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Original poster

Tenant seeking one off rent reduction

141 replies

Pennina · 11/06/2019 14:26

I have a one bed flat in London.

3 months ago I got a new tenant. She moved in straight after the previous one with just a break of one month for cleaning/minor repairs.

New tenant advised she'd got a problem with getting the heaters to work. My husband came out he was unable to sort the problem so we said we would get an electrician in. We could not get the electrician to attend that we normally use as he was busy. We tried several other local electricians and couldn't find anyone who was available to attend. So frustrating for us all. Tenant spoke to a neighbour who was able to recommend an electrician who attended and advised that the heaters were broken, not repairable and need replacing.

This seems strange to me as my previous tenants who were there until February must've been using the heaters! They would have said if there was a problem.

Tenant is rather fed up which I understand (as getting on for three months has gone by now with all this faffing about with electricians) and is wanting the heaters replaced ASAP. For 2 comparable wall mounted electric heaters the cost will be about £750

We would like to get a different electrician to come and have a quick look just to make sure it isn't an internal fuse in the heaters that is broken. That is something that could be fixed for a fraction of the price of new ones.

Tenant completely fed up with waiting and wants new radiators put in and a rent reduction for this month.

I totally understand why she's fed up but can't help but feel that this is life and things do sometimes go wrong and do sometimes take longer to fix.

My thought is to see if I can get my Electrician to come and doublecheck that they really need replacing. If they can be repaired that's saving me £750 and I might consider reduction of £100 in rent this month. However if I have to pay £750 for new heaters then I can't manage a rent reduction as well very easily.

I want to do the right thing here so would appreciate views.

OP posts:
Giraffeinabox · 11/06/2019 14:55

I am a tennant and a similar thing happened to us last year. Everyone told me not to pay the rent while we had no heating. I wasnt comfortable with this. In the end after 3 months of no heating and some snow in that time, the boiler was replaced which i had to take a day off work for. We would have highly appreciated a rent reduction but didnt get one and never would have asked for one. Depends how much you like this tennant and how much you want to keep them onside. Im glad we didnt ask for one as (touch wood) our rent hasnt increased since and im sure its because we were patient and accomodating. We couldnt afford a rent hike now!

Original poster
Pennina · 11/06/2019 14:55

Sorry if I've been confusing. The flat has two storage heaters. Both have stopped working. It is not a huge flat and she has used a plug-in oil heater/radiator which she already had prior to moving into my flat and which she brought with her. She did not therefore need me to supply her with an alternative heater although I offered.

OP posts:
twirlypoo · 11/06/2019 14:55

So what is broken then if she hasn’t been without heat? I’m confused!

ItWentInMyEye · 11/06/2019 14:56

Wow, I think she's being incredibly reasonable in only asking for £100 reduction!

Disfordarkchocolate · 11/06/2019 14:56

When I said to my landlord the oven door doesn't close very well she replaced it within 2 days. She was a great landlord and would never have left me with anything not working I was paying for.

chopc · 11/06/2019 14:58

@Pennina

This should not have taken three months to sort out and is completely not the tenants fault. You need to give her a reduction

How has your home been heated for the three months of winter?

Some tenants can take the piss - our tenants is in arrears of rent. When the boiler went we arranged replacement not with the cheapest boiler but a good one. She still wanted us to pay £35 for a heater - er she owes us thousands . To me this is piss taking.

53rdWay · 11/06/2019 14:58

She surely can't heat the whole flat with one small plug-in oil heater? I've used them before and the heat doesn't go very far. They're also expensive to run.

It's good that she wasn't shivering at least but providing her own plug-in oil heater is really not a substitute for her landlord fixing the heating she's paying for.

AnotherEmma · 11/06/2019 14:58

I expect her electricity bill will be higher than it would have been otherwise.

Plus the inconvenience of using a plug-in heater.

I note that you haven't answered my questions. Everyone has assumed this has been an issue for 3 months and since you haven't corrected them, it must be that long.

I don't believe that you haven't been able to find an electrician for 3 months!

TwistedBiscuit · 11/06/2019 15:00

I’m a tenant and very sympathetic to this tenant’s position but I don’t understand why everyone’s up in arms about her being without heat - it’s June! Confused Is it shorthand for no hot water too?

Original poster
Pennina · 11/06/2019 15:00

If it was something like an oven it would've been replaced within 24 hours as I have done previously with other tenants.

This is an electrical fault and I have been let down by several electricians who have either failed to attend or have had no availability.

There are three storage heaters in the flat and one of the three is working. That together with a plug-in heater would heat the flat as it is not very big.

This problem has not affected hot water

OP posts:
TokyoSushi · 11/06/2019 15:01

YABU. I'm sure that you wouldn't have let this go on for 3 months if it was your own home, Your tenant has been more than reasonable.

Original poster
Pennina · 11/06/2019 15:01

The tenant herself said last month when I apologised for this taking so long that there was no rush!

