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Can we knock off some rent for this?

5 replies

bunjies · 01/02/2014 16:04

Our landing window has always leaked during wet weather & has been getting steadily worse. We've lived in property for 2 years & we mentioned it to the landlord when it first started. He sent someone round to check it out but they couldn't find anything wrong with the window. We have reminded landlord regularly but nothing done. We use our own towels to catch the leaks & launder them every time it rains. As the weather for the last few months has been atrocious the problem has spread to the surrounding walls. Went away for 2 weeks at Christmas & came back to find water pouring down the stair wall & the stairway soaking wet. Another builder came round & reckons the outside wall needs repointing but this can't be done in the winter. Fair enough we said but something needs to be done temporarily to stop the rain coming in. Suggested plastic sheeting battened to the wall. LL looking at scaffold prices.

Yesterday the rain was bad so we put towels out but by the middle of the night they were soaking so I had to replace them. That's 4 towels used in 12 hours.

I am so fed up with having to deal with this. It's a massive inconvenience not to mention the cost of washing numerous towels.

I get the feeling the only way the LL will be compelled to do anything will be if we threaten to take money off the rent. We pay 950 a month & I want to deduct 50 off from the next rent day (14th) until something has been done.

Can I legally do this?

OP posts:
specialsubject · 01/02/2014 16:08

no. Two wrongs don't make a right. You can report to environmental health which is the legal way to do it. You can agree with the landlord that you will pay to fix and deduct that cost from the rent; but this must be agreed in writing.

TBH, why have you stayed for two years in a property that the landlord doesn't fix? Give notice and find a place with a decent landlord, one that doesn't neglect their property.

LIZS · 01/02/2014 16:11

Simple answer is no, it puts you at risk of eviction. Have a look at t eh Shelter website as there is a way of doing this but you have to follow certain processes first. see here

Mumof3xx · 01/02/2014 16:12

Speak to your landlord

When we were without a boiler for a week out landlord knocked £50 off

ZenNudist · 01/02/2014 16:12

No, move out fgs!

bunjies · 01/02/2014 16:53

We will be moving out as soon as our house purchase goes through. This was one of the issues that made us more determined to get our own place. We were going to buy a place before Christmas but it fell through. I am hopeful we will be out by Easter but in the meantime it is a pita.

Not so easy to move to another place as we are a family of 5 plus cat. Also need to be near schools etc.

I will look at shelter site as don't want to get in trouble although the LL doesn't seem to fussed about doing the right thing.

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