Tenants getting handyman to do work. I'm just really peed off about it

[Porridgeaddiction]

I moved on with my now husband when we met into his house and I rented mine out.

I wanted to be a good landlord, so when the tenants moved in there were a few bits that they wanted doing so I asked my friend who's a handyman to do it.

There has been a couple of little things that have needed doing eg fix the guttering, and I've got my friend to do the job.

A couple of times he's messaged me to say that xyz needs fixing, is it ok for him to do the work.

Yesterday he messaged to say that he'd been to the house a few weeks ago to fix the leaking shower and a loose tile. Parts and labour £100. I didn't even realise that there was a problem with the shower and I'm p**sed off that the tenant went to the handyman and didn't tell me.

I just have a horrible gut feeling about all of this - either he's mugging me off or the tenants are getting work done which I'm not really required to do as a landlord. I know that they're very houseproud and like everything perfect, bit IMO as long as there's running water, central heating and no leaks, shouldn't that be enough?

Talk to your tenants and say you need to know of any problems first as they might be covered by a guarantee or insurance. And you won't authorise any work without seeing the damage first (either personally or by photos).

If you are adult enough to take money off someone then you can surely speak to them?

Well, if things need doing, they need doing. The tenants should definitely inform you of any problems first though, before just getting the work done.

This sounds like a communication issue. Do you manage the house yourself? (i.e. you don't use a letting agent)

They should be coming to you to get stuff sorted out. And it sounds like they have previously, so it seems a bit odd that they've suddenly stopped.

That said, I'd expect a leaking shower and loose tile to be sorted -- it's not really something you could long-grass over not being necessary.

Maybe the handyman made an off-the-cuff remark to your tenant about 'giving him a shout' if anything else needed doing, and they took it literally?

I wonder if your arrangement with a friend (handyman) is a bit casual; maybe you need to professionalise things a bit?

You think your friend is ‘mugging you off’, and your tenants are unreasonable to want a leaking shower and loose tile fixed?

You need to work harder on that ‘good landlord’ thing.

You need a professional in to manage roofing/guttering issues and leaks!

Not a 'handyman'

The tenants were wrong to contact the handyman themselves imo but the handyman should have checked with you first so both at fault I would say. I'm a tenant and I would expect a leak to be fixed by my landlord and have done in the past. First time was when my bath leaked into the downstairs hallway and then my upstairs neighbours flooded by bathroom. Landlord sorted both out.

You need to speak to the tenant - it sounds a bit like your handyman friend has given them the impression to contact him directly.

A leaking shower is a fix that needs done though - the last thing you want is tenants ignoring leaks.

Sounds like issues that needed fixing the leaking shower with a loose tile could of meant water getting into the wall.

the problem is that they have contacted the handy man directly and nobodies told you till it’s time to pay.

You need to talk to your tenants that all repairs go through you first just so you are in the loop , you can still be a good landlord but you need to be informed.

You need a qualified plumber....yes I know it's £££ per hour

But a handyman wrapping a bit of ptfe round the problem is only setting you up for a bigger bill

as long as there's running water, central heating and no leaks, shouldn't that be enough?

Thats not ‘being a good landlord’, that’s meeting the basic legal requirements of it. A leaky shower is obviously something that needs fixing, but I can see why you want the tenant to go to you first. You also need to make sure your friend doesn’t do work without your permission first. But the tenant has done nothing wrong asking for repairs, they just need to ask you first in future.

Also you aren’t just investing in them being ‘house proud’, it is YOUR house, surely you should want it to be half decent yourself.

The tenants should get your approval before commissioning repairs. Tell the handyman that you’ll pay this but in future you’ll only pay for stuff you’ve approved in advance, so not to do any work without checking with you. You might for example want to shop around on price.

The tenants are entitled to the property to stay in the condition in which they rented it. If tiles start falling off or shower leakes then absolutely they’re entitled to have them fixed asap. They’re entitled to have anything fixed. If you aren’t ok with that then either stop being a landlord or hire a managing agent to deal with all this.

A leaking shower is down to you to fix. Yes fair enough they have a roof over their head but they shouldn't be expected to live in a shit hole because you want to make savings.

YABU you shouldn't be a landlord. Landlords like you take the piss. Also a handyman shouldn't be fixing guttering or a roof!

I mean you still need to get the leak fixed, whether you want to use your man or not is up to you.

Tell both the tenant and the handyman not to do work without your approval first. Unless it’s an emergency such as burst pipe and you are unavailable for whatever reason.
Ask for receipts for any work undertaken by them. You need them to claim back expenses from the tax man.

My old landlord used to be wishy washy about our leak in the bathroom. The downstairs ceiling has now caved in at least twice and there is a whole rotten wall behind tiles. So be warned if you decide to ignore in future.

Of course the tenant should speak to you first about any works that need doing but your attitude stinks. Leaks and loose tiles should be fixed, landlords like you are why people are stuck paying extortionate rents for sub par housing.

Surely you should just ask your friend to check with you before doing any work?

But you really should fix a leaking shower.

Well this is the problem when you don't deal with repairs professionally and use your mate for everything to save money.

Tell the tenants that in the future to let you know if there's any problems, and you arrange for professionals to deal with them.

I was an unwilling landlord for a couple of years after a job move - and I would have gnawed off my arm for a tenant and handyman who sorted things out between them. Tell them to check with you first, but otherwise it sounds ideal!

Sounds like both your tenant and your handyman friend have an arrangement that suits them both. Tenant gets all the work they want done and handyman gets plenty of business at an expense to you!

I would just tell both of them that any work needs to be authorised by you. That should put an end to it.

The house is your investment, it’s up to you to pay to keep that investment in good order. If you were still living in it you’d pay to have the leaks fixed so pay to have them fixed for the tenants.

Just tell tenants they must inform you first of anything that needs doing.,
And tell your handyman friend that unless you are informed and consulted first, he will not be paid.

You don't know what you're doing, do you? You say you want to fix leaks and then quibble about fixing this leak. You need to tell your tenant that they report problems to you and then you need to hire a plumber.

Or, just sell your spare house. You don't know what to do with it anyway so it's pointless you having it.