Can we end a tennancy early.. Regarding repairs.

[ChocolateCoins19]

Hi. After advice. I've tried googling with no luck.

Basically 1st time private renters since Sept.

Apon viewing we didn't see many of the issues there were.. These were reported and got sorted ( to a piss poor standard) even the landlord couldn't belive how badly they were done.

He is aware that the landing window the seal has gone therefore is causing a draught and the conservatory doors have rotten along with the frames.. That's not too much of an issue however due to how swollen the doors are through rot there is no lock. Just 3 tiny bolts.

The toilet recently wouldn't flush. Dyno rod attended and fitted a new mechanism. However it's done it again.. Rang agent. Can't guarantee anyone today. 2 kids and 36w pregnant.. No toilet.!

The house is so cold I didn't think it was that possible the heating is OK but there isn't many rads with valves to control the temp.. This was on the inventory.

The landlord is great but I feel awful reporting things. I worry he'll say sod it I'll sell.
We've done some. Painting and carpeted with his permission.

Even things like the utilities. There was a water leak.. We're trying to now sort the bill with the water board as they reckon we've used £400 in 11 weeks! 1400litres a day.

The gas and electricity was supplied by a business supplier as a charity previously rented the house.. And I'm. Still struggling to get that provider to update the national database so I can get my own supplier.
So I'm. Paying business rates!

I'm at my whits end..

Even the guttering is leaking in many places. The ll is aware and said he'll sort in new Yr.. But all the rain lately its so noisy pouring down into the garden.

Like I say the ll is great but I'm. Terrified hell just say sod it and sell. Leaving us homeless.

I am sat here now crying like an hormonal baby because I can't cope anymore with it.

Is the house cheap compared to where you live? Other than the paying business rates for utilities, the rest of the stuff seems normal for the 'cheap and cheerful' sort of rental. After all, the landlord seems happy to fix the problems for you.

When did the contract start and for how long? Were you served with an epc, prescribed info re the deposit, how to rent booklet, and gas safety certificate before or on the day you moved in? Ask environmental health at your local authority to attend and take a look.

It's 1000 a month which is average. Cheapest here is 925 to max 1100 Started Sept. Yes had all that Info the daynwe moved in

I would of thought having no lock on an external conservatory door isn't standard.. The doors are that weak if dd leans on it they bow open (this wasn't seen on viewing as conveniently the agent didn't have a key to get in conservatory)

A window that blows the nets in a breeze isn't standard? It's freezing and I'm not a cold person but you can see daylight in the joins. . We're due a baby in 4 weeks and this is by the bedroom.

The bathroom. Is so cold u can see your breath no heating in there but ll. Has said we can if we want to put a Rad in there.

The guttering is pouring out all joins not just a drip.
But if this is the normal then ill Accept that. Like I say 1st time renting private.

The ll. Is good and I'm grateful for that. And he's happy to look at what needs doing in new Yr however the guy who is highly recommended to him has a 2 to 5m wait for work. Obviously window, door and guttering can't wait that long. The smaller repairs and whatnot were happy to pay for. We've paid 2k in repairs and getting it livable.. Ok so lots is my choice but some is because I didn't want to inconvenience the ll as I fear he'll say sod it

The seal around the window sounds like it's the sort of thing you could fix with a tube of resin for a tenner from B&Q.

If the internal conservatory doors lock you're secure - you presumably won't be using it until summer anyway?

I'd buy a portable electric oil heater or similar for the bathroom, rather than at my expense install a radiator that benefits a ll's property.

If the landlord is good and willing to make the repairs then I’d just try to stick it out. It’s Possible that the previous tenants didn’t bother letting the LL know of issues as they arose which is why there seem to be so many now?
DS’s student room was downstairs with french windows with a draughty gap and DH managed to seal it for him with some cheap stick on draught excluder from B&Q (for about £5) - would this be a stop gap solution?
The lack of proper locks does sound an issue though and I would’ve thought it would invalidate his LL insurance which usually requires 3 point deadlocks or something?