OP posts:
Original poster
Pennina · 11/06/2019 15:04

I do not feel that my tenant is unreasonable I am just asking for opinion as to what would be the right thing to do to put this right for her.

While she is choosing which replacement devices she likes best, I am getting yet another electrician to come along and see if they are repairable. I will be attending so she doesn't have to take time from work.

All will be sorted out within a few days I hope.

The flat is naturally warm with only one small external wall. This problem has not affected hot water.

OP posts:
53rdWay · 11/06/2019 15:05

I don’t understand why everyone’s up in arms about her being without heat - it’s June!

It wasn't June three months ago! Plus, it's a cold June for some of us - I had the heating on this morning for a bit here.

At the end of the day she's paying for a flat with heating, so it needs to actually have heating. Wanting a second opinion from a different electrician would have been reasonable at the start of this process but not after 3 months of faffing.

Grumpymug · 11/06/2019 15:07

If she's not been without heat, how has the flat been heated? What is the alternative to these heaters?
3 months is a long time, there's a solution that you've been given and you're not taking it. Surely in 3 months an electrician could have attended for a second opinion?
If your tenant didn't pay a portion of her rent for 3 months and had the same attitude as you have would that be ok? Would you just accept it?

sleepyhead · 11/06/2019 15:09

I switched off my storage heaters in April and I'm 500 miles north of her.

I seriously doubt that she would have been using them in the last 2 months unless she's in the habit of burning fivers.

sergeilavrov · 11/06/2019 15:11

I'm a landlord, and we live in a different country to our tenants most of the time. I like to think I'm a decent landlord, so hope this opinion helps! In your shoes, I'd probably not have waited for her to request a reduction and done this of my own volition. I'd compensate her for the cost of operating her own storage heaters (despite the utilities she'd usually have paid for the storage heaters) and probably knock 10-15% off as a belated rent reduction for the previous three months, and keep that reduction in place until the issue was resolved. Given you can't change the speed of your reaction now, only improve for the future, I'd probably send a very decent bottle of wine, some chocolates and a card to apologise with an explanation of the steps you're taking now - along with a timeline.

I'd also suggest (in the kindest possible terms) that you need to develop a relationship with an electrician who will reliably get there quickly and avoid this problem in future. If I had one cancellation or no-show, I'd have stumped up the cash for an emergency electrician and get it fixed, or I'd have accepted the other electrician's recommendation without a second opinion.

CocoCharlie83 · 11/06/2019 15:12

They are without heat because they are using their own equipment which will likely cost them more than if they were able to use the equipment in the property they are paying to utilise.

3 months to find an electrician in London??? Sounds more like a shoddy landlord issue than an electrician. A rent reduction shouldn't depend on how much the repairs will cost the landlord it should be for the inconvenience caused to the tenant and for them not being able to use what they are paying for, so moaning about just goes to show how shoddy you are.

Nesssie · 11/06/2019 15:14

She's just moved into the place and hasn't had proper working heating since? If I were her I would be looking to cancel the contract and get out asap.

Massive reduction and fix the bloody problem asap.

Original poster
Pennina · 11/06/2019 15:15

Another Emma it isn't that we have not been able to find one it is that there has been an availability and all we have been let down. Thus is timescale:

  1. problem notified mid March, attended and thought we had fixed it,
  2. third week March advised there is still a problem.
  3. She went away for a week and asked me for the number of my electrician as she said she prefer to deal direct.
  4. Another week went past and she then got in touch with me to say she couldn't get them to attend for 3 weeks and did I know anyone else.
  5. I found another electrician and gave her the details so she could arrange for a appointment at her convenience. I offered to attend at any time to save her taking time off work if necessary. She then went away for two weeks and upon her return contacted me to say she had told him and was too busy to attend
  6. By now it is mid May and the electrician (recommended by tenants next door neighbour) attended and fixed the heaters.
  7. One week later she contacted me to say they are not working again. I said we need to get the electrician back in. Electrician said he can't attend as he has family problems. 8. Tenant said don't worry no rush. I have now found yet another electrician....
OP posts:
Original poster
Pennina · 11/06/2019 15:16

Serge thanks for that.

OP posts:
sergeilavrov · 11/06/2019 15:16

Just to be clear, I'd take off 15% per month without heating and reflect that in her rent this month as you haven't done it before - in addition to an ongoing discount until the issue is resolved. If a tenant felt that wasn't enough, as yours might, I'd say you should be open to working out a sum that suits you both.

Original poster
Pennina · 11/06/2019 15:17

Coco see my subsequent post it has not been a case of my sitting on my arse for three months

OP posts:
MintyT · 11/06/2019 15:17

Shame o. You for leaving it so long.get it sorted either way and give a one off reduction. You should be making enough profit to do this and it will be tax deductible. I am a landlord and frankly I and shocked

JenMumma · 11/06/2019 15:19

Discount and get a bloody move on.

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