To find this unfair? Letter from landord

[Strawberrylacesx03]

Hello,

It has not been a great thing to have on a Friday and I feel disheartened by it.

Our landlords have sent a letter basically complaining about the house we are renting.

There list of issues are as follows:

• Mold in bedrooms, claiming they did not have mold before. We have struggled with mold the whole time we have lived here. We were told by an electrician who updated the extractor fan in the bathroom and the plumber that it was because the bathroom is in the middle of the house with no window. I have never completely been able to erase the bathroom mold and we do get it in the corner of the bedrooms. The landlord has disputed this and said they 'know' it is because we do not open the windows (this is not true, they are always open).
• Scuffs on the paintwork on the stair banister - I acknowledge this happened when we first moved in as furniture was being transferred in and out of the property.
• Stains on the front room carpet - this is due to a pipe bursting around a year ago that they are fully aware of. The room was soaked and I did what I could, it has left behind some ugly black marks in areas.
• They instilled a wooden sink cabinet - this has splintered at the top. I am unsure what I can do about this? I am not sure how you would prevent water going over it, the bathroom is tiny it is directly attached to the bath/shower. The plumber also advised them that everything in the bathroom was old and needed renovating as did the sink in the kitchen but they refused and said they did not have that kind of money.
• The wrap they used in the kitchen on the cupboards and drawers was very cheap and ill done - it began peeling away within a year of us being here. They have complained that I have tried to cover it up with new wrap (it looked horrible).

I just feel like a lot of this stuff I do not want to take blame for as I feel it could bite me further down the line if I take on the acceptance?

It has just left me feeling a little out of sorts, I have two young children and am now thinking we are going to potentially have problems with the landlord.

We have not been problem tenants in any way either, rent always on time, quiet and respectful to the neighbours etc. these complaints have come rather out of nowhere.

Dispute every point with the explanations you have described and any evidence you have.

personally I’d be seeking an appointment with shelter to ask their advice about the letter but also the other stuff as this landlord sounds a bit dodgy and my feeling is that they are going to be difficult when you come to move.
I would also be looking at other lettings because I don’t think this is going to get better but possibly much worse.

Reply back, rejecting each of their points. Contact environmental health about the mould.

Presumably your deposit is with the TDS?

I wouldn't expect your damage deposit back. They sound like the type to look for anything possible as an excuse to keep it.
Tell them what you've said here in a polite way, and say you're happy to be available for the kitchen, bathroom or carpet to be redone if they want to arrange it

They are also now complaining and said that 'they have replaced the upstairs windows despite them having a good few years left in them for us'

The windows did not shut and I had young children in the bedrooms - I went to someone independently as they were on holiday for 6 weeks (the landlords that is) and the person said the windows were so old that they do not even make the locks anymore and would need complete replacing.

I don't understand why they are trying to throw all of this stuff at us, it's really given me an ill feeling

Ask them round for a chat and explain what you have said on here.
Nobody can really answer your question. Speak to them.

Of course.
That's why I sold the property I was renting for 14 years, because of "the law" sitting heavily on the side of tenants who "reject every point", because they can get away with it.

I hope you have a very detailed inventory, with photos and videos showing the condition of the property when you moved in? Have you also kept detailed records of what has occurred since, again with photographic evidence?

Next step Shelter and contacting the Council's housing office.

Why would I accept blame for things that I have not done though that will then be thrown back at me when I leave because they have it in writing that I have admitted fault?

Besides the point but please get a dehumidifier, it’s done wonders for our old home 😊

I already have one :(

Get the windows wide open for 15mins each day to let the air circulate through the house. Particularly if the bathroom is in the middle of the house.
Regarding the banister, you accept you damaged that so it’s understandable that would need repairing.

Regarding the carpet, I’d be concerned the property hadn’t dried properly after the leak - how much water leaked? Was the carpet ever lifted and dried?

