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Original poster

Bit annoyed - what shall I say to tenants?

56 replies

loopydoo · 17/12/2011 22:58

Hi - our tenants (who are very lovely) text me to tell me about a heating prob with house. We manage the house ourselves and have a plumber who will do the work for us.

The text was early last week so I called plumber and gave tenants numbers so could arrange appointment.

So - tenants then said they had not heard so I gave them the number for plumber to arrange.

Tonight - tenant text saying they have arranged for him to come tomorrow!!! now, we'll have to pay a sunday call-out charge so I'm annoyed that they didn't arrange when they first said about it.

DH says they're nice people so don't worry but I want them to know they can't just book an emergency plumber on a whim - how do I tell them - a nicely worded letter?

OP posts:
Original poster
loopydoo · 17/12/2011 22:59

Forgot to say - it is not classed as an emergency; noisy bolier and pilot light gone out.

OP posts:
ExitPursuedBySanta · 17/12/2011 23:02

Can't you phone the plumber and ask him not to go tomorrow, but arrange another day? But if the pilot light has gone out does that mean the boiler is not working?

PandaNot · 17/12/2011 23:04

I would class a week with a heating problem as urgent, especially if it is as cold there as it has been here.

suburbophobe · 17/12/2011 23:04

Guess that's what you get with tenants...

Both working during the week, Xmas coming, too much going on for everyone.

They obviously want to be warm for the holiday season.

Just deal with it.

If this is the first time, no letters, unless you want it to escalate....

Like you said, they are lovely people. Not their fault the plumbing needs seeing to.

Grumpla · 17/12/2011 23:06

If they have only ever been tenants they might not have realised it would cost you more for him to come out on a Sunday. Wouldn't have occurred to me when I had only ever rented! So I'd suck it up just this once but take that as the premise of your call / note, e.g. "you may not have realised this, but calling the plumber out on a Sunday / whenever costs me X times as much as on a weekday / daytime /whenever. I'm going to cover it this time as I know you need the boiler looked at before Xmas etc but in the future please check with me before making out of hours call outs. If they are an emergency then obviously I will continue to cover the extra expense, but if they are out of hours for your own convenience we may need to
talk about sharing the cost."

If they quibble at that surely you can just tell the plumber you have an account with that only emergency call outs can be dealt with out of hours on your account?

Ponders · 17/12/2011 23:06

They may not realise Sunday is extra.

Can you let them know that & ask them if they want to pay the Sunday premium themselves? (If not, they can rearrange themselves)

Original poster
loopydoo · 17/12/2011 23:07

Yes, a week is a long time but my point was that because I called the plumber straight away and the tenants had the number straight away but left it until today to call, it's not my fault . They could have arranged for him to go earlier in the week at the normal call out rate iyswim? I think they are quite laid back people but now we'll have to pay for an emergency call out fee.

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Toughasoldboots · 17/12/2011 23:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QuintessentiallyFestive · 17/12/2011 23:10

Well, it does not seem you took much interest in the problem. You asked them to arrange it themselves. So they did. If you wanted to avoid a weekend call out, you should have phoned your tenants, and asked when it was convenient for them to be home, and if it wasnt, you should have arranged with the plumber, and given them 48 hour notice that you will enter the property with the plumber to sort the problem. I dont think there is much you can do to be honest.

michglas · 17/12/2011 23:10

If i rented property then i would expect tradesmen to come at my convenience, and not have to take a day off work for it.

Original poster
loopydoo · 17/12/2011 23:10

grumpla that's fab, thank you - I have saved your quote in a word doc so we'll cover it this time and then send a little note - great but subtle, I like it :)

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Original poster
loopydoo · 17/12/2011 23:14

quintessentiallyFestove -you are right - I didn't think about the 48 hr notice thing. We are first time landlords and don't live nearby. We are only renting out the house whilst we are away for a couple of years so it's still our family home.

I did take an interest and thought the plumber had it sorted. They didn't contact me to say they couldn't get hold of tenants. One tenant is at home so it's not as though she couldn't be there. I assumed it would be impolite (naive now I think about it) of me to try and arrange it for them. I don't know when they're free and when the very busy plumber is free but next time, I will arrange the whole thing - ask when tenant can be there and then call plumber. Thanks for advice guys Smile

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Original poster
loopydoo · 17/12/2011 23:16

I actually thought I was being moer helpful by letting them arrange it for when it was convenient for them but now I realise it's much harder doing it that way.

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nappymaestro · 17/12/2011 23:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

michglas · 17/12/2011 23:18

Maybe the tenant that stays at home is uncomfortable with having strangers in the house when other half isn't there?

Original poster
loopydoo · 17/12/2011 23:26

the other tenant is a grown up! So a ll has to pay emergency call out rates so that the plumber doesn't go to the house when her partner is at work? I think not.

Right - I'll perhaps just keep the note on the backburner for a while and see what happens. In future, I'll make sure I arrange it all, rather than leaving it to them.

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TheSecondComing · 17/12/2011 23:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

QED · 17/12/2011 23:38

As a tenant I would be fine with you arranging it for me and as I rent through a letting agent they are able to give a key to workmen (gave me a slight surprise last week to come into the house and find a stepladder in the bathroom).

I don't personally have any problem with workmen coming to the house when just I am here (good thing as am single parent) but other people might be.

AmberLeaf · 17/12/2011 23:39

How soon after you contacted the plumber and the tenants contacting you to say they'd not heard anything?

TBH I dont think you have a legitimate gripe. you should've chased up the plumber in the first place or given his number and let the tenants deal with it.

Even a few days is a long time to go without heating at this time of year. to them it is an emergency!

Original poster
loopydoo · 17/12/2011 23:41

They do have heating. We are not sure they are setting the system to come on correctly.

I did give them the plumber's number - they just didn't call him.

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TheSecondComing · 17/12/2011 23:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
loopydoo · 18/12/2011 00:01

what 80 miles to let the plumber in? Grin

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Original poster
loopydoo · 18/12/2011 00:03

ah yes - the boiler does do the heating so yep - no heating today I guess but they did have it the other day when they originally rang me.

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Original poster
loopydoo · 18/12/2011 00:04

Actually then - I'd forgotten about the pilot light thing - so it is an emergency then so my whole thread is invalid - sorry.Grin

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AmberLeaf · 18/12/2011 00:07

Maybe they didnt call him right away as you said you had?

The text was early last week so I called plumber and gave tenants numbers so could arrange appointment

/\ So at that point the tenants were awaiting his call?

So - tenants then said they had not heard so I gave them the number for plumber to arrange

How long were they waiting and not hearing before you gave them the number?

No pilot light means no heat and quite probably no hot water.