to want compensation for having to move out for 6 weeks

[beatenbyayellowteacup]

I'm renting. The flat is 50% privately owned, 50% owned by a development company (was a new build 4 years ago).

The building was not done properly and the development company need to reinsulate the walls and do some other stuff (not sure of the details, maybe the bathroom plumbing but I'm not sure). In order for this to happen, my flatmate and I need to move out for 4 - 6 weeks.

They are putting us up in a flat upstairs in the same block, and have given us boxes and packaging, and have arranged for a removal company to carry our boxes upstairs on Friday.

Every single thing has to go upstairs. We are not getting help with packing.

I emailed and asked if it was possible to have some vouchers for a nice dinner or something as compensation, but apparently as it's costing the company so much to do this, they can't afford to pay for my flatmate and I to have any compensation.

I am utterly pissed off a bit annoyed to have to pack all of my stuff up and then live out of boxes and then unpack it all again in 6 weeks, with no acknowledgement from the development company that this is inconvenient.

The landlords who own the 50% are fine with compensating me some money, but I think the company are being tight.

Does anyone know about legal rights?

AIBU?

There'll be a reduction in utilities. We have to reorganise our broadband provider for it though.

Squeaky I'm not saying much negative stuff in real life at all. That's what MN is for

We are both treating it like a big adventure and seeing the positives of it, but the reality of it just isn't that much fun.

Time to dust out the ebay password eh.

That could be a plan. I'm fundraising for a charity at the moment so I can put the proceeds to that.

Thanks for acknowledging that it's a pain. It is.

I know my flatmate is being great about it.

But I really don't expect anything less than a continuation of accommodation and someone to carry the boxes - for health and safety reasons if nothing else - from the development company. I think that is should be bog standard.

Compensation for what exactly????? Good grief

PITA for sure, but I think it is better for you to do the packing. At least then you can organize the must need stuff from the stuff you can possibly do without for a month. A packing company would just pack it all and that's it; no real organizing. Thank goodness they are moving it though. And your landlord/friends are giving you compensation too. Suck it up. God only knows what could have happened if they weren't fixing it.. one day your wall may have just fallen away. (That happened at some condos in my town; it was the leaky condo fiasco with one developer and the owners got no compensation at all)

So in factyou are getting compensation - your friends and landlords are giving you money for a treat for yourself. And you are getting a reduction in the utilities cost. What else do you want?

And it sounds as though you are getting a lot of help with relocating too. For sure it is a pita and I wouldn't be happy about this too (so rant away) but I think if you go on about this to your flatmate anymore then you risk jeopardising the friendship.

Of course you may be saying nothing to your flatmate and just ranting on here in which case fair enough. But YABU to expect more than you are getting already. I also agree with the poster that getting a removal company to move the stuff would be more hassle than its worth as they would just fling stuff in boxes with no care as to any order (think bananas in with coffee cups and newspapers etc) and wouldn't throw anything out like flyers etc - that would all go in the box too. At least this way you can pack so that most of your stuff doesn't need to be unpacked for the 6 weeks you are there

Is the flat furnished or unfurnished? If it's literally just stuff, clothes, books etc. I think what they've offered is reasonable. If it includes furniture I think you've got every right to be annoyed.

Having moved 3 times in the past 3 years I'd be fuming if someone told me I'd have to move all my stuff out and then back again 6 weeks later.

You've already been given plenty - YABU!

If putting your possessions into boxes is really such a terrible task, you have too much stuff. Take this opportunity to declutter...

So you are getting alternative accommodation close by, a removal company to move your stuff,a reduction in utilities and compensation. TBH I think your landlords have been VVR.

The company are only partly responsible for you, so you can't expect them to pay for packing or give you compensation on top of everything else they are paying for.

And given that you haven't said how much your flatmates are giving you I am assuming that is also verey reasonable. Yes it is a PITA. But I think you ABVU to expect the company to provide more.

I'm in a similar situation, my rental property had no heating or running water for 3 weeks over flippin christmas, with 3 children, two of which are under 2, I had no choice but to move out, I wasn't offered alternative accomadation or heaters etc.

