Are tenants always thought of as second class to home owners?

[stillvicarinatutu]

I rent . It's a brand new build , and it's expensive for me as I live alone . I do still have a mortgage with ex dh, but we intend to sort that out soon .

There have been a few snagging issues in this house which I have always sorted out with the site office but let my landlady know .

One of them is the state of the turf that was laid . The contractor was sacked - there were many complaints. It looks like nothing was levelled and it was thrown down in January last year - it got waterlogged, it's not joined together, it's dead in places and it's completely uneven, to the point getting a lawn mower over it is difficult.

I along with many others complained about the turf . Today a radiator fell off the wall- the bracket actually fell out . Went to site office and plumber turned up with site manager.

Site manager tried to blame my dog ....well he is t much of a plumber so I do t think it was him - plus he was with me while I was working when I heard the crash .

Anyway while I had site manager I asked re the turf . Apparently y complaint was rejected on the basis i have a dog .

I'd raised this issue before I even moved in. !
Said the dog can't make the turf completely uneven etc . Then the jumped up little sod came out with "well it's not even your house is it - you rent "

I got slightly arsey at this and said that's not the point !
So I said fine - I'll just take it up with landlady and she can complain.

Now he's left I'm completely pissed off I didn't say something more . I probably pay more rent than if I'd bought it ! It's my home . Why should I have less right as a tenant to level grass ?!
Cheeky sod.
Is this how people actually think ?

Yes, I would say so.

As an example, when we went to sign the tenancy agreement for our current property it was very much, ‘sit over there, we’ll be with you when we can.’

Another couple came in straight afterwards who were buying a property (we ascertained this quickly from their loud conversation) and the estate agent flocked to them, offered them a coffee, fawned over them loudly etc. as we sat waiting for someone to come and deal with us. Eventually half an hour after our appointment time (without being offered a coffee, of course 🙄), we were told to ‘sign here and here’ before being ushered out of the door.

It probably sounds like sour grapes, but I’ve rented for 17 years and I could cry at the thousands of pounds I’ve wasted in rent yet I still feel like I’m seen as lesser than someone who owns a house. Massive chip on my shoulder 😂

Yes I completely agree with that

The home builder in this cases liability and contract is with the homeowner, not the OP. That’s why they’ll care less when dealing with them as complaints from the OP won’t hold much if any water compared to the homeowner themselves

This. Your contractual relationship is with your landlord not the home builder.

Yes, on Mumsnet at least anyway.

Yes, I think there's a lot of snobbery regarding renters. In one place we rented one of our neighbours kept telling us in a parking dispute to know our place as we didn't own the flat (and also because "you are not from here" - dh and me are not Caucasian). I was quite stunned as I never thought anyone would care whether I rented or not.

Yes I think people who rent are somewhat seen as inferior even if people don't realise they are doing it.

Yes I had a builder in to do some work and the tenant said it wasn't up to standard and he said the same to her. She told me and I put him straight. It's the person who pays the bills who has the power and I reminded him that my tenant was my proxy when I wasn't there.

People rent for many reasons - waiting for their next house to be built/finished after selling the previous one; temporary work relocations that make buying a pointless exercise; temporary relocation whilst undergoing medical treatment; trialling a new area before deciding whether it's right for them, and many more.

None of these makes someone a "lesser" person, and anyone who thinks so is an idiot.

My old neighbour rented out their house whilst they moved temporarily for work and rented in their new area. I liked the new tenants 100% more than the actual owners and were glad they extended their work contract and never came back before we moved!

Yes but as the homeowner has said she was happy for me to sort out the new build snagging issues - of which the turf is one - I'd expect him to listen . She is y happy either so she can now take it up with them. The turf was appalling. The contractor was sacked after many complaints. I'm paying to live here - so !

