Hi there, just updating after this thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/910982-rental-shouldn-39-t-be-this-grotty-legal-advice- please
Just wanted to say thanks again to everyone who gave me advice. We've now been told for certain that if we insist on work being done, they will give us notice to move out in two months. The agent wasn't nasty about it, just suggested that was how it was going to be. So ... they're playing by the rules and I have my answer! Really appreciated all the help though and I'm glad I was in a more knowledgeable position about it all.