The bathroom unit’s a tough one, it must be exposed to quite a bit of moisture to blow. We had a leak in our kitchen and kickboards had a good few hours exposure to sitting water. They didn’t blow, despite having an exposed edge.

Most of these things are completely normal wear and tear (I've both rented, and been a landlord).

You will not be responsible for putting things back to 'as new' - they can only charge you a proportion of the costs based on the expected lifetime of the item - eg. if the kitchen wrap should have lasted 5 years, and it's been longer than that, then you owe them nothing.

The carpet stains you need to push back on - as part of repairing the burst pipe, they should have sorted this.

The mold - well, how good is the extractor? Do you dry stuff indoors? Do you have more people in the house than they did? You do have new windows, perhaps it's just that these ones are sealed up that much more?

The banister was carelessness, but again, how long since it was painted? You're not going to be liable for the full repaint cost

Edit: and the sink cabinet - unfinished or cheap cabinets in bathrooms always expand/degrade - they have a short life-span - although you should be wiping it down after use so water isn't standing on it.

Tbf it sounds like your landlord has valid reasons. If there was no mould before you aren't ventilating the place correctly. Perhaps you're drying washing on radiators?
You've caused damage to certain things

Fair enough tbh

Reasonable wear and tear though is justified

We had bad damp and two months of running the dehumidifier 24/7 has cleared it completely. First we did the bathroom, then the bedroom then the kitchen, now we just have it in the hallway and it cuts in when the humidity goes over 50 pc. The house is now MUCH warmer and the heating isn't clicking on nearly so much. Humidity was at 97pc in the bathroom when we started. It's under 46 now and OH had just had a shower.

Either way the landlord shouldn't be blaming you for things that are not your fault, but it can't be nice living in a damp place so I hope you can work together to fix it.

I don't want to go to war with my landord - fair enough the paint chipping was when we moved in and that is what I said.

I just don't want to admit liability or be accused of doing things they know I haven't done - the burst pipe for example is in writing - as is the issue with the old windows. They were told that the windows needed replacing as they were so old that they do not make the locks for them anymore - neither window was able to be shut let alone locked.

If they had contacted me saying oh we would like the standard of cleanliness/overall maintenance to be kept an eye on/can you paint over the banister chips etc. I wouldn't of thought much of it. It's all the other stuff added on that is making an overall picture that we are seriously damaging and neglecting their property when it's not true - feels very off to me.

Hear hear. Dehumidifiers are quite cheap to run and can reduce heating bills as well as mould.

I wonder if this is the start of them trying to get you out. I'm very cynical and in a constant bad mood, so judgement is warped, apologies. When is your tenancy due to be renewed? The Renters Right Bill has a lot of LLs evicting and selling up atm

Contact Shelter for advice

@Strawberrylacesx03 when did the landlord do an inspection? do you think he might be wanting to sell or is perhaps your council want to legislate the privates lets with landlord registration? did you happen to take any pics when you went to view the flat? how long have you had the tenancy? did you point out any of the faults before you moved in? can you get a statement from the person who looked at the windows? same for the plumber who checked the bathroom? As an add, the landlord cannot dictate just how a person lives re cleanliness!

You can live like a pig in shit if you want, as long as on the day you leave the house is exactly as it was the day you moved in.

What happens inbetween is nobodys business.

And yes, get and use a dehumidifier. Mine has totally cured mold.

This is the thing - they have done an inspection, they came round the other week to fix a fence that went down in the garden. They have obviously had a look around afterwards.

This is what I am wondering, are they thinking of selling up.

I don't know if the plumber will want to get involved as he gets a lot of work from them (they have four rentals) however, the window fitters I do have in writing yes.

haven't*

Find me one person who has the windows wide open for even 4 minutes when it's below freezing outside.

I do. We have mould in the house if we don’t. You have to look after your property.

Me, my mum, @MinnieBalloon and Everyone in Germany.
Thats why we have mould free homes. It’s important to ventilate.

Google it: lüften

In fact, in Germany they do it twice a day.

You’re welcome.