In short - yes. Rented for 16 years, various properties, some landlords/agents better than others. Most places repairs were done but as cheaply as possible, agents treated you like children. No bluetack allowed, forget about painting or putting up shelves. Constant threat of no fault eviction (which happened to us once - 2 months to find somewhere else pack up and leave).
Just bought our first house this year. The agents for the rental we were leaving suddenly started treating us with respect - nothing too much trouble. Sellers agents treated us like royalty, gave us a bottle of champagne on completion.
Renters are treated by many in the "housing industry" like second class citizens. It is disgusting.

She isn't happy with it - but she only knows what I tell her because it's a new build - and she was pretty happy with me sorting out the snags .

Plus the couple next door but one also complained about the turf - they got it levelled and resown. They don't have any pets . But because I'm a tenant I'm expected to put up with a lawn I can't push a mower over ? It's completely uneven. I've got ferns and brambles growing through it , and it's full of stones , toadstools and it constantly waterlogged. It's never joined at the edges, and some of it completely died despite me feeding it and watering it .
That's not me having a dog that's the issue .
I pay a lot of money to live here . I look after it , but the insinuation that because I'm a tenant I have no right to complain is beyond the pale . The site manager had agreed that it wasn't good and had agreed in March in needed levelling - he didn't even tell me that the complaint had been rejected on the grounds I have a dog .
But yes I'm now leaving it to LL to sort . She agreed they are using my dog as an excuse and it's an issue they need to rectify . She quite formidable so I will leave it to her .

I'm a landlord and I treat my tenants with the utmost respect. An example; last year I had an issue with the boiler. I asked our regular gas safety person to fix it, he sent someone else (unbeknownst to me). This new person turned up an hour early and let himself into the house on two occasions when one of the female tenants was alone. I sacked him. If I were your landlord and was told what the builder had said, I'd bollock him.

That's lovely .

My LLIs also really nice and respectful and she wants me here because I look after the place and I pay the rent .

I'm just mad at the comment made my upstart site manager - like because I'm a tenant I have zero right to expect radiators that don't fall off and a level garden. He bloody agreedmin match the turf was shite ! Anyway I'm sure LL will sort it . I was just trying to not bother her really but if their attitude is "your just the tenant and don't count " I'll leave LL to it .
Makes me lol really - a few months ago he eas knocking on the door asking if I needed anything and if everything was ok .

@stillvicarinatutu I'd speak to your landlord about this along with a full record of issues and their response. She should absolutely know if the builders are being uncooperative plus you don't want to be blamed for their mistakes.

Thanks
I have spoken to LL and she already on it . She's fab . She's sort it . She's coming to look at the turf and also she rents to my neighbour who also has some issues but there's no scrubland behind hers so it's not as waterlogged. I raised this when I moved in feb so she knows it was an issue but the site manager said they'd rectify it - he didn't tell me until today when the raidiator fell off that they weren't doing anything about it . It was only because I asked when they might sort it and he said we aren't !

I'm now tempted to tell ex dh we either sell our house and split equity or I move back into the spare room .....

This would have worked a year ago- but my dd is just buying a house now so her room is free - unfortunately ex dh is now seeing someone so doubt that would go down well ! But I think he has a choice to make - sell- buy me out - or let me live back in ! It's my house too . And I'm absolutely sick of feeling like some scummy second class citizen because I'm paying g rent (that is £200 more than my mortgage!)

I’ve seen huge prejudice towards renters where I currently live - it’s a much more provincial area however to a metropolis I lived in previously where renting was viewed as completely normal. I currently own but I’m amazed at the attitudes. Renting is literally paying the owner’s mortgage in so many cases so why the double standard?

Like it or not the site manager has no contract with you, no matter what you might get think. Also the fact your dog only pusses against the fence well that's not going to stink is it!

To be honest you sound like a pain, their priorities are to their clients and as some one who rents like it or not your are not their client.

My first ever odfod.
I'm a professional woman , far from a pain . All I expected was level grass not a garden by capability brown . Oh and radiators that stay on the wall . Too much to ask ? Should I just be grateful I have electricity and running water as a tenant ?