r1_pete
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 04:51 PM |
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Completely OT, House rental advice
The wealth of experience on here never ceases to amaze...
So, as someone who has never been involved with house rentals I need a bit of advice for my daughter.
3 weeks ago moved into a rented house.
2 weeks ago as part of the deal al new carpets fitted, carpet fitters took all the internal doors off to fit the carpets, then say they cant shave
them and put them back because they're not joiners.
Daughter contacts agent, says he will get the builder who did the renovations to come and sort them out.
Unable to contact builder until earlier this week.
Daughter comes home Wednesday to find builder has let himself in, her dog is out in the road unleashed, bearing in mind her contract states 48 hours
notice for landlord or his agent to enter, she asks what he thinks hes doing uninvited in her home, he throws a tantrum and leaves.
Contacts agent - says let the builder cool down.
Contacts landlord - says I think everyone is over reacting..
So she has had no internal doors for 2 weeks, and no sign things will be sorted, what course of action would you chaps reccomend?? As I said I have no
experience of renting so can't at the moment advise.
Cheers.
Pete.
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Steve G
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 04:58 PM |
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If she doesnt want to end up with one month's notice to vacate the property at the earliest opportunity (6 months??), then best to keep on good
terms with the landlord and let them sort it out.
Maybe speak to them about your daughter arranging for the doors to be done herself after providing quotes??
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Confused but excited.
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 05:01 PM |
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1) Politely remind the landlord of the terms of the agreement, with respect to the 48hrs notice.
2) Inform landlord that rent will be withheld until repairs are completed to a satisfactory standard.
3) Remind landlord that the rent due is for a fully functional dwelling, not one with the doors off and that some compensation will be expected.
Tell them about the bent treacle edges!
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Steve G
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 05:06 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
1) Politely remind the landlord of the terms of the agreement, with respect to the 48hrs notice.
2) Inform landlord that rent will be withheld until repairs are completed to a satisfactory standard.
3) Remind landlord that the rent due is for a fully functional dwelling, not one with the doors off and that some compensation will be expected.
4) Pack bags and look for new home 
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blakep82
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 05:06 PM |
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^ as above, but remember its the landlords house, if she properly went off on one (enough for him to stom out) that won't please the landlord.
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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blakep82
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 05:08 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Confused but excited.
3) Remind landlord that the rent due is for a fully functional dwelling, not one with the doors off and that some compensation will be expected.
as far as mortgage lenders go, fully habitable means working kitchen and bathrooms. no doors doesn't mean she can't live there and do
things as normal
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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handyandy
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 05:09 PM |
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its also a fire risk that is not acceptable , do as has been suggested already but also put it in writing that she (your daughter ) expects the doors
to be fitted within a set timescale, the agent & landlord HAVE to act upon a safety issue as soon as possible & not as soon as convenient to
them.
get tough i say, 48hr notice to enter the dwelling, get them to stick to the agreement they issued.
andy
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nitram38
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 05:13 PM |
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Changing the locks would also be a good idea......................
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JoelP
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 05:13 PM |
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builder letting himself in isnt acceptable, in your AST agreement it says that you have the right to peaceful enjoyment which includes privacy.
Builder probably got caught in the middle and felt hard done by so went in a mood. Agent is to blame for poor communication.
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DavidW
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 06:14 PM |
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Landlords have lost quite of lot of rights these days so I think you are right on the on the the 48 hours notice for access bit.
Entering without written permission may therefore be a breach of the contract.
Not sure about the no doors making the place inhabitable - think about open plan buildings?
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fov
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 06:15 PM |
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First thing I would say is take a lot of the advice here with a pinch of salt.
Dont withhold rent unless things become very bad. It will put you in very bad position if things ever get to court (even not for this).
As mentioned 'fully functioning' does not include doors unless they are firedoors and in which case they could probably come in at short
notice (as good as no notice by saying they tried ringing but got no answer) as the AST will probably have a clause for emergency access.
Changing the locks would again be a very bad idea. Landlord would just get them replaced and chage you for the pleasure.
Best plan would be to try to sort it out in a friendly manor. A good plan would be as mentioned to suggest she get the quotes for the work and it be
done on her terms. Failing that take some proper advice on what roads are open for recourse.
And just so you know I am a landlord, i manage some student lets and do some works for an RSL (registered social landlord) thought IANAL.
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ruskino80
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 06:30 PM |
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i have to go into several rented properties every week for maintainance work etc,and i would never enter unless authorised to do so-my job sheets from
the letting agent specify wether the use of a pass key is ok(no need to contact tennant as they have verbally ok'd it with the agent)or numbers
are provided to make an appointment with the tennant.
i can understand why he would just want to go in and get it out of the way-because he probably fitted the doors,but due to the typical lazy carpet
fitters he is now faced with probably having to go back (unpaid-or expecting not to be paid)to do the job again.
anyhow he should not have just gone in and in my opinion a quick call to say that you felt it was inappropiate etc should suffice.
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andkilde
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 06:35 PM |
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I concur with the "amicable agreement" solution, but in defense of your daughter -- had I come home and found my dog running in the street
it'd be a fatal beating for the perpetrator.
At my last house, I had words with the meter reader who repeatedly left my gate unlatched -- I put a stonking great padlock on it and phoned my own
meter readings into his supervisor after he did it a third time.
t
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ashg
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| posted on 19/6/09 at 08:43 PM |
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every place i have ever rended over the years. first thing i ever do is change the locks regardles of what the contract says. you never know who has
a key.
if the land lord trys to get in without arranging prior then they can't.
also remember if the place gets done over and there is no sign of forced entry the insurance company will not pay out. you can explain this to the
land lord when they find out you changed the locks.
every time i have left a rented place i have handed back the working key and said i had to have the lock changed as i lost/broke the key.
Anything With Tits or Wheels Will cost you MONEY!!
Haynes Roadster (Finished)
Exocet (Finished & Sold)
New Project (Started)
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fov
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| posted on 20/6/09 at 10:03 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ashg
every place i have ever rended over the years. first thing i ever do is change the locks regardles of what the contract says. you never know who has
a key.
if the land lord trys to get in without arranging prior then they can't.
also remember if the place gets done over and there is no sign of forced entry the insurance company will not pay out. you can explain this to the
land lord when they find out you changed the locks.
every time i have left a rented place i have handed back the working key and said i had to have the lock changed as i lost/broke the key.
What about when there is a water leak or a tile blows off the roof.
Put it this way im coming in as an emergency and im billing you for the damage done to gain entry and the replacement of the locks.
Ofcourse you can give the landlord a key for this but that really doesn't help in the OPs situation.
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