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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
MatildaTheCat · 23/08/2016 12:23

When my boiler broke for 10days in my rental property my excellent tenants were understandably a bit pissed off but didn't ask for anything other than get it fixed. I gave them £100 but they were very pleased and surprised. Joining a gym is unnecessary.

Original poster
GnomeDePlume · 23/08/2016 12:34

DD asked me to get involved yesterday evening because:

  1. She is in a new job, doing induction today and has no access to her mobile except for 30 min lunch break
  2. She spent yesterday playing voicemail and email pingpong with the LL trying to get an engineer.
  3. DD works 9-5, LL office is open 9-5 hence pingpong (see above)
  4. Engineer told DD she needed to get back to LL as he didnt deal with this type of boiler

While I appreciate the comments that DD is an adult and should sort it all out for herself yesterday evening she was feeling a bit overwhelmed (new job, new home, new town, no hot water). I have helped where I could and I believe should.

OP posts:
OlennasWimple · 23/08/2016 12:37

I'm glad some other pp have come on to say that the OP isn't being completely ridiculous - I was beginning to wonder whether I had fallen down a vortex into an alternative world there.

Of course a one off rebate doesn't need a change a contract - as pp have said, the LL can just send a cheque for the difference. And TBH any half decent LL, if asked for 40 quid so that the tenant can access hot water while the boiler is being fixed (which may be more than a week), would happily agree to that.

scaryteacher · 23/08/2016 12:47

Harry Yes I am drawing a distinction, and for me there is a difference between the help he thinks he needs and what I think he needs! I was just having a conversation with a friend about this, and we agreed that knowing financial support is there doesn't obviate the need to cope with everyday life and its problems without resorting to your parents to sort it out.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 12:54

Fair enough, Scary. I obviously don't agree by amy means so happy to disagree with you on this one!

user1471544305 · 23/08/2016 13:03

The property should have a new gas safety certificate with a new rental agreement, I'd ask that the rent starts from the moment the boiler actually works. Not before.

mirime · 23/08/2016 13:07

It's not unreasonable for your daughter to ask - my sister had a similar issue, moved into new flat, boiler didn't work (also huge damp, moldy patch behind the sofa), got a reduction in rent until issues were sorted out.

It's not much to ask that the boiler works when you move in!

KoalaDownUnder · 23/08/2016 13:08

scary, didn't think I'd need to specify, but I meant running hot water.

It is irrelevant what deprivations we've all lived with in the past. What's relevant is LL-tenant law where op's daughter lives.

Original poster
GnomeDePlume · 23/08/2016 13:08

No gas, all electric.

The inventory confirms that there is a boiler and that it appears okay not that it is working.

This is a learning.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 23/08/2016 13:15

My boiler was forever breaking down. There is this wonderful thing called a kettle and a sponge Grin

Motheroffourdragons · 23/08/2016 13:18

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on behalf of the poster.

8angle · 23/08/2016 13:25

Wow, this page is full of people who as soon as their DC hit 18 and are legally an adult - that's it - no help, you're on your own - life's tough, better get used to it!

and then there are the "back in the 70's we had to go outside use the bathroom" or "people in the developing world walk 10 miles a day to use a well".

OP you want to help out your DD - which i think is a very kind thing to do, she is starting to make her own way in the world, and you are helping her with a problem. If i see someone fall over in the street, i help them up, even if they are perfectly capable of getting up themselves!

Also i rent a flat and i pay for the flat and all its facilities to be working - i wouldn't "demand" anything from the landlord, but i would be on the phone asking for teh boiler to be fixed in less than a week!

BigGreenOlives · 23/08/2016 13:28

Is she sure there isn't an immersion heater in the hot water tank? I think previous posters telling you she should wash at the sink is irrelevant, she has a contract with her landlord & he has a responsibility to his tenants.

FANTINE1 · 23/08/2016 13:29

The boiler in my D's rented house broke at the end of Oct/beginning of Nov.
They were without hot water etc for approx 5 days.
The uni accommodation officer made sure that they were all re imbursed by the landlord for the days that they were without hot water etc.

napmeistergeneral · 23/08/2016 13:31

The LL should have ensured that the boiler - and everything else - was working before accepting money from a new tenant. Not doing that (unless the boiler magically broke on the day she moved in) is the definition of grabby. Perhaps the LL is one of those who can't afford their property to be vacant at all, because they've mortgaged irresponsibilly.

worriedworker01 · 23/08/2016 13:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QueenJuggler · 23/08/2016 13:38

Isn't there an immersion switch as an alternative form of heating water?

Original poster
GnomeDePlume · 23/08/2016 13:47

No immersion heater - the place is not big so there would be nowhere to hide one!

I have been in contact with LL on DD's behalf. They were quite happy for me to do this. As with other contact we have had I expect that any arrangements will be between DD & LL.

OP posts:
MindSweeper · 23/08/2016 13:52

8angle I think that's different though. There's certainly lots of situations in which we need help from our parents at times, but this one I think OP's DD should be sorting out herself.

If you want to negotiate terms on a contract, then you do it yourself. You don't get mum to do it for you because it's easier. It isn't professional to get your parent to be negotiating rent decreases on your behalf.

Yes sorting out the logistics of the engineer, maybe, but not negotiating finances.

specialsubject · 23/08/2016 13:53

Ll office closing at 5? No out of hours number? Ridiculous. Guessing this is actually a lazy agent. Demand ll contact details if no progress.

Original poster
GnomeDePlume · 23/08/2016 13:56

specialsubject another learning for the future. This is DD's first go at non-uni private renting. I will guess that in the future the first question she will ask of a LL will be 'who do I call if the boiler doesnt work?'

OP posts:
PersianCatLady · 23/08/2016 14:03

Goodness me some LLs get totally slated for their poor treatment of tenants and their lack of action over necessary repairs and yet here we have an LL who appears to be doing the best that he can and the OP thinks that it is not unreasonable to maybe ask for a gym membership.

How ridiculous.

Also TBH the week it is going to take to get the boiler repaired is most likely due to the fact that a part needs to be ordered in to repair it.

In one of my rented flats once (a new build) the boiler packed up in August and it didn't get repaired until the end of December.

Pendu · 23/08/2016 14:05

Skipped past most the replies .

Pretty normal to want to help your daughter BTW...

We have 2 houses rented out and unfortunately it can take a while to get boilers sorted - we are on day 3 of one being broken and have phoned just about everyone to fix it but plumbers are either very costly or busy. If the LL is sorting it then that's pretty much the end of the issue - sadly these things happen, especially if the house was empty before or something.

Anyway, is there a service station nearby? Whenever I go to one I see showers next to the bathrooms....

scaryteacher · 23/08/2016 14:09

Has she checked the shower OP to see that it isn't one where it heats the water itself? Ds has one of these in his digs at uni so that there isn't an issue if the boiler breaks down.

HarryElephante · 23/08/2016 14:10

mindsweeper, as this thread will attest, everyone is different. That you wouldn't help your daughter out in this situation doesn't mean it's unreasonable for OP to.