Is it reasonable to expect tenant to accomodate boiler engineer?

[maggiethecat]

Have been trying to organise for Bosch to check boiler which tenants informed me has been (slow) leaking.

They are 3 professional females. Bosch has said they can give windows for visit ie 8-1 or 12-6 and can call 30 mins before arrival.
As tenants work within 15 min drive of property I've asked if they could on a day that suits them accomodate Bosch (who will not let themselves in if given keys as someone must be in attendance).

No one has put themself forward and I get the feeling that they view it as my problem to sort out.

I could take a day off to sort this out (I don't use managing agents because of poor service in the past) but I think that it is reasonable to expect the tenants to co-operate.

How would you deal with this matter?

I'm a tenant, when repairs are needed I'm here. But then no-one in my house works "office hours" so we can usually drum up one family member or another. I'd hate my landlady to be in my house when I'm not!

I'm like you and don't use a managing agent either.

In your circumstances in the past I've spoken to the tenants and said that either I can wait in their house for the engineer to turn up, or they can arrange their own appointment at a time to suit them. In every instance the tenants have chosen to arrange appointments themselves.

I tend to take the view that I don't expect tenants to take time off work to deal with household appointments. I'm not saying this is right, by the way, just my view.

I agree that it is reasonable to expect them to co-operate. However, in the absence of them coming forward, I think you need to say to them that unless one of them is prepared to be in, then you will use your keys to let the engineer in, and stay in the house with him/her.

Hopefully they are like OldLady and would hate to have you in the house when they're not there.

Could you combine the engineer visit with a 6 monthly review if one is due?

Well, you're expecting them to take a day's holiday, when it's your property. (Everyone knows people never turn up in the expected timeframe, and sorry, but 12-6? so they have to be there from 11.30? That's not a half day).

No, I don't think that's reasonable to put on a tenant in any way. It would effectively cost one of them money, in holiday pay, because something in the house has gone wrong. It's your house, not theirs, and it's your choice not to use a managing agent.

I think you need to see it from their point of view, they're not being uncooperative, they just don't want your boiler going wrong to cost one of them 100 quid or more. In my opinion, quite rightly.

It's your responsibility, and your cost/holiday time.

I don't know I have rented houses a lot and its always been up to us to wait in - and that was particularly with houses with a managing agent - but I would NOT want my landlord in the house all day

They don't mind me being in the property while they are at work. Nor would they mind the engineer collecting their keys and going in .

It would require that I took a whole day since I am not close enough to get to the flat within 30 mins of call.

It would not require a half day on their part as Bosch confirm they will give the 30 min call which means that someone could get to the flat in that time. There is also the option of a Saturday visit.

My view is that there is some give and take to consider. I would not expect the tenants to have to do this repeatedly and if there were repeated issues I agree that I would have to put arrangements in place.

But I get the sense that between the 3 of them no one wants to give up this time for what is not their problem. I believe though that if there was no hot water or heat then someone would have been more forthcoming.

I have been a tenant and I must say that I was never so un co-operative.

Put this in the context where one called me up after christmas to say that she was victim of fraud and could not pay her rent as agreed. I allowed her to pay default amount in instalments - the point is that you may not be happy about a situation but you make allowances - or is that terribly naive?

If there is an option of Saturday and I assume they don't work saturdays why don't you suggest it- say something like would this saturday or the next be more convienient - not give them the option of you waiting in

As a tenant i'd be happy with the suggestion of being called 30 minutes before arrival, however that's only because I have a job where my boss is kind of me to let me go when I need to for things like that.

I've taken an afternoon off for a gas safety inspection before only to have a no show so I can sort of understand tenants being unwilling to do this.

3 estate agents who have said before that they do not work every Saturday.

I have told them about Saturday option. Bosch have also said that on a Sat morning they could call to narrow down time after engineer plots his schedule in addition to giving 30 mins notice.

I can only think that it's a matter of each one waiting for the other to come forward.

I will think again about this professional sharer situation the next time the property is on the market.

Oh dear, 3 estate agents... What were you thinking. They probably have a 'what's in it for me?' attitude.

I think that is the attitude in addition to each weighing up what the other is contributing!

I've decided that I will make arrangements to go in but have also decided that they will have no concessions from me beyond what I am obliged to do.

Get your tenants' permission and be there for the engineer yourself. Get the annual service done at the same time.