To ask for a rent reduction this month?

[crunchyfrog]

And if it is reasonable, what % do you think?

My shower is leaking, through the ceiling. This is an on and off issue that has been happening for the whole 18 months I have lived here.
From the beginning, I offered to get a plumber and pay them direct, then take that off the rent, but LL's proxy (as LL is in another country) refused, saying he knows people that can sort it.

So a "plumber" has been 3 times. Each time the problem has been "fixed" with messily applied sealant. This time, I have been without a shower for more than 3 weeks. For the last fortnight, a chap has been coming after his work for a few hours and doing god knows what - ripping tiles off, sticking them back up etc. He "thinks" he will be finished today, and then I may be able to use the shower from Tuesday.

I have had to wait in for people on about 9 occasions in the last 3 weeks, on 2 of those they have not turned up.

We do have a functioning bath, but that means I am using the oil to heat water - we all shower here, so the bath usually used rarely. There is also a time problem, there are 4 of us (1 adult, 3 kids) and bathing takes a lot longer than showering.

WDYT? I was going to email LL and suggest a 15% reduction to reflect my costs and inconvenience.

TIA!

[19lottie82]

You can ask. But he doesn't have to say yes. TBH you'd prob be better looking for something else once you're near the end of your lease. If this is the hassle you have getting a reasonable minor problem fixed, imagine what it will be like if something more serious happens?

[missingmumxox]

Contact the land lord, he may be unaware of his proxy dealing with the job in this way, he might have released funds for the job to have been done.

I say this as a land lady who stopped using letting agents after they failed to tell me about a leaking shower, there was a "plumbing issue" which I paid £150 for but this did not sort the problem, however they failed to tell me this, the resulting damage cost me thousands, worst thing was if I had know it was the shower it was still under guarantee so could have been fixed at no cost to me, I was so angry.
My insurance would not cover the damage as it was well documented the length of time it had been leaking.