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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask for rent reduction

200 replies

GnomeDePlume · 22/08/2016 20:55

Sorry, posting here for traffic.

DD has just moved into a flat. Boiler doesnt work and the bloke sent by the landlord reckons it will take a week at least to fix.

DD has just started a new job 2 hours from home so needs to be able to shower daily.

WIBU to insist that DD gets a rent discount sufficient to allow her to join a gym for a month to get access to showers?

OP posts:
HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 10:41

Scaryteacher, if I pay for a good or a service, I expect to receive it. If I don't, I expect to be compensated for it.

AnArrowToTheKnee · 23/08/2016 10:47

She's not some fresh-faced 18yo away from home for the first time - she's a grown woman in her early twenties doing a STEM job placement, she's clearly very capable, she needs to learn how to handle this herself. By all means give her advice, but don't talk to the landlord on her behalf.

TheGruffaloMother · 23/08/2016 10:48

Why, TGM? Why is it inappropriate for her mother to speak on her behalf?

Confused I really don't know how much simpler I can explain it. The DD is perfectly capable of discussing her tenancy with her landlord. For anyone outside of that agreement at all to conduct those discussions would be inappropriate. It'd be like me calling my DB's mortgage broker. Or DM calling my mobile phone provider to try and get a discount.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 11:00

But isn't that up to the family concerned, TGM? There are no rules governing this situation, you do whatever works for all involved. And if works for the OP and her daughter that she rings, so be it. I can't believe anyone would take issue with that. Let alone call it inappropriate.

scaryteacher · 23/08/2016 11:05

Harry I wouldn't expect to be compensated for the boiler not working for a week if I were renting in the UK, neither (having ensured there are always alternative sources of heat and hot water independent of the boiler) to compensate my tenants, especially if everything was being done to fix it.

Things do go wrong in houses, it's part of renting and owning one, and if you can't deal with that, then you shouldn't leave home. Besides renting out our house in UK, and renting abroad, we also have a ds that rents privately at university. I would be getting him to complain to the l/l, not doing it for him. Reasonable people know that it does take time to get someone out, diagnose the fault, fix it, or order the part to do so. We don't all go around demanding compensation for the minor inconveniences in life.

TheGruffaloMother · 23/08/2016 11:08

Who says it works for all involved? The landlord is involved. I know very few landlords who'd be happy dealing with a tenant's family for no real reason. Landlords don't have an agreement with the family, they have it with the tenants. And there are plenty of situations where dealing with the family might leave them on shaky legal ground. If I were a landlord and there were no extenuating health reasons, there's no chance I'd even discuss a rent reduction and repairs with anyone but the tenant, those I was hiring to fix the issue and perhaps the letting agent if there was one.

Advicepls7080 · 23/08/2016 11:11

Where do people live where it's £2 or so to use the local baths?
Also I agree that a studio flat NOT in London for £500pm is expensive

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 11:20

Oh I see, TGM, you're looking at it from the landlord's POV. I guess if s/he thinks it's inappropriate, s/he'll tell them. I thought you were talking from the OPs view. Where its clearly not inappropriate!

Scary, I thought she had just moved in and they boiler wasn't working. If you that's not the case, I probably wouldn't be asking for a rent reduction, if it is the case, I most definitely would.

But, meh, to those who think a mother shouldn't help her daughter because she's 19!

Bambamrubblesmum · 23/08/2016 11:25

As a landlord myself I would not discuss details with anyone but the people named on the contract. You cannot make any legally binding agreements with someone who isn't a party, therefore it would be a waste of my time to go through a third party.

specialsubject · 23/08/2016 11:27

The rent paid is irrelevant. Shes rented a place with hot water and thats what she should get. But it isnt always possible to fix immediately.

Tenant can speak to landlord, although as i said landlord should be managing this.

Not ideal but tenant is an adult and can fight her own battles.

KoalaDownUnder · 23/08/2016 11:27

Well, if there is a backup source of hot water, fine! In this case, there clearly isn't.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 11:30

I am also a landlord, bambam, and I have no issue with dealing with either my tenants or someone designated on their behalf.

Bambamrubblesmum · 23/08/2016 11:34

Harry you do realise if there was a dispute later on down the line a court wouldn't necessarily uphold an agreement made with a third party when the tenant themselves is over 18? Unless that 'designated person' has legal power of attorney then they are not empowered to make any financial decisions on the part of the tenant.

