LL installed new kitchen

[Casperthefriendlygh]

We experienced significant disruption despite the promise of no 'lack of function':

• 3 days no oven, 3 days no hob
• 6 days no dishwasher, 6 days no washing machine
• 9 days no sink, 9 days of high noise
• 14 days of reduced living space due to storage
• This has led to health risks, unlivable conditions, and a breach of the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, with issues like damp, drainage problems, and difficulty maintaining sanitation.

It is very unusual to take out an entire kitchen and put in new appliances too, to fix a leak.

I bet the farm this LL would have found a plumber to isolate the leak, fix it, and spray some bleach on mould, and wouldn't have done such an extensive job if she hadn't had some cheap as chips pre-owned cabinets ready to put in, which she would otherwise have had to put in storage somewhere.

Working from home isn't the same as running a business from home, don't be silly.

It's a residential tenancy@OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon
Agreement doesn't say we can't WFH
To use the Property for the purpose of a private residence only in the occupation of the Tenant and his
immediate family.
5.2 Not to register a company at the address of the Property.
5.3 Not to run a business from the Property.
5.4 Not to use the Property for any illegal purpose.

In the kindest possible way..... give your head a wobble.

I'm married to a joiner/kitchen fitter and what you've described is perfectly normal.

I think asking for the rent reduction is fair. As a landlord I think also asking for a complete house clean on completion would also be fair.

I agree. I am also a landlord. When one of my tenants didn’t really want the hassle of having the bathroom replaced, I paid for him and his ds to stay in a plush apartment with parking for 8 nights. The bathroom was on its last legs btw and he’s a long term tenant. Another tenant offered to move in with relatives when I changed both the kitchen and bathroom. These are also long term tenants and much as these replacements could have waited, the tenant offered to stay with relatives when I suggested changing the kitchen and I took advantage of the situation to change the tired bathroom at the same time.

Sometimes work like this does need to be done with a tenant in situ. However in this case landlord really should have changed the kitchen by the sound of it before you moved in. Ergo in this case, they should compensate you, especially as you have been inconvenienced.

@mathanxiety The washing machine was leaking but they couldn't get the washing machine out without taking the worktop off, so they must've just thought "Bravo! let's rip it all out!"

Wow.

@Cobblersorchard I swear this is how LL's think and it's not pleasant being on the receiving end

I am a renter and don't really see the issue. It isn't always possible to do work between tenants if they are very long term lets and two weeks with restricted facilities and some things stacked in the living room doesn't sound like something three grown women should be unable to cope with.

When my landlord put a new kitchen in I had similar time without things and the contents of the kitchen stacked in the living room but am a single parent. I washed up in the bathroom, planned meals I could do with an air fryer or microwave or got takeaways.

How landlords think? Ok you have 2 landlords on here, who don’t think like that.

The landlord has a right to do repairs, not improvements, unless there's a specific right to do improvements in the tenancy agreement. Tenants are entitled to quiet enjoyment of their home.

Don't know if you'll get it, OP, or if it's wise to ask given the balance of power between landlords and tenants, but you absolutely should get money off your rent and your landlord should have already offered it if she was a decent person.

I’m a landlord. I don’t think what you’re requesting is unreasonable. I’d like to think I’m a reasonable landlord though. Lots aren’t.

OP- Did you expect people from the likes of changing rooms to swoop in and do the entire thing in 24hrs???

@JC03745 no but i expected no loss of functionality like she promised

Is there an obligation to post this on every thread, regardless of whether it makes sense?

OP, you are fussing about nothing.Enjoy your new facilities.

😂

How do you know that the LL wasn't told this by the builders? Or her idea of 'loss of functionality' meant there would still be water, electric, the bathroom etc?
Surely 1 of the 3 women living there would have a vague clue that having a kitchen re-done would cause some inconvenience?

You'd probably be complaining if they didn't maintain the property too?

If there was a significant leak it makes sense to just 'do it all at once'. Enjoy your new kitchen.

It's always inconvenient to get your home fixed/renovated, and your LL did attempt to offer solutions that you declined, so it's just part of living in a house. The LL also has a duty to maintain the property and chances are there's something in your contract about their right to do that.

Is this thread serious? Your landlord has fitted a new kitchen, albeit a secondhand one, in just two weeks, not put the rent up, and you expect compensation for the inconvenience? Your poor landlord!

I'd happily live on microwave meals and paper plates for 2 weeks if it resulted in a new kitchen, in my rental.

All I'd expect from my LL would be a deep clean after if there was a lot of mess. These things are expected with any renovations though.

You really didn't have the loss of function that you're claiming. You still had running water, a sink, the offer of cooking facilities "air fryer" a private bedroom each. Yes there was loss of a common area, that probably isn't used much anyway with 3 people wfh.
Would you rather be left with a leak and mould? The appliance had to be ripped out For the repair so obviously the LL made the right decision. Would you rather her stick the old stuff back in all damaged and just "fix" the leak like you stated? That would have been 100% worse than a 2 week inconvenience.

Physical and mental wellbeing?, heard it all now!

I also agree you're carrying on about nothing. There was a leak you said was smelling mouldy. How do you think that might be fixed in a way that enabled the wet to dry out? Even if it dried out, would it be mould free?

I think the LL has gone above and beyond what was required. You have a new, DRY, kitchen. The likelihood of mould developing is greatly reduced.

your OP finishes "with issues like damp, drainage problems, and difficulty maintaining sanitation." What does this mean? Is the new kitchen causing damp and drainage issues?

You are being ridiculous. You had no ‘contract’ drawn up as terms around the kitchen refit, so she broke nothing. Often when trying to fix a leak a homeowner will come across other problems, hence the refit. If the flooring needed replacing it made sense to do it at the same time. Be thankful for having less skanky flooring. I am sure she thought there would be no loss of function and I bet her kitchen fitter also told her that, but she is not a kitchen fitter, is she?

On what planet do you and your flatmates live thinking you were going to be able to easily WFH through all of this? I am sure there is no implied term in your contract that says your LL must be able to provide conditions comfortable enough to WFH, so if you can’t, that’s on you. You chose your workplace.

Go ahead and ask for money off if you want to be kicked out when your lease expires.

I am a renter, btw.

LL may have been told that there would be a shorter installation time, that things would be still be usable but stuff happens along the way. You could have maybe worked elsewhere ,used paper plates , stayed with a friend . And if this causes mental anguish then all of you need to toughen up because this is very low level annoyance in the grand scheme of life.

Having said all that I think you should ask for and get a refund .