Apologies in advance if this ends up a bit lengthy but so as not to drip feed will provide some detail. I'm hoping to get input from those of you who are reputable landlords - honest feedback please...
I'm a tenant in a property, have been here several years. Have always paid rent in full and on time, have treated the property well, not made any kind of trouble or complained about anything. I live alone with one young child, and spend most of the week at work, home life is fairly quiet and we rarely receive visitors - partly because the house is quite small (though sufficient for our needs).
I've had to make a complaint to the landlord about a number of things starting at the beginning of this month. One, my heating which his workmen broke was fixed - after 10 days living in a freezing cold house, my young child becoming ill and me having to take time off work. Another, the way the workmen entered the property without permission and trashed my home - I would like an apology for but realise this is unlikely to happen. I've told the landlord about nuisance neighbours on both sides (screaming couple, dogs barking incessantly) though acknowledged the latter are issues for me to handle.
Some things remain unfixed. The most important of these is the electrics behind a light switch seem very dodgy, you have to press the switch in a certain way and sometimes the light will come on or not, or flicker. I keep the light off because I'm worried about electrocution but then can't use the room well. There are about 9-10 other small matters, such as a blind that broke through wear and tear needs replacing, a door creates a hole in the wall every time it goes back against it - but the electrics is possibly the only one that causes me great concern.
I've asked for the electrics to be fixed as a minimum before I pay £10 extra as a rent raise this month, and going forward. i've paid rent as usual but so far withheld the raise.
The lettings agency are saying it is unreasonable of me to withhold the raise. It's only £10, but I've had so much hassle this month trying to get anything out of the landlord that for me it's the principle of the thing.
However it's occurred to me that if the agency charge a whopping fee for me withholding the £10 then they will be the only ones to benefit - and much as I find the landlord frustrating in his lack of care, I hate lettings agencies more especially ones that seem as sloppy (yet aggressive) as this one.
The lettings agency were quiet then seem to have jumped into the conversation when I mentioned withholding the £10 which is why it occurred to me they might stand to benefit and I can't stand the thought of that. I'd rather pay the landlord the £10 to be frank.
Opinions?
Needless to say, I am looking for somewhere else to go, and a better landlord. Obviously that also means I will need a reference (I don't want to buy due to life circumstances right now).
I'm worried given the landlord/agency behaviour that they might try to sting me when I leave, for things that really aren't my fault such as the hole in the wall caused by the poor build of the property and the way the door swings back against the wall. Is this the kind of thing that ends up in dispute resolution vis-a-vis deposits, would I have a leg to stand on?