To think a Landlord should provide a decent standard of living?

[NoMatterWhoIAmJustType]

It's slightly more complicated as she is my MIL and we have no formal tenancy agreement.

But I'm getting sick of it.
We have three broken windows (old sash windows that have gotten ragged in the wind, not our fault)
the stair carpet is quite literally falling apart, we are constantly cutting bits of that have come loose and could be a tripping hazard
all of the drains are blocked and I've tried plunging and chemical drain unblockers to no effect.
She installed a new kitchen last year which still isn't finished so our hob has no ignition and there's no seal around the sink which makes me worry the worktop will end up wrecked. No tiles either, just the wrecked plaster from where the old ones came off.

We could afford to do some of these jobs ourself, if it was our place and therefore an investment. We have repainted everything, even stripped and replaced floorboards but we just can't do anymore. I'm sick of living in a shit tip.

Of course she wont pass it on. She is earning around £300 per month on you guys. PLUS you are decorating it for her.

You should hold her to her promise.

i think this is an issue between your dh andhis mother. a mil issue, rather than a landlord and tenant issue.

If you are paying £200 per month below the going rate for the flat then how is your MIL making profits from you? Clearly you see the flat as your dh's entitlement which is what you have been led to believe but it actually belongs to your MIL and she can do whatever she likes with it.

Why don't you spend the £200 per month that you are saving by living in your MIL's flat on doing the place up? Any profits she would make on selling the place will presumably be passed on at some point to your dh so why would you hold back?

Well pigleto there is the fact she can't guarantee occupancy on the place, but will still have the mortgage to pay. Also the fact she is in manchester, we are in London so I assume she will need an agency to deal with day to day things for her.

There is no mention of her renting to someone else. In fact is she did what was needed we wouldn't mind paying more.

BTW the extra we pay on top of the mortgage is being sunk into the mortgage again yearly, mius upkeep costs so she's not actually taking money from us.

She is paying 800 per month. MIL is paying mortgage of £450 per month.

Right, so she is ADDING to the downpayments by whatever is left on the upkeep? That is sensible.

If you are paying rent to her then you have an implied contract and she is in breach for failing to provide a suitable place to live - the drains alone represent a health hazard.

I would do what another poster has said, say that you're going to look for somewhere else unless she sorts out the major issues, she's taking the piss big time.

or could you have the work done and take it off the rent? If the profit is meant to be paying for upkeep, then you could easily do that as it all sounds like essential upkeep to me!

Oh no, we want to arrange it all, but most places here won't invoice and expect payment up front. We've paid for various things and never gotten money back , plumber, emergency electrician etc.

Also I'm not sure how we'd take it off the rent, we have a standing order to her, can we adjust it say as a one off?

yes you can, a standing order is completely in your control unlike a direct debit. just call your bank and say you want to change the amount for one month only - or however many payments it takes!

why don't you ask her for a contract?

To the OP can I just mention that you are in a very vulnerable position should you and your dh split if she owns the property.

Regardless of what condition it is in, if you are spending £800 a month on rent can you not get a mortgate, then you are financially secure.

I have 2 friends who lived in houses owned by their in-laws and they were seriously fucked over when they got divorced. Your situation is even worse because you're paying every penny of her mortgage (and more) but should anything happen to you and your dh your in-laws will get the lot.

RUN!!!!!!

I think you need to make an itemised list and ask her specifically if she will arrange quotations or should you. Am at no tenancy agreement as this puts you on very shaky footing but effectively you are benefitting from her subsidising your rent - her outgoings are immaterial if it is a business arrangement. Does she declare it to the tax office ? Why doesn't your dh make her an offer to buy her out?

You could consult the local council housing dept re putting pressure on her but what you describe may well not fall under their remit to ensure basic habitable standards. If she really won't pay to sort it out look for another flat but you may have to accept that the going rate is higher.

She is self employed and has another property she lets so I'm sure she's very careful with tax.

I think we need to sit down with her and come to some agreements really. A tenancy agreement should really be in place, thanks.

Well if she is letting another property to I take it not a family member then she should know the rules by which she is then taking advantage of the fact your family and does not need to sort it out as you wont do nothing about it.

I would get a real contract off her because you may find yourself truly fucked in the future.

You say similar flats would fetch £1000 - would anyone actually rent a flat in that poor a condition?

Look, it's pretty simple. Tell her to fix everything - give her a written list. Say you will move out if it doesn't get sorted within 2 months.

Or, carry on spending £800 an month on a shit hole.

Also, invite her to stay, ask her to help with dinner (on the hob), put her in the room with the broken window and hope she trips on the carpet.

She's rather silly to not maintain the house to a basic standard because if she needed to claim on her buildings insurance, for storm damage for example, they wouldn't necessarily pay the whole lot if it's deemed not be in a good state of repair. You could consider mentioning that to her!

i don't get this, if you were renting from an anonymous landlord you wouldn't put up with it would you?

just move, pay the going rate for something decent and don't give mil another thought.