Landlady has cut the Sky TV cables!

[MrsST]

WWYD
So the landlady cut the sky cables round the side of the house yesterday when trimming the hedges. Long story but she’s always done the garden and won’t let anyone else do it. I don’t mind because it’s less hassle for her to just come round and do it. Even though indonfind it intrusive as it's every week.
I’ve whatsapped her to tell her what she’s done and I’ve had no reply. She’s seen my message (posted below) and she’s not said a thing. I’m a bit pissed off. DH spent 2 hours patching it up last night and the TV is now working but it needs doing properly. We’ve looked into it and the lowest cost we’ve found is £65+ VAT to get it properly repaired.
She can’t avoid us forever as she comes to do the garden. She’s unaware that we’ve patched it up. I’m just really pissed off that she hasn’t bothered to reply to my messages and hasn’t even said sorry. So would you go ahead and get the repair done and invoice her for it, or go ahead and get the repair done and pay less rent?

Those saying 'just move' - it's not always that easy! It can cost thousands, and there aren't always suitable properties especially if you have pets, or need something in a specific area.

She certainly should pay though.

Special
Your comment made me laugh! Cheap dump?! Right ok. I live in a very much desired area in South Manchester. The house is beautiful and the garden is fantastic for the kids. Along with the fact that my child has been accepted into one of the best schools in the area to start in September because of our postcode.
Cheap dump!

Glitter yes thank you! It would cost a lot for us to move.
Don't get me wrong we would like to live elsewhere but Id be damned if I'm moving from rental to rental for the rest of my life. One of the reasons why we can't afford to move is because we're saving for a house of our own. We'd love to buy this one but doubt the LL would be forthcoming of that idea.
Like I said she's not a horrible lady, we're quite friendly, which is why I'm so annoyed we haven't even had a bloody apology. If I'd had the apology I probably wouldn't be arsed paying for it to be repaired ourselves.

So what are you going to do about it, OP?

You’ve been given some good suggestions on here.

I would keep quiet. You're getting a free gardener and it was an accident.

She could charge you another month bond for getting a dog if it's not in tenancy agreement.

If you want to stay, I wouldn't get into too much anger - not that you're not justified, but it may work better to be calmer.

I'd just write a letter saying that you understand cutting the cable was a mistake, but it's made you think and you've decided that from now on you prefer to do the garden yourself. Give her an option about how she replaces Sky (assuming it's either yours, or on the inventory as provided). But keep it polite and calm, as if you're sure you're being very reasonable. Then, there is less chance of her blowing up about it. if she does respond angrily that she insists on doing the garden, that is when you point to your right to quiet enjoyment. But I wouldn't jump straight to that, because it might just put her back up, and (unfortunately) you don't have the power here really.

I would be thrilled to have someone do the garden but would still want ll to pay for repair of damaged cable

I hope she pays, but I think since you use it a lot that I would get it fixed, and then give her the proof of payment and tell her this is what she owns for the repair. She is lucky she didn't get electrocuted.

In the days when I rented I always went through a letting agent for reasons like this. You get what you pay for and in this instance it's a nosy possessive LL - that will be the main reason for the 'free' gardening which is not really free, is it?

If you had an agent you could get this sorted because agents will remind LL's of their obligations as set out in the tenancy agreement.

You've been very fortunate in your agents, sharpie.

Not fortunate, just sensible, LRD

Letting agents where you live must be unlike the ones round here. I don't know anyone who rents who wouldn't rather deal with the landlord direct.

I would use this as the perfect excuse to end the gardening arrangement. Message her (preferably a formal email, cc’ing in your husband too) just saying that since she has damaged your sky it’s time to rethink the current set up. You are not enjoying the level of intrusion and you are allowed quiet enjoyment of your property. Also mention that she does not always give you the required 24 hours notice. And add the quotes from the contract about that you have to maintain the garden and say you will do this (assuming your contract is standard - check first). Then say you will send her an invoice for the cable. What a CF.

cheap dump with crooked landlady, the usual

How on earth do you extrapolate that from the OP?

write ( not kiddy comms , a letter with free proof of posting )reminding her of the rules.

Proof of postage is not proof of receipt so it's useless.

Very few people refuse recorded/signed for letters, it's by far a better option than proof of postage.

Of course she must pay, agree with PPs above. Give her the option of sorting it herself or ask if she wants it deducted from the rent. Phone if she continues to ignore messages or go to her house - presumably she lives nearby.
Unless the gardening was mentioned in the contract, in which case you must have agreed to it, then surely you can put an end to it. We had a landlord who did this but we were happy to agree as it was only grass to cut, he was done in 15 minutes with his ride-on tractor thingy. Saved my DH a job. However if you have a nice garden with flowers, shrubs etc then would be good for your kids to get involved.

I think you're on dodgy ground paying less rent as that usually isn't allowed but I would definitely invoice her for it.

My agents are ok, so far. I have heard of local idiots, though.

Go to the Shelter website and read up your rights as a tenant. So many people rent who have no idea what their rights are, and consequently unknowingly allow them to be trampled on.

If she's coming round every week and not giving you 24 hours notice, she's probably not doing other things correctly. The two really important things are:
Is your deposit secured in one of the 3 schemes?
Do you have an annual gas safety check?

She needs to give you 24 hours notice of coming round, and you are entitled to "quiet enjoyment" of the property.
You can't just deduct costs of repairs from the rent, you have to go through a set procedure before doing that. See the Shelter website.

OP, in theory she could be getting quotes for a repair job herself. I'd give her a few days, and send the message about deducting from rent if she doesn't rectify it or get an engineer in herself on Sunday. Annoying that she hasn't sent a holidng message though.

Also focus on what she's going to do to stop this happening again.

Not fortunate, just sensible, LRD

I think you've been fortunate too if your's have all been ok. I've rented various places for around the last 12 years and I would much rather deal with the LL directly. ALL and I mean ALL the agents I've dealt with have been complete arseholes. Some worse than others, but none of them have been what I call nice. At least not after the contract is signed. Before that they they are lovely of course.

I don't think sensible comes into it.

There's very little regulation of lettings agencies. You can be as sensible as you like - checking reviews of them, asking for recommendations, etc. - and still find you're landed with crooks. Besides which, if you live somewhere where most of the available housing is run by one agency, you're stuck with them, like it or not.

So, yes, you were fortunate.

Agree with LRD. Plus the legal obligation is always with the landlord, not not agency. I’ve had agencies that have advised the landlord incorrectly but they’ve got away with it as the landlord needs to be the one complying.

The agency I have now are okay, the rest have been terrible. But a lot of the difficulties of renting are down to agencies such as extortionate fees, high renewal fees and fighting to keep deposits over-zealously. Also letting a number of people view a property and taking non-returnable deposits from all for checks they then ‘fail’.

I've had some really good advice so thank you very much. I did try and ring her yesterday but my call was ignored (or she may have been busy-giving the benefit of doubt. Anyway I've told her we can't wait until she gets back from holiday (don't know when she left but she's certainly away in the UK somewhere) to get the cable correctly fixed. She has apologised and has offered for her husband to have a look when they get back. I've kindly declined the offer and have told her that the works will be carried out and an invoice drawn up. I'm
not doing to withhold rent as we do like living here and we are on friendly terms.
We did ask the landlady if we could get a dog before just getting one and she agreed. I also have this written down as a verbal agreement so that we both know where we stand were the dog is concerned.
We'll get it fixed and then forward her the invoice. We've done a lot for her in the house- replaced things that she would usually be contracted to do, redecorated without charge (my husband is a painter/ decorator). Hopefully it can be rectified in an amicable manner which I'm sure it will be.