How do I get landlord to undertake repairs??

[StrawberryTartYum]

My landlord is not fixing a couple of broken windows (crack in bedroom one, old vent hole in cupboard one) in my flat and I just dont know what to do! I saw the crack a week after I moved in last november and phoned it in, as well as reminding them of the hole which they said they would fix. My upstairs neighbour said the crack had been there for months and reported by previous tenant. My DP wants to withhold rent but I dont think thats wise, however our housing benefit goes into his account and the.rent comes out of mine so he says he will just not give me. Does anyone know how I can get landlord to fix the windows without stopping rent payments, or would we be as well to do that? Thanks in advance!

no, with-holding rent puts you in the wrong and is grounds for eviction. Tell your partner not to do it. Two wrongs don't make a right.

several avenues:

• write to the landlord reminding him. Not text, not email, WRITE and keep a copy. You are entitled to full contact details for your landlord.
• offer to get quotes for a fix and then pay for it, deducting the payment from your rent (that is ok, but get it all agreed in writing)
• give notice and leave; you may or may not want to go that far, but landlords who don't fix minor issues probably won't fix major ones.

not sure this is an environmental health issue, although it certainly isn't acceptable.

Thanks, I have a letter to post today and will phone the office again tomorrow. It actually hurts because they know DS was born in the december, not sure it makes a difference but I feel guilty having him in this house.

You're dealing with the letting agent rather than the landlord direct? There is every chance that the agent has not told the landlord or is being useless not getting it fixed. If at possible I would try and contact the landlord directly.

If not, I'd get it in writing from the agent that they have asked the landlord to fix and that he said no.

Longer term, I would worry though as this is only £200 to fix, what if the heating failed or something more expensive. I'd consider looking for somewhere else.

No its the actual landlord we deal with he has a wee office we have visited a couple times. They write up the repairs up on a big whiteboard, its a total mess! Yes we will move when the lease is up, thanks.

your child will be fine, the place isn't up to standard but no-one will come to any harm. No need to feel guilty.

but yes - give notice and go, don't give money to crap landlords! If you are on a six month tenancy you must be almost at the point of giving notice anyway.

"no, with-holding rent puts you in the wrong and is grounds for eviction."

You don't need grounds for eviction.

agaPanther, you may be one of the landlord-haters, but that doesn't change English law. It is illegal to evict tenants without following due process and you know it.

it is all explained here.

england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/eviction/eviction_of_private_tenants

Uh, I'm not sure why saying that not needing grounds for eviction makes me a landlord hater.

The fact is you do not need a reason to evict someone, you just serve them a section 21 notice. Saying that withholding rent is grounds for eviction is quite misleading therefore, because it's complicated to do so, and section 21 is much more straightforward.

The landlord can serve s21 for any reason he likes, including the tenants complaining about the broken window.