Things like keeping drains and guttering clear are often the tenants responsibility and if the previous tenants didn’t do it then it may just have become evident with all the recent winds and rainfall (probably blocked with leaves) but it’s so hard to get anyone to come out to do maintenance work at this time of year!

Can you not flush the toilet with a bucket? I've had to do that when our toilet broke in rental accommodation... it's not ideal but it works.

If the LL is decent, he'll get this fixed quickly next t
Year. If the recommended guy can't go it for two months, he'll likely recommend someone else.

Thanks for replies. The window needs a whole new unit. The seal between the 2 layers of glass has gone not the normal. Sealant stuff. . This was fine until the dodgy people the agent got in to put a new handle on altered it as screwed it up. And also somehow misaligned the window so there's a gap to outside

Yes altho the internal doors lock. They are far from burglar proof.. Would be very easy to break in. As they're flimsy decorative type. Nice to look at though.

The guttering. We only moved in Sept. Its broken on the joins all cracked etc .. That's the LL responsibility. If. It was just blocked we'd sort it. And in the mean time the more it rains and is running where it shouldn't and very noisy. It needs whole New guttering all the way round

The frames in conservatory are so rotten the windows wobble..

I'd. Love to upload pics but would be outing. As I don't think anyone would disagree.

In the ll. Defence. He wasn't aware of any of this after the agent had let it there were over 40 fault found.. From minor to quite big. He asked to come and see for himself. He was outraged that the agent had let it in such condition... Example. Behind appliances ( whihh were 3 inch thick of mould inside every shelf in fridge broken and seal split. Door hanging off machine etc ) we had our own and the agent said we can use our and store his.. He said tip run his as they were so bad. But when pulled them out there were 2 inch gaps to see daylight thro the walls to. Outside.
The previous people trashed it. And it's a shame as it has so much potential

I just don't have the strength to keep fighting and waiting.
Maybe it's hormones

The ll and his wife are really lovely I just worry they'll have enough as much as we do and just say they'll sell

Sorry re the toilet.
We managed to fix it thankfully. Dh came home to do it.
A bucket would of worked but the shower head would take forever to fill a bucket and the sink you'd never fit a bucket under tap.. I can't carry a bucket of water through house, up stairs through 3 stair gates with ease but if we'd of had to we would have somehow.
Thankfully it's done now.
Again small things like that if I can do. I would.

Negotiate a deduction in rent as it sounds in its current state unfit to live in. Ll should reduce rent by at least 200 pound a month until all repairs are complete. You should not be paying for anything yourself. It is irrelevant how nice the landlord is, he is responsible for the condition of the property and should not have rented the property out in its current condition, if what you say is correct. He cannot blame the agent. We check all our properties in detail before a new tenant goes in, including painting, cleaning and full maintenance. We also do 6 monthly inspections to ensure there are no issues for the tenant. Your ll is taking the piss and is a disgrace.

Thank you. The inventory didn't show any of the issues. There wasn't even smoke alarms when moved in.. The agent /inventory missed it.
The LL hasn't been in the property for 3 yrs.
The agents.. Which is a large company ignore all my emails and things. When I went in with the list and wanting a timescale they tried to usher me out of the door because they had people in there.
He did say he'd like to get rid of the agent once his contract is up but needs to look. Into pros and cons.
When we signed for keys there was a huge bunch.. Only 1 key worked. Rest obviously had new locks put on.. The agent was useless and at that point didn't have the ll details. So I got what locks I could get changed.. They said they needed a key and a copy for the ll. Which I did. Labelled and took in personally. When we met LL 4 weeks later he wasn't aware of it. Nor had been given keys.
I just feel deflated by it all I just want it to feel like home. And it doesn't.

The responsibility rests with the landlord, not the agent. As a last resort if you have everything documented, in the new year look for somewhere else. You can treat the outstanding issues, and lack of repairs as a repudiatory beach of contract. This means as they've broken the contract because the condition of the property is so poor you are treating that broken contract as so bad that you consider it terminated. Probably before doing that though you should ask environmental health at your local authority to come round and take a look. They can issue hazard notices ensuring the necessary work is carried out.