I went to C.A.B for advice and in MY situation they said I was legally well withion my rights to withhold rent for the time the property was unlivable/uninhabitable. apparently a clause called "rent abatement" is the reason, check it out on the shelter website, if 50% of your rental property is unusable then rent should be reduced by 50% and so on, all of mine was unusable so citizens advice and an independant solicitor said I shouldn't have to pay rent. obviously I had to live else where for that time and costs were incurred by doing that. Also in order to be able to move in, i ended up paying for the plumber myself, with the understanding I could deduct that also from the rent due.

However, the landlord would be also well within his rights to take me to small claims court for refusing to pay rent for that time, not for the plumbing costs, but the solicitor did say if he tries it, he's likely to be laughed out of court and I should counter sue for additional compensation because it ruined my childrens christmas, three weeks in a B&B over christmas is totally unreasonable.

Your situation is vastly different, had my landlord offered me alternative accomadation, in the same block (or street/area) I would of been over the moon.

I think from the sounds of it you are being a bit unreasonable, yes its probably a pain in the bum, but it could of been far worse :)

Also now my landlord is now being a pain in the bum and hassling me over the rent for those three weeks, he's been calling four or five times a day, telling me how he's struggling and needs that money etc, and I have the constant worry the whole mess will make him ask me to leave or as he threatened last night on the phone to sell the flippin house.

All in all, I would seriously weigh up the pro's and Con's, because you could end up with more problems than you already do.

Best of luck though, and I hope my sad little experience helps in some little way :)

Bubble that sounds really unfortunate. Can't believe your landlord is within legal rights - surely now calling you all the time is harrassment? I'd be really fuming if that was me.

I'm just pissed off cos I've got to move everything (yes and that's furniture too), and I only moved in in September and we didn't know this then (sorry if that's dripfeeding) but I just don't have the stomach for it.

However, I have packed 2 boxes already

I've packed up three bedroomed houses with childrens stuff in a day. It does not take weeks to pack up stuff. It depends how tidy your place is to start with. I feel the OP is being precious and just wanting compensation for nothing.

I doubt you need to pack up everything anyway, ask if you can leave some stuff in one room. They could have just issued you notice to quit and done the work afterwards, leaving you to find somewhere else on your own. As it is you are not suffering any financial loss and indeed have already been compensated by friends/flatmate (?)and the company with their assistance to move out.

We asked that LIZS - the entire flat has to be cleared of everything.

Yep it is harrassment, he's phoned three times already today

Hopefully you kept all your boxes from when you moved in, otherwise that will be a pain as well :( Good luck with your packing hopefully it will all be sorted out quickly for you. have they given you a set time frame for completing the works? if they haven't you wouldn't be unreasonable asking for one in writing and should they overrun then expecting to be compensated :)

Have you gone back to the CAB re this harassment? Send him a legal letter to back off or something?

I think I'll have to go back to CAB again, although where to send the letter don't know. its a bit of a messed up situation, there's no contract and even though I've asked numberous times he hasn't provided a address to forward post etc to. he's of no fixed abode if you know what I mean his final phone yesterday was to tell me his Dad wa coming to see me, theoretically to sort out the lack of contract situation but probably to hassel me over the deducted rent :(

just dont pay anyone any rent for the time you are out, this is our compensation.

you do not have to pay if there is a problem in your flat that makes it unlivable

knittedbreast that is a fast way to get evicted although given that her friends are her ll(?) it may not come to that. OP who do you pay rent to ? Effectively the 50% owners are subletting. Legally you still have to pay - they are providiing alternative accommodation after all , but you may have a claim for a rebate although what they have already offered will be counted as part of that.

OP although you are graciously accepting everyone's comments I still think you are coming across as a bit petulant, sorry! Your flatmate is giving you a treat and you have alternative accommodation. Pushing it makes you seem a bit grasping I'm afraid.

I'm going to pay the full rent - I've never doubted that.

Anyway, I just came on here to find out if I was being unreasonable. Most people think I am, so I probably am! But it is nice that it was acknowledged as a PITA.

I'm fine with it - surrounded by boxes here as I type