For threatening to not pay rent

[muvaa]

So in the beginning of this month I moved into a new flat and there were a large number of issues when I first moved in, the toilet having a major plumbing issue where it was blocked to the point I couldn't use it, the washing machine is completely broken and a number of other smaller issues. I had obviously not foreseen these issues before moving in. The toilet was promptly fixed but the estate agent keeps dragging out the washing machine issue. She says she'll get a new one ordered but she said that around the 8th and that she needed her manager to make the order and I'd have it the next week. The next week came and it was still not ordered and she said she'll get the manager and I should expect it by Monday the next week latest. It's now Wednesday and yesterday(Tuesday) I sent her an email about how disappointed I was with how they're delaying sorting out a washing machine especially as they know I'm 34 weeks pregnant and need to get all my baby stuff washed and prepared. I've had no reply from her since last week and I've been calling her phone and she's not answering. I can't get through to anyone else at the estate agency as their phone just rings and no one picks up. The only point of contact I have is for her and taking more than 2 weeks to sort out a washing machine is unreasonable. Rent is due again at the beginning of the month and I'm thinking the only way to get them to take me seriously is to threaten to not pay the rent until they sort out the issue. I don't like rivalry, I've been polite and patient this whole time but at this point I feel like I really need to put my foot down because they're taking the p*ss. Any advice on how to handle this situation would be much appreciated.

If you withhold your rent it'll put you in breach of contract and probably affect your credit rating.

I'd keep nagging them and in the meantime, use a launderette.

Is it a mobile number you have for her? If so send her a polite message asking should you use some of this months rent money to organise a washing machine? Now obviously you aren't going to do this but it will get her attention and she will definitely make contact with you... plus as far as I'm aware but I'm open to correction if they've advertised the property with a washing machine and they dont provide one then they are in breach of the contract

Do you have an email address for them? You need to have a paper trail for this.
Do you have a contact for the landlord rather than the EA? Copy them into everything.
Pay the rent. No doing so will negatively affect you, but the EA won't care as it is the landlord that loses out rather than them.

@SheilaWilcox

Do you have an email address for them? You need to have a paper trail for this. Do you have a contact for the landlord rather than the EA? Copy them into everything. Pay the rent. No doing so will negatively affect you, but the EA won't care as it is the landlord that loses out rather than them.

I have been in contact with her through email. I will pay the rent but I don't have any contact with the landlord whatsoever. On the tenancy agreement it has the estate agents address as the landlords address but the landlords name. That's all I know, their names

Your threat is meaningless though.

You may as well just threaten to Bury her under your patio.

Its not a valid reason to withhold rent so if you do expect to be evicted which will drag out and you'll be looking for a new place with a few month old baby in tow

If they have Facebook or a are on any review pages commenting there may get a response

No, don't 5greaten to withhold rent or go through with it. A broken washing machine doesn't entitle you to free accommodation. Otherwise, tenants would be deliberately breaking appliances, all over the place to justify not paying rent. You still have a roof over your head, you haven't mentioned that it's not wind and watertight, so withholding rent would be a really silly thing to do and likely backfire on you being evicted and given no references for future landlords.

Do not withhold rent, it will put you in breech of contact and at risk of being evicted. Document everything an d suggest you buy the washing machine and they refund you.

Replace machine, pay rent minus cost of machine-provide receipt and email them telling them what you have done as they were taking too long to act

You could send an email saying you have been patient waiting for them to organise but now the problem needs sorting so you will do that yourself (without charging for your time) and deduct the cost from next months rent unless you hear back from them within the next 3 days.

You can't withhold rent per se but you can certainly buy the washing machine yourself and bill them for it. Procedure from the Shelter website:

If the correct procedure is followed, the tenant will have a complete defence to any possession action taken for rent arrears resulting from the deduction of repair costs from rent.[1] The steps to follow are:

the tenant should inform the landlord of the repairs needed (preferably in writing) and allow a reasonable time for the necessary works to be completed
if the landlord fails to act, the tenant should inform the landlord (preferably in writing) that s/he will do the repair her/himself unless the landlord complies with her/his obligations
the tenant should then allow a further reasonable period for the landlord to do the work
the tenant should then obtain three estimates and send them to the landlord with an invitation to comment within a reasonable time and a final chance to carry out the work
the contractor who supplied the lowest estimate should be employed to carry out the work
the tenant must then send the invoice to the landlord and request reimbursement for the cost
if the landlord does not pay, then the tenant may deduct the cost of the repair work from future rent.

I was a LL for a number of years. Firstly, you have the legal right to know your landlords name and contact address.

Just double checking - is the washing machine listed on your inventory? What does your contract say about appliances? This is important. The PP who wrote out the shelter procedure above makes a good point, but if the washing machine isn't included as an item the landlord has agreed to provide as part of the contract, you're SOL. I strongly advise you to read your contract thoroughly and then call Shelter and get their advice on the specific details of your situation.

Secondly, I know it isn't your issue to solve but if the washing machine does not switch on at all, have you checked the fuse and if the fuse looks ok, tried the plug in a different socket which you know actually works? If the washing machine does turn on, does it show an error code that you can google? Is it full of water?

The most common washing machine problem is a blocked filter, this is piss easy to sort out yourself if you google the youtube video for your make and model. I've done it five times with different machines, the hard bit is draining the water out. Granted, you'd need someone strong enough to shuffle the machine forward and potentially tip it on its side to unscrew the filter if its properly jammed but it is definitely worth checking this yourself.