Is everything you mentioned in the inventory? I'm thinking ahead when they decide to leave in the future.

Your daughter needs to contact her LL not the agent to request if they are able to rectify the points raised.

The agent is the middle layer and its actually the LL whom makes the decisions on maintenance and whether to give the go ahead for repair/replacement.


In the case of the bulbs, were they listed as working on the original check in inventory?


Throughout the tenancy bulbs are usually the responsibility of the tenant so Its probably something that your daughter should replace in order to use.

However if the bulbs were not working at check in as listed on the inventory she does not need to leave working bulbs in situ when she leaves the property.

If the issue is electrical and changing the bulbs does not work then again she can report it as an issue that could be fixed.
It may be that the LL does agree to get an electrician to attend and fix although it could be argued that recess lighting is secondary in the bathroom and there is an alternative light source....some LL's will fix others are sloppy.

The hob light is again just a bulb issue,check how listed on inventory, replace as necessary and fit back old bulb when she leaves.

Same with the cooker,the fact that it works is what is technically needed the dials to indicate temperature and the worn markings don't actually stop the cooker functioning it just makes it very difficult to gauge the correct temp.


Frustrating for you daughter but not necessarily a major thing that the LL must fix I'm afraid

The windows might need a little more looking into,whether the locking mechanism has broken or was it a case that no keys have been issued with which to lock and open them?

Seriously?! A replacement oven because the markings have worn off? How about an oven thermometer for under a fiver and a permanent marker?

Is this their first time renting?

I'm on my 8th or 9th and things like you mentioned about the oven don't even faze me. I'm just glad if its working at all! Even our current one sounds like it's on the way out and doesn't heat quickly but we make do.

Are there other working lights in the bathroom? Honestly, the only thing I'd mention is the windows not locking. Though in most of my rentals I haven't had a window key and couldn't lock them and never had problems. Just don't leave them open when you leave the house.
Make sure it's all documented in the inventory.

I've yet to meet or hear from a landlord who doesn't think and say they do things right: But guess that some must do....

Well sort of.

Locking windows seems reasonable.

But in terms of oven a landlord must simply provide the facility for food preparation.

We rented a house for nearly 6 years, in which the oven had no temperature markings. We worked it out by 'eye' and by looking on the Internet for similar models. We love our food and cooking is a great part of our lives; I even made bread (successfully) in it.

The house was perfect, a farm cottage in the countryside, so we didn't 'rock the boat' with the landlord and got on with it.

I agree that ground floor windows should be lockable but really, the oven is workable. As for the hob light ....... get a new bulb!

It seems to me that some tenants need their hands holding 24 hours a day. I pity their landlords.

I could show you all the invoices, anything that went wrong was fixed immediately, our initial renters trashed what was a brand new house in three months and then did a moonlight flit. The next tenants were great and we were so happy to have decent tenants we reacted immediately to any issue. We also reduced the rent when one of them lost their job, supposed to have been for three months but we left it at that rate until they left of their own accord. The next tenants were equally as good, improved the house by decorating etc, we eventually decided to sell and again reduced the rent for the inconvenience they had whilst the house was up for sale. There are some good landlords out there. The agents wanted me to put the rent up but I refused, as I told the agency, I had only a 1% increase and in real world pricing we were earning less because of price rises. I was happy to get paid regularly without issue and the house looked after.

Erm my daughter is 21 and has only ever lived in Uni accom. I haven't ever rented and can only go by my experience of what I would have done in our rental property. The bulbs etc of course will be sorted and we said the same thing. I was just listing the different things in the snag list, the most important for me was the windows followed by the oven.

But you are a landlord, you should be aware of what the minimum is; even if you intend to do much more.

And your daughter being an adult for a full 3 years should be more than capable of looking after herself.

I don't know if I would call myself a Landlord, we had a second house that we rented out. We were happy when we got good tenants and felt it was only right that we rectify anything that went wrong in the house.

Ok well legally speaking you were; saying it’s just ‘a second house’ doesn’t really cut it.

Why would you not research more; what if you didn’t do something you were supposed to?

I am afraid a lot of agencies won't bother to treat seriously the problems you have mentioned. Its up to your daughter/yourself as to what you do but you may have to fix the problems yourself

1) Missing window keys (if that is the problem) http://www.windowhandlekeys.co.uk/. Just google how to buy right key for UPVC windows like I did for other links.

2) Cooker temperature solution https://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/oven-decals

3) Replace bulbs including oven bulb, oven bulb particularly not a high cost item

Yes. In an ideal world, you shouldn't have to do any of this.., but its not ideal and probably a lot quicker, less hassle to just do these tiny jobs yourself or get your daughter to do it. I searched on google for seconds to find solutions. I'm sure she can too. Righteous anger can be self defeating in situations like this, problem solving is good!

Jesus, you lots are so bloody judgemental, I am not a landlord, we no longer have the house but when we did we had an agency who looked after it and they knew if anything needed fixing we were happy to pay for it.

My daughter is 21, and has only ever lived at home or in Uni accommodation this is her first forage into the real world or renting. I only wondered whether she should be entitled to an oven that she could use without worrying if it was reaching the correct temperature. If it was our house, we would have replaced the oven.

Seriously, you berate me for worrying about my daughter. I had forgotten what a load of miserable people habit these boards (not all I agree but a lot)

Note to self, don't ever bother asking for advice here again.