To not want to pay for my tenant to have a doorbell professionally installed?

[QuintessentialShadow]

I probably am

She wants a professionally installed doorbell.

BUT, she is really high maintenance and a pain in the proverbial behind, and the number of requests she has had, such as repaving the front of our house at our cost, is just making me really annoyed.

I told the agent that she could pick up a wireless doorbell kit in B&Q for less than £20. I will hapilly reimburse that.

BUT I AM NOT going to have an electrician come out and install a doorbell, drill through my front wall, have it wired to the mains, no sire!

AIBU?

Greenandpleasant
Her rent is high, I suppose, around £1600 pcm. It is a three bedroom end of terrace in south west london, and so in a high end area. She is a single mum of two children, with a good job.

I am not denying all her requests, but the property did not have a doorbell when she moved in (you know, kid nicked it...) And I am offering to reimburse a wire free kit, which I think work perfectly in the property (unless nicked). And yes, you can of course knock!

YANBU, but its cheaper than our tennant has cost us - she arranged for someone to go and tile bathroom and its cost us £250, we knew nothing about it until the man who did the job called up and asked us for the money. She also told some random guy in a house opposite that he could remove our fence, washing poles and stick a fancy bloody hanging basket thing in the middle of the now huge open plan garden - becasue, and I quote "we don't use the garden, you do realise you have to go round the back to get into it,a nd we haven't got a lawnmower, so couldn't cut the grass anyway, and you will ahve to pay someone to come and cut it"

I would expect to have a working doorbell and if I was completely incapable of DIY would expect the landlord to organise it for me.

I don't know how easy the wireless ones are to fit, my parents had one and it got nicked too. Will she not fit that one herself?

Saying that, she obviously knows that you do not live in the country so she is being unreasonable to expect you to cut grass and install doorbells.

Does she have a door knocker?

She had a whole list of requests prior to contract signing. She went back on half, changed her mind about the other half, and some requests, such as repaving 25 m2 front of the house because the current paving was not to her liking, has just made me really to all her requests.

Maybe she is worried that she will not be able to do a suitably profession job and then when her tenancy ends you will be charging her to make good the 'damage' caused by her installing door bells/ bathroom door hooks etc ?

Ok, just read the rest of the thread, professionally installed doorbells are not common in UK now. Here they are standard.

Then, no YANBU.

Is this the tennant who wanted fmaily to move in, or something similar, or am i getting confused with someone else?

Saltire, you have a good memory!

Incidentally, I just to her mums blood reports from hospital to my address here, courtesy of royal mail forwarding seems she has listed her daughters address as her correspondance address....

Jicky. A wireless doorbell can be plugged into any socket. You dont need to drill, or do anything. On the outside you can velcro it or use double sided tape that comes in the kit. It is not difficult!

A bit of both I think. It's your responsiblity to put the doorbell on, not hers. So no, you don't need a professionally installed one, but why can't you go to B&Q and go round and install it? It's your property so wouldn't you want it done properly? Why should she have to do the leg work? I think it's reasonable to expect a working doorbell on your rented accommodation.

Sorry - didn't realise you were not in the country - she should expect to fit the doorbell herself then I guess - still, not her fault you aren't around to fulfill what I think is probably your duty as a landlord - sorry!

I grew up to be quite self reliant, and I really dont get the attitude where just because you rent property, your landlord shall also be your own personal diy person.

Quint - did you get the situation sorted with her familyy, I can't remember the whole thread, but I certianly remember the gist of it.

Yes, Saltire, at least I think we did. Only have her word for it, though!

She sounds very difficult, but I can understand you not wanting to upset the apple cart if you'd prefer her to stay.

I think I'd point out that there was no door bell when she moved in and it wasn't something that she requested prior to contract signing, but as a gesture of goodwill you would be willing to reimburse her (up to a particular amount) for a non-electrically installed bell. Also make it clear that installation is her responsibility. I think you'll have to make a stand at some point or she'll never stop requesting things.

FWIW, I would never do any fittings in properties like locks for example as I once put a bathroom cabinet up and the landlord wanted to deducted the cost of filling in the holes from my deposit, even though I was leaving it behind and he'd already sold the property anyway.

Well it's not standard basic equipment in a house is it? Hardly on same level as, say, boiler, working taps etc.

I just don't get it. For 5 years we just had people knocking at door (no door knocker). No probs.

Considering all the requests she had prior to signing, you should think getting a doorbell installed would be one of them, if it had such great importance.

Like I said, there has been plenty of requests we HAVE met since she moved in mid June, but on this occasion I think it is justified to recommend a wireless kit.
Not least because with all the handyman charges, her rent does not cover our mortgage costs monthly now, so we are in Minus.

When we moved into our house we turfed the garden (was just rubble and rubbish) then DH painted and sanded down all the windows (very old) etc.

We have replaced doors that had a crack in the glass panel etc. Never asked our landlord for a penny or any help! Have always done ourselves, And yet she still wants us out - bloomin heck! Hope she gets a real shitty tenant next time

As a tenant, I would not even expect the landlord to pay for a wireless bell, let alone a tradesperson to come out! After all, there was no bell when she moved in, right?

Tell her to faff off!

YANBU QS - we have a wireless bell and still people knock.

Sorry Hijack - Saltire did you get the £250 cheque sorted out?

Saltire - I am sure you can deduct from deposit, it wasnt an expense you agreed to.

OneBoyOneGirl, your landlord probably realizes you have added immense value to her property, and now want you out so she can get a higher rent. Sad, and shamefull, but there you go, some people are just so greedy.

Thanks PrimroseHall, that was a very good wording, I nicked some of it and replied to my agent.

I rent and would never dream of asking my landlady to cut my grass, install a doorbell!

Not long after we moved in the pipes from the sink started leaking,we fixed it at our own cost by ourselves.We've decorated , cleaned out clogged up guttering, re-sited a slipped tile on the roof that was letting water in.

We have a long term lease and my landlady has always said 'treat it as you would if you had bought it', as long as We don't do major structural work she doesn't mind.

As far as grass cutting etc is concerned it should be in your agreement with her that she is in charge of the general upkeep of your property, the grass and garden being kept tidy would be part of that.

I used to be a landlord, years ago, so have seen both sides.