. With these things, pain though it is to do it, it’s worth your while to confirm the contents of your phone call and the name of the person you spoke to in writing as a follow up.

You don’t have to let anyone take advantage just because you’d like to stay on in the property - the LA/LL needs good tenants just as much as you need a roof over your head. Standing up for yourself is not being rude - it's being assertive and can be done with a smile

zebulon

tbs624 wrote: »

it’s worth your while to confirm the contents of your phone call and the name of the person you spoke to in writing as a follow up.

that's what i wanted to say as well :-)

pets, holes, plumber....anything!

littleemmie

Thank you for your reply. I think all the little niggly things have come to a head today and I'm getting stressed about it all!

By the sounds of it we need to make a phone call. I'll sit down with OH when he gets home from work and work out what we need to ask the letting agent. I'll ask them for written permission about the guinea pigs and picture hooks again - and this time I won't take no for an answer. The trouble is I don't want to seem like I'm pestering them!

When we moved in I did take some photos of the house but there were quite a few little bits wrong with the property I wasn't sure what I should be taking pictures of! I'll take some more pictures at the weekend, this time of everything!

I've just seen in the contract that it states "deposit to be paid on signing hereof to the Agent to be dealt with accordingly held as stakeholder including registering with Tenants Deposit Scheme". Presumably this isn't notice enough of how and where our deposit is held?

I didn't know that I could refuse the letting agent to come in if I wasn't happy about the date/time. It did seem strange that their letter said if this date isn't convenient please rearrange, and when I tried to they basically told me tough! I think ordinarily I wouldn't have minded too much if the letting agent did carry out the inspection without us, although it is a bit of a pain because if she had picked up on anything I wouldn't have been able to explain it (not that there is anything to pick up on!). I was so cross about the gas man though because if I hadn't been in, the letter stated that he would have been able to let himself in anyway.

Incidently the washing machine has broken again (different problem) and I'm a bit nervous of ringing letting agent incase they say we should have let the plumber in before and charge us. When OH gets home to help me I'll try and fix it myself before ringing them.

Thank you again for your help.

littleemmie

zebulon wrote: »

that's what i wanted to say as well :-)

pets, holes, plumber....anything!

This is something that I hadn't thought of before and I will definately do so from now on. The request for the picture hooks was put in writing but the permission was given over the phone. Oh if only I had more common sense!! :rotfl:

zebulon

what about if, instead of calling and asking them to send you agreement for pets and holes - you send them a letter, confirming that they have agreed for this and that, could they please confirm, in writing, that this is ok. Keep copy of your letter + their letter etc..

'this' EA looks a bit of a lazy/disorganised kind - so you might have more chance if it's you starting...if you see what I mean, god I'm bad with words!

hope you get your washing machine fixed - I understand that it's slightly awkward after last time, even though it's no fault of yours.

don't you use emails with them? for something like confirming that you didn't need the plumber last time it might have been useful as a follow up to the phone, and quicker/cheaper than having to send a letter!

littleemmie

That is a really good idea, much better than phoning them. I will do that tonight although I fear the letter will be on the long side!! :rotfl:

To be honest I hadn't thought of using email with them, although with hindsight a quick email confirming things would have made everything a lot easier. Do letting agents regard emails the same as a written letter? I suppose there is no difference really!!

I'm convinced I'm going to get the blame somehow for the machine if I do have to ask them to get a plumber again, and to be fair to the letting agent it would seem pretty suss even though the two problems are totally unrelated (the first was due to a pestle from a pestle and morter from a previous tenant being stuck in the pipe )!!! Here's hoping I can somehow magic up some DIY skills!!

Thank you for your advice

SquatNow

Pets: GuineePigs probably don't live in the house (or at least don't roam around the house) and so won't leave hair/muck on the carpets. Likewise they are unlikely to leave steaming piles of poo on the lawn. (Well OK, very small piles, and they wont smell much and will fertilise the lawn.) They also wont bark all night keeping the neighbours awake, scratch the furniture or climb up the curtians. On that basis, no sane landlord would care less. (There are a few phychos though... have you plumped your cushions lately?)

The rule on pets is simple... you can have any pet you like, regardless of what the contract states, as long as you leave the house in the same state it was in when you moved in... including smell. Same applied to smoking. Same applies to pictures and nails in walls... as long as you make good, your free and clear. Even applies to decorating.... house in magnolia? Repaint at leasure, just paint it magnolia again before you go. Worst case scenario, the landlord could give you 2 months notice after the end of your assured period, but, again, most landlords couldn't give a toss... as long as they can still rent it out again after you move out they really wont care enough to kick up a fuss.

As long as you put the house back how you found it you are free and clear.

zebulon

although

IMO, a wall without holes is not the same than a wall with holes that have been filled

a wall painted in red - is not the same that a wall painted in red then magnolia then red again (layers of paint)

I know its quite common here 60 min make-over kind of things (my dad was so shocked when I suggested once to paint over old wall-paper )
but I would probably not be happy as a LL to get some sub-standard DIY

so, all this just to say, I agree with "put the house back how found it", in the strict way, not something that kind of looks like how it was

littleemmie

Hi all (again),

The landlady is going to love us! Last night the boiler broke meaning that we have no hot water. The pilot light went out sometime during the day and won't relight. We left a message with our letting agents last night to call us in the morning but as yet have had no reply. They are supposed to be open from 8am but we have phoned numerous times this morning and can't get a response.

OH wants to go direct to the landlady if we can't get through to the agents by 10. Would this be a bad move?