Request to Landlord

[pedropony76]

I moved into my flat last summer when DD was 2 months old at the time. I had a really bad labour and needed three procedures to rectify an issue. When I moved in, I asked the Landlord if I could remove the bed that was in the flat and bring my own bed from my mum’s house which was much higher and much sturdier and supported my neck and back in a way that helped the healing process. The Landlord said he didn’t live locally so wouldn’t be able to come round and take the bed apart so he asked if I could try the bed out and if I really didn’t want it then I should let him know.

Fast forward to nearly a year later and the bed is SO squeaky it’s literally unbearable. If I could add an audio clip so you guys could hear it, then I would. I wake up my daughter just by sitting on the bed alone. I also wake her up by turning over during the night. I now have a 7 week old son and the bed is so squeaky and disruptive that I’m actually having to sleep with him in my living room as I was waking him up everytime I sat down. I’m also recovering from a C section (which got infected as I was never resting as my son was in NICU for 6 weeks) so I’m desperate for a higher bed that I find more comfortable and one that doesn’t sound like a bloody trampoline.

I sent an email to the Landlord’s estate agent basically saying everything above and asked if the Landlord can remove the bed. I’m not asking him to replace the bed or buy a new frame, just asking him to remove it so I can buy my own. The estate agent has just emailed me saying unfortunately the Landlord isn’t financially able to remove the bed or have it stored. He’s offered to come over to make the necessary adjustments to stop the noise and squeaking.

My thing is, is that I’ve already tried that. I’ve lifted up the mattress and tightened all the screws so if the Landlord isn’t able to solve the problem, where do we go from here? I’m really not able to live like this especially with two babies in a one bedroom flat! Any advice with what I can say in the email or should i just wait until the Landlord comes, see that he can’t fix the bed and then say something then? I just want the shit bed gone ffs!

I was housed here under the homelessness scheme and came from temporary accommodation.

Basically that means that I haven’t paid a deposit and there was no inventory or pictures taken or anything. I’ve literally just signed a contract and there isn’t any proof of the bed being here in fairness. If I got rid of the bed and replaced it with my own, when moving out, there’d be no deposit to take the bed out of anyway. I’m just trying to do the right thing by communicating and adhering to my contract really

I was going to suggest that OP stores it elsewhere and puts it back at the end of the tenancy.

Tbh, I don't think many LLs would remove big items, store them and put them back again. I'm generally quite anti-LL, having worked for years with tenants with housing issues, but in this instance I don't think he's BU.

Short term fix

take the bed frame apart and stack it against the headboard wall so that you can lean against it (sort of) Put the mattress on the floor and use it. This will at least get you out of sleeping on the sofa in the living room

then tell the landlord that the bed is broken and you are sleeping on the floor as it needs replacing asap

In theory if there was no deposit the landlord could pursue you through the small claims court but in reality they would be unlikely to do this for the cost of a second hand bed. They wouldn't have a hope if you had replaced the bed. They might go to small claims if there was other unreasonable damage and other missing "stolen" items.

The main danger is the landlord/tenant relationship breaking down resulting in eviction and that's what you want to avoid.

Have you looked at the eligibility and banding criteria for social housing? Several years in a one bed private rental with two preschoolers will be expensive and cramped even if the furniture was up to snuff.

If you don't mind picking up the expense and hassle which should be the landlord's, I would chuck the old bed out and replace it with a new one to be left when you go. Unless it's an ornate antique just get a basic pine bed frame from IKEA. If he wants to argue about it at check-out time let him. Keep whatever correspondence you have with him. Any charge he could make would be minimal. But chances are he won't care or notice.

The bed is the landlords

you can use your own bed however you need to be able to put that bed back when you leave can it go in a garage?

he is under no obligation to swap it becasue you prefer another provided it is fit for use

You coul demail him saying the squeeking is making the bed unfiot for use and you need it replacing

I’m not sure if some people are purposely missing the point.

I’m not asking him to change the bed because I just don’t like the look of it or something like that. The bed is EXCEPTIONALLY squeaky.

The noise it makes just by sitting on the bed or turning over, is so loud that it wakes up my daughter. It literally sounds like jumping on a trampoline it’s that noisy. That is not a suitable bed and in that case, the Landlord should actually be replacing it. However I’m saying that I don’t even need him to replace it. I just need him to remove his faulty bed so I can replace it with a bed of my own. If he wants to replace it so I don’t take it when I leave, that’s great. The only reason I’ve suggested buying my own is because I know he’s stingy and like he’s already said, he’s not in the ‘financial position’ to remove the bed let alone remove it AND replace it. That’s all

Honestly i'd just dump it get your own and deal with replacing it when you move out!!

Landlords are largely absolute whoppers so dont worry about being nice to them.

Tell them the bed has broken and you are happy to to replace with your own. Has it got slats? I would accidentally on purpose snap some.

Get him to come and attempt to "fix" it in the first instance -hopefully it will prove unfixable and then you can go from there with regards to replacing it or getting rid of it. I think once you have the LL there looking at it with you, you will be better placed to negotiate.

I would just make sure it's conveniently broken beyond repair, take photos, sent to estate agents and tell them you'll take care of disposal yourself. Some councils can arrange collection of big items for like £20.

It definitely sounds like it's breaking any way.

Just follow procedure.
You've made a fair complaint, the LL has offered a reasonable solution. Let him try. On that visit, let him see amd hear how unsatisfactory the bed is.

If he can't rectify it, then you have grounds to ask him to replace.

There are legal liability, fire safety and insurance reasons why a competent, legally observant LL will NOT permit furnished tenants to bring/use their own soft furnishings (includes mattresses) in his property.

Cant you out It! In your mums house replacing your bed?

What the landlord has offered sounds fair.
You left it a full year before following it up - if I were the landlord I would think it can’t be that bad! Let him fix it, if he can’t - say you’re happy to say him money and bring in your own. I think YABU to expect him to pay storage or replacement later on something that you’ve accepted for a year without first letting him take a look.

🤣🤣 unfortunately it doesn’t have slats. It’s like a sturdy wooden bed that has screws all the way through it.

I agree with what posters have said though. I’ll let the Landlord come to the flat and once he sees that the bed is un repairable then he’ll have to do something about it. It’s all good and well saying I have to keep the furniture, but you can’t make me keep furniture that is faulty. I’ll go about taking it from there

Have you oiled the screws and joints? That may be all that is needed.

As others have said the LL rented out a flat with a bed in. He does not need to go to the expense of paying monthly storage, cost of removal and return or to get rid of it and find a replacement later.

@SeasonFinale he does if the bed’s broken and/or faulty

Do you have an attic or basement?

not your point but bloody hell 1180 for a 1 bedroom flat.
im paying 500(well HB pay 480)for a large 3 bedroom
im south wales

😭

1. OP said she’s in a flat and they usually don’t have attics and basements


2. OP would have to be pretty dim not to have thought of that before posting

Put everything in writing very politely but keep going on at them until they remove the thing.

I think you are at risk of being accused that you just don't like the bed and want an upgrade, because you have had it so long. Its clearly capable of being used as a bed and theres no part of your lease that specifies you must have a certain type of bed. In that case, I would sort it out myself if it were that bad. You can get fairly cheap beds from FB marketplace which you could try out first for squeaks. If its that bad, it would be worth paying to store the bed or paying for its loss at the end of the tenancy.

Squeaks are normal with beds though and do not indicate they are broken. Oil or grease the screws or joints. You don't want the bed and are simply looking for excuses.

I don't think you understand the concept of market values for the area.