Old buildings and landlords

[creaturcomforts]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone knows how to deal with this correctly as tbh I'm losing alot of sleep over it!

I'm renting a lovely old townhouse through an estate agents who fully manage the property.

Its grade 2 listed which I've been trying to find information about, as to what you can and cant do legally, but my issue here is safety! It is small but on 4 floors, 2 beds and the kitchen is on the ground floor, lounge and bathroom 2nd floor and 2 bedrooms on the top, all the windows are the original sash ones, with the front facing ones being sliding and the rear are large fully opening.

I'm seriously worried about my daughter who is 14, leaning too far out of the windows and legally I think the landlord should have to put stoppers on the windows, however the estate agent and landlord are not easy to deal with and try to put me off any repairs unless essential, I dont want to upset my landlord and risk them finding new tenants.

Would I be within my rights and would you put up window restricters yourself? I could always remove them , and they are small, would give me peace of mind!

I've had my bedroom window open as it's been hot, but the old wood painted window had expanded, got stuck I had to push it hard and fell forward but I've been worried every since, there is about a 30 foot drop.

I believe the landlord and estate agents would be aware that it's not exactly legal to let it like this, but I'd have to push really hard to get them to take action, and at the moment tbh I cant deal with the stress!

Should amend to 3 floors not 4 damn phone!

Can you ask the LL for permission to install the restrictors yourself?

Have thought about it but I just get the feeling they will say no, asked permission if I could install a smart meter , just an example was told no, even though the energy company owns the meters and its supposed to be down to the tenant. If the estate agents just immediately say no, to everything I'd have the worry

How high are the window sills and how far do the windows open? If the opening is more than 10cm on the first and second floor windows then they should be fitted with restrictors. If the sills are lower than 80cm to the floor then there should be guarding to the window (or the glass needs to be safety glass).

The windows are about 4.5 x 4.5 foot wide and they open fully, the sills are only about 2 feet from the floor.

Not sure if this is legal! Wasnt sure why the landlord hasn't fitted something and maybe because they are original windows and the building is listed, that they weren't allowed to screw anything into the frames, I really dont understand it tbh

Thank you for the information, I will put a letter into the landlord, and ask them to look into it, just wanted to know my rights first.

Its really odd that they got away with renting it out for so long if that's the case

I used to own rental properties. A couple of points from my point of view:

-Unless the law had changed recently, there is no legal requirements to add restrictors on windows, even if the property is being let out. The only exception being sometimes when extending a property or a new build, buildings regulations might require them in certain circumstance.

-Its not a repair. You are requesting a modification. One which future Tennant's or the landlord may not desire; and the landlord might not want to pay for it.

-You knew the state of the windows before you leased the property. If you were concerned you shouldn't have leased it.

-You could install the restrictors yourself, and then remove them before leaving the tenancy. Making sure you fill and touch up any holes. (But really you should ask for permission and/or you are taking a risk with your deposit)

Ah ok randomo thank you, from the limited information I found from the net it seemed as though there was a fault and I was unaware as to how to proceed and wether there was anything I could do.

I have 6 monthly inspections and have never been behind in rent or have had a problem in renting have rented for 15 years.

As a side note though I do think tenants need to be aware of their rights with properties and it's not always fair to assume that as the tenant took the lease they were aware of the issue, because in my case our previous landlord wanted to sell our rented house and we had to move quickly.

There were very few houses to let in our price range and we leased the house as my daughter was not so far from school and friends

It's a grade II listed building. The listing includes the sash windows. You and your daughter will just have to be careful.

I would install them myself, then remove and make good when I moved on.
If they are visible and you are concerned about being challenged, put up voiles on an extendable pole.

And also. Do you actually know how sashes work? Need to be open top and bottom for best airflow. If that worried about safety just open the top half.

Tell your 14 year old not to lean out of the windows?

I could understand the worry is she was 4....

14 years old? Teach her some sense.

There is no such legal requirement. As you would know if you read your how to rent and the associated documents,all freely available. Your post saying 'risk finding new tenants if I upset them' and the fact you rented a listed building without understanding what the restrictions are indicate that you need to get informed. You didn't have to move quickly last time.

There is a rental property shortage as the measures to drive out private landlords are working. You could contact shelter for help as these campaigns are their fault...but they are the housing charity that houses no one.

If your daughter was 4 then I would say fit your own. But 14?

If the building is listed and you damage the windows when installing the restrictors you you be in for a quite expensive bill.

Well thank you for some of the judgemental and quite frankly unfair comments which in some cases are uncalled for.

Not that some people would understand but as a lone parent with a daughter on the autism spectrum disorder its difficult to judge what my 14 yr old might do

Yes I know that I knew this when I rented the house and NO I'm not planning on drilling or making amendments to the house.. I just simply didn't know my rights

I would ask the people that are judging me just why do you think I have not fell foul of my landlord/landlady in my last 15 years of renting?

I was simply asking wether it was legal. Mumsnet has become extremely judgemental....

I just didn't know the legalities with a listed building. Landlords chill out! I haven't changed anything with the property and have only had positive references from all my previous landlords .

My dd is on the autism spectrum so I dont know if she would do things that other 14 yr olds would not... it's a concern