How to deal with this repair matter with Landlord?

[OnePotato2Potato]

Looking for some advice please.

When we started our tenancy it was with a private LL, who then about a year later signed up to a lettings agent to manage his many properties. We didn't sign up as we're looking to buy so just carried on the same just with a rent increase. No new contract.

We have had a problem with a kitchen tap for a while, low hot water pressure. I emailed the LL about this, he called and said that he didn't want to arrange for the estate agent to deal with it as it is rather expensive through them. Instead he asked me to find a person locally, which I did, albeit a while later, and emailed him the quote. In the email he agreed for me to proceed. He didn't ask any questions as to who was carrying it out, or query the cost in anyway.

Once the job was done, I let him know via email and he called back to say he wouldn't pay because it was too expensive. Then he demanded to know who this plumber was, why it cost this much and he needed a tax receipt.

Now a short while before this he agreed with my neighbour to replace broken fence panels. Again he asked her to find someone to do this, she did and they split the cost. I checked with her, she did NOT provide him with any receipt of what the guy charged or proof of cost of panels.

So am I right to feel annoyed that he has gone back on his word and is actually tricking me into paying for something he happily agreed to. Also, that the tax receipt is bull because he didn't need it for the fence?

FWIW, my dh arranged this plumber and he did provide a receipt but no VAT number on it!

Any ideas on how to proceed with this? I feel as though he should have taken responsibility for the repair in the first place, he passed that over to me and agreed without questioning, now it's done he has backed out?

Thanks for reading.

If the plumber is a small one man band plumber he may not be VAT registered.

I agree that your landlord is entitled to ask for a receipt & if the plumber is VAT registered it should be a VAT one.

However considering you have an emailed purchase order/agreement to proceed on the basis of the quotation given the landlord is liable to pay. It's a shame that you didn't get the plumber to invoice him direct as he could have just sent a simple pre action letter threatening court which I assume you might find awkward to do bring his tenant.

Print out all the email correspondence which ends with him asking you to go ahead and post it to him (get proof of posting from a post office) stating you did exactly as he requested. Tell him you acted in good faith on the basis of his email of x time on x date.

Does he owe you or the plumber money?

Someone who is not VAT registered cannot issue a VAT receipt and cannot charge VAT. An invoice should be provided by the contractor and forwarded to the LL, who should pay the bill.

I wonder if the LL is confused as to which of his properties it is? If the instructions are in writing though, how can he argue about it?

He owes you money. Right - give him the chance to respond to your letter. A fortnight is plenty of time them ask how he proposes to refund you.

Thank you for replying.

In a way I don't want to rock the boat by confronting him about it, I just feel annoyed that he has gone back on his word. Especially as he didn't ask our neighbour for proof (this is what she told me).

I have already payed the plumber so it us he owes money.

I don't get why he agreed if he thought it was expensive. I will go about printing off the emails now.

Also to add, there was a time lapse between my asking about changing the taps and my getting a quote, as there was a chance of us moving so I put it off. But if he follows his own emails, it's all there.

You could deduct it from your rent on the assumption it's nowhere near enough to put you into enough arrears for him to take any action? The advantage is you get the money, the disadvantage is he could give you notice (although the only way to be sure he won't do that is to back down and pay for it tbh)

matching I think it would be risky to deduct it from the rent without his agreement. I'll try letters or discussing it with him again.

You need to provide a receipt. Nobody repays money without a receipt. If the plumber is not registered for VAT it will not be a VAT receipt but that does not matter. The landlord will need it for his own tax return.

Your neighbour's dealings with your landlord are not relevant.

Do not just deduct the money from your rent.

Yes 5notrumps I explained that I have the receipt but LL was requesting a VAT receipt. The reason I mentioned my neighbour was because he said to me it is essential to have a VAT receipt for any work carried out on the property, whereas she did not provide any receipt, tax or no tax.

I'm not trying to get extra money off him, just what he happily agreed to.

Yes I said above that I would not be deducting money from the rent, but would try a letter or discussion with him again.

The law has recently changed regarding tax deductions for repairs on BTL properties. You used to just be able to claim 10% of the rent, now you need provide receipts for work done.

A receipt from a business who is not to registered for VAT is none the less a receipt which is valid for income / company tax purposes. Income tax and VAT are not connected. If his business is registered for VAT he would be able to claim back the VAT had it been added to the invoice but as it hasn't been, he has lost nothing.