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Legal matters

Renting - LL want to get builders in. Advice please?

11 replies

LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/05/2012 13:36

Hi.

I'll give background first just to explain:

DH and I rent a flat on a shorthold assured tenancy. We moved in a couple of years ago, and the flat was sold to new LL about nine months later. The new LL said they wanted to do various bits of work to renovate. We have been entirely co-operative about this, have always arranged to be in to let workers in, but it's only been maybe 5-6 days spread over a year, so not a great hardship. That said, a couple of things broke (shower didn't run hot, and the loo seat rusted through in such a way it needed a plumber in to fix it). The LL didn't fix these promptly at all (shower took weeks) as they said they wanted to use someone they knew who'd work cheaply, and asked us not to go through the Lettings Agency (who still technically manage the property, but who the LL said would be more expensive). It has all been fixed now but we did explain we were not very happy to have been paying full rent for such poor treatment.

Last spring, the LL suggested they might do a big job replacing the windows and frames. They said could we let them know when we planned a summer holiday and they'd try to do it then. We agreed we were happy with this and would be happy to move out temporarily to accommodate work as we did plan to go off on holiday that summer. We heard nothing back until now. LL now want to do the work and want us to get in touch with their builder to arrange times.

Problem is, I am a student who works at home (and the amount of work I could do elsewhere is very limited, so I can't just decamp to a library). I am working like crazy to finish my thesis and it's really not convenient either to move out or to faff around organizing times with builders (in the past this has been quite a job since their builders are very disorganized).

I would really like to know where I stand legally before I approach the LL. They are very pleasant people despite the issues we've had with them and I don't want to get it wrong. But this work is not anything we've asked for, and we've not let the condition of the property get worse so it needs doing any more than it did when we moved in (there is a condensation problem, but it's been like that throughout the tenancy).

Is it possible at all to say no to this work? Or at least no for the next couple of months?

Thanks for reading if you got this far!

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FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 03/05/2012 13:42

I'm no expert, but since it's non urgent, I think you would be perfectly within your rights to say no. However, tenant's rights being as crap as they are in the UK, your landlord could then give you notice. Are you on a rolling contract?

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/05/2012 13:48

Thanks very much. I suspect they might suddenly decide it's urgent - basically, the window frames are metal, which lets condensation build up, so it does cumulatively damage the property. We've been really careful about it, though, and it's not our fault.

We're not on a rolling contract, we've re-signed every year for 12 months, but we are just getting to the end of the protected 6 month period, so yes, they could certainly give us notice.

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FruitSaladIsNotPudding · 03/05/2012 13:59

Oh, that is awkward then. Well, it is summer (although it doesn't feel like it!) so I think it would be perfectly reasonable to ask the LL to wait a few months - as long as it's done before the autumn/winter then I don't see that it could cause much more damage.

But if the LL says no, I think you're going to be in a really weak position. You have my sympathies, renting sucks sometimes.

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LadySybilDeChocolate · 03/05/2012 14:04

My neighbour had new windows put in the whole house and it took a day (less then a day really). It doesn't cause a lot of mess, I'd just let them get on with it. At least yours is doing something, I've been waiting 9 years to get the front window repaired. Hmm I've given up now.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/05/2012 14:17

Thansk fruit. Smile

lady - the LL seem to think it will be a longish job, but now you've said that, I will check with the builder and see - if it is much quicker than they thought, that would be great!

My sympathy about yours. It's rotten when you end up with someone who messes you around.

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LadySybilDeChocolate · 03/05/2012 14:20

No, it's not long at all. It does depend on what else they want to do though.

I'm moving out in a month. I doubt I'll get my deposit back as they will make every excuse not to hand it back.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/05/2012 14:37

Hmm. Quick chat to my cousin who does this sort of stuff would suggest 1 day is highly unlikely for replacing frames! Oh well, back to the drawing board I guess.

They should give you the deposit - argue! Good luck!

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DartsAgain · 03/05/2012 19:58

We had our windows and the front porch replaced in Feb. It took two guys 1 day to do 5 windows and the porch so it is possible.

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 03/05/2012 20:10

I just really want to get a sense of the legal side, TBH.

If we were getting just the windows done (as opposed to the frames) I'm sure it would be quicker. I'd probably still want to know whether or not it's legally ok for me to ask them to put off doing it.

Sorry, that maybe wasn't clear in my massive rambly OP.

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Naoko · 03/05/2012 22:46

It really shouldn't take that long, my friend had new frames and windows throughout (replacing rotten wooden ones with uPVC) and it only took two days. If he's having some cowboy do it on the cheap, though....

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LRDtheFeministDragon · 04/05/2012 09:29

Yes. It's very likely it's some cowboy.

Sorry, I posted in legal to get an answer to the legal side. I have now checked and the builder is saying 'three days if you're lucky but expect a week to finish', and he means painting the walls after, and all.

FWIW, it is quite possible it's harder to do here because the building is damaged, I don't know.

If anyone reads and does have an answer to my actual questions, I'd be really grateful? I am just failing to find anything in my tenancy agreement to explain what should happen.

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