Paying rent and not able to move into property until repairs are done.

[lisa111]

My 2nd week paying rent on 2 houses. Can i ask RSL to give rent free weeks until repairs are completed??

The house was left empty for 1 year and had work done for subsidence. It needs decorating from top to bottom. My plans were 2 do all this, have carpets fitted and move in end of August.

There is so many repairs to do i cannot even make a start, i work full time and have 3DS, 1 has asthma and the baby is 1.

I took 3 days holiday this week all for nothing. I have had to cancel decorator as every room needs some type of plastering. The roof was replaced and the loft is full of dust, rubble, snapped beams need replacing, and insulation put back in place.

Windows at front of house won't open because facias on roof and bay window are blocking them.

The place was filthy so i spent all last weekend cleaning and this is when i started to find all these problems. First thing Monday morning i faxed off a big list of repairs.

The RSL have a lettings standard checklist and some repairs were noted down to be done, but some were down as completed but were not. For instance the gas meter was ticked completed and checked, when the gas man came to do a test and turn on he had to do a RIDDOR report, informing me they way the meter was left was very dangerous. I had spent all weekend in there with an un-capped gas pipe which the meter should of been attached to?

My Plan was:
Week 1, booked 3 days off work, RSL would do all repairs and i could start to decorate,

Week 2, get decorator in and house alarm fitted, any repairs needing to be finished by RSL decorators would be there for access.

Week3, booked this week off work, fit carpets and blinds, move all furniture and at the weekend clean empty house and hand keys in.

So what do you think my chances are of getting rent stopped until all repairs are done? i have no idea how long it will take, i can only afford rent on 2 houses for 3 weeks.

Surely your contract states that rent is not payable whilst the property is uninhabitable?

Surely your contract should n't begin until it is habitable ? Who are RSL ?

I once was in the process of moving to a rented house which had just been renovated when the water tank burst flooding the entire house and doing a surprising amount of damage. We did not have to pay rent for the first month as there were still dehumidifiers there for that time, even thought the water tank was quickly replaced as were collapsed cielings etc. When it happened our new landlord called to explain, saying he could either return our deposit and rent paid or if we wanted to proceed with the move we would not have to pay rent the first month. This seemed fair enough so we never discussed it further.

I think you should visit CAB or MSE about this, sounds like you are being ripped off.

I think you should contact RSL and ask for dates for completion of each listed repair - they have to raise an order which gives the contractor a required completion date.

I think it would be a good idea to take some photos of the problems and if the repairs are not done by the dates they provide you, then make a complaint under their complaints policy - it may appear long winded but if you use their complaints policy and tell them to resolve your complaint you want all the work done by XX as they have failed to complete twice and XX as compensation for whatever you have lost. Then if not satisfied you can refer it to the next stage and finally to the independent ombudsman if not resolved. Do it in writing, it sounds like a faf, but will get you results.

Good luck

you accepted the property in the conditio to which it was gien you - you are liveing there therefore you have to pay rent.

if you have a copy of the lettable standards for the RSL and can take photographs of the standard the property was let in ( although you have cleaned it) you can only go through their complaints proceedure.

the best outcome you can ask for is an apology and perhaps a kick up the arse for the contractor to get your work done properly and quickly.

you could seek the advice of a solicitor regarding the gas safety test - THIS ALONE could be your saving grace - all landlords have to adhere to strict criteria for gas safety as they are liable for manslaughter should there be a fault and someone should die.

ask for a copy fo the complaints process and a complaints form

there should be 4 levels of complaint - they will try and tell you the matter is closed after each level. do not accept this and insist they take it to the next level
do all corespondence in writing and keep a copy.

remember that the contractors probably have 28 days to do repairs unless the RSL consider them to be an emergency

this is NOT what you consider to be an emergency - so get a list of repair reporting times

i hope this helps

6 Weeks later,

Started decorating, hoping to move within the next 2 weeks.

Repairs still outstanding:

Windows not fully opening at front of house (due to new facias)

Damp stains on walls that damp seal has no effect (Possible cause cracks around exterior walls)

Bricks very loose at bottom side of house, (need pointing)

Stop cock for water supply. Extremely stiff.

20th Aug and 12 Seot all the above repairs have been reported (except the stop cock) but are still outstanding?????

NOBODY LISTENS TO ME.

Why can't they just do the repairs and stop wasting my time. I am sick of having to use my Annual leave for nothing, i am told "it's not up to us its the roofers" or "its the joiners job"

What are my rights? can i demand a different contractor to complete the work.