As a LL you'd put yourself in a tenuous position taking this route.

scaryteacher · 23/08/2016 11:39

Harry My lad is 20, and whilst I might advise him on things, I won't take over and sort them out for him, otherwise he is never going to learn how to deal with them for himself. Sometimes it is really hard to not just wade in, but I wouldn't be doing him any favours by doing that, as my dh is always pointing out.

Koala, if she has a kettle she has a back up source of hot water! I coped here for 4 days at Easter with my 20 yo ds and my 75 yo Mum until they could get someone out to fix the boiler.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 11:41

What kind of tenuous position?

If a tenant's mother rung and told me there was an issue with the boiler and could she negotiate a rent reduction, I'd be happy to discuss it with her, and agree a resolution.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 11:42

Scary, that's fine and we all parent differently. Happy to disagree on this one.

scaryteacher · 23/08/2016 11:45

Harry We pay the rent direct to the l/l for ds, and this is acknowledged on the tenancy agreement, but the agreement is with my son. He knows I'm there for back up if needed, but he has to learn to sort things out for himself. That said, I've met his l/l, and he's lovely. Ds contacted him one day to say that the microwave had died, and the l/l appeared the next day with a new one.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 11:49

I can't believe you pay your son's rent, Scary. How's he ever going to learn to fend for himself if you're paying for his rent?

Have I just read that right?!

You've outed yourself as a little bit of a hypocrite there!

Cheby · 23/08/2016 11:50

I can't believe the responses on here! Of course it's reasonable to get a rent reduction. She has no hot water! She is paying for a service (fully functioning flat) and not getting it. So not only should the LL be taking reasonable steps to resolve ASAP, they should be compensating her for it as well.

Yes stuff like boilers breaking are a fact of life, but one of the few advantages of renting is that, and other maintenance issues, is not the tennant's problem.

It's a risk the LL has to bear. Our boiler was condemned at a gas safety check when renting 5/6 years ago, in November, in the snow. No availability for plumbers/corgi engineers for 3 weeks due to multiple cold weather call outs.

Thankfully my LL was not a twat, gave us a 40% rent reduction for the duration and brought round lots of electric heaters (rent reduction was in part to pay for increased electric costs). We had to shower at work for 3 weeks and eat dinner in bed because it was so cold. Big inconvenience. LL recognised it because she was a decent human being and a professional.

OP; good luck helping your DD get this sorted. She should get a rent reduction.

Bambamrubblesmum · 23/08/2016 11:50

A rent reduction would necessitate a change in contract with the existing tenant (unless you have an existing credit compensation for loss of services clause).

If you don't get this formally agreed, worst case scenario the tenant could object when you try to reinstate the original level of rent. They could claim that you are unfairly raising the rent after agreeing a discount.

Personally I'd just get the boiler fixed pronto.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 11:53

No, it wouldn't, bambam, it would just come in the form of a rebate with no amendments to the contract required.

Cheby · 23/08/2016 11:57

That's what happened with us Harry. Our rent payment stayed the same and LL gave us all a cheque for the rebate. We did receipt things that stated it was a full and final one off payment in lieu of inconvenience, for the stated period on the receipt (meaning if the situation had dragged on we could have asked for a further rebate).

scaryteacher · 23/08/2016 12:05

Harry Paying for university in full is a good way of reducing any future IHT bills as there are no IHT implications for paying for education. He's getting it up front as opposed to later, and part of dh's employment package is help with education costs until age 24, so we are taking full advantage of that.

He could take a loan, but why would I want to pay interest when I don't have to, if we are paying anyway?

Not hypocritical at all. I still wouldn't intervene with his landlord.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 12:08

It's just different ways of helping out your children, Scary. One is financually, the other is logistically. Are you seriously drawing a distinction?

I think they are both fine. I'll help my children out in any way they need me to.

harshbuttrue1980 · 23/08/2016 12:15

I would take a middle way between leaving her to struggle and holding her hand. She should be phoning the landlord herself to ask for a discount, but this can be difficult for a young person to do, so why not help her to draft a sort of script of what she's going to say on the phone? Making those sorts of calls can be so hard when you're young, but if she doesn't start doing it then it'll never get any easier

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