AIBU to expect landlady to pay costs?

[redbunnyfruitcake]

We (Me, DP and DD - 2.5) rent a 2 bed house and have lived here for 3 years. It's a lovely house and we pay a large amount of rent for it but since we have been here we have had the following issues:

1. Kitchen wall replaced.
2. Various plumbing problems involving ripping up floorboards and cutting holes in walls.
3. An immersion heater replaced.
4. The front garden wall replaced.

And now they need us to move out of our bedroom to put a damp course in the walls which will take 5-6 days and considerable disruption. They are always very good at doing the work I just wish there wasn't so much of it. The odd washer replacing I could deal with but this feels like one thing after another.

I'm not just having a moan (well I am a bit because I hate hassle) but aibu to expect either some kind of rent reduction/compensation or the cost of a hotel for those nights?

I don't think a damp course should take 5-6 days. We had our lounge drilled from the outside and injected with stuff and it only took a few hours - maybe double check exactly what work is going to be done x

I would ask the LL to arrange for the stuff to be moved to the second bedroom and then back in place/ And also reduce your rent for that period.

Alternatively, you can refuse to allow the repairs if they are not urgent. The LL cannot make improvements to the property at the expense of your comfort. You do have the right to quiet enjoyment of your rental property.

I wouldn't worry about the lease being renewed or not. For all you know, the LL may be getting ready to sell the property and doing it while you are there and paying rent, rather than the proper way of doing maintenance during a void period.

It seems that tennants want things both ways. Not you in particular though OP. It is a business transaction, I agree with that, but so many tennants also say that their landlords should be more understanding of the fact that the rented property is their home and want more security.

Tennants have a lot of power over landlords too IMO.

btw, meant to say YANBU. I am a LL and no way would I expect my tenants to put up with 5-6 days of disruptive repair work, unless it was absolutely urgent, like a roof leak. And I do have LL insurance that covers such things and loss of rental income. So I would probably be comfortable housing tenants in a hotel while the work was on-going. (But this is speculation on my part, as I have never had to do this)

Sadly if you want a long term home and want that home well maintained, you have to accept that maintenance will need to be done and that may come with inconvenience. If she weren't maintaining the property you would have more to moan about tbh!

I tend to stay quite hands off with my tenants as they are busy people with a new baby and look after the place as I would, so I just touch base by email every couple of months to make sure that they don't need anything doing, but if I did I would expect that they would appreciate that work was being done to maintain and improve their home.

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll If a landlord cannot afford 5 days rent window plus a hotel, then they certainly cannot afford to ask a willing tennant to leave. That will cost them a lot more than that, even if the contract allows for people to visit to see the property during the tenancy, having a tennant there you're asking to leave will make it near certain that no-one will take it, remember renters will always ask the tennant why they are leaving!

So if you ask the tennant to leave you're losing a lot more than 5 days rent and a few quid for a hotel. I would be a little worried as a tennant to learn my landlord was in such a situation.

I'm a tenant and a LL. The flat i rent is similar in that it has needed a massive amount of work done since we moved in. Tradesmen have been in on more occasions in 5 months than I can remember.

It is really now starting to grate especially as there was a month long void period before my tenancy in which these works could have been done.

No rent reductions have been forthcoming despite me asking. Appliances have broken and despite this being a 'premium' property they insist on putting shitty / cheap appliances in. The strategy obviously isn't working since they installed the 3rd dishwasher in 4 years prior to our tenancy (the receipts have all been left here in the 'instruction' bag).

Contrast this with my own property - the dishwasher in my properties equivalent model retails at perhaps 50-100 quid more than entry level products but it is almost 10 years old and has survived years of tenants.

I wouldn't dream of treating my own tenants in this way and try very hard to organise work in void periods or when they are away. I would also be furious if tradesmen I employ didn't clear up after themselves.

I'm a good tenant. I Pay my rent on time. I look after the property but I am seriously considering whether or not to renew my lease as the constant intrusion is really rather wearing.

Of you have any plans to go on holiday this year, perhaps you could suggest that they wait until then to do the work.

Rent reduction should be offered or they do it when convenient for you.
This is not an essential repair but an investment in their property. They should offer something for sure.

Wasn't it meant to be your landlady who should have had this all fitted in the first place? When our garden fencing blew down in strong winds we called up the landlord who came round with new fencing and put it in for us. It's his property after all.