Landlord Problems

We've had our current flat for 2 months now and our landlord has yet to address any of the problems we requested fixed when we entered. First, our flat wasn't cleaned after the previous tenants left- I've had to clean out trash from the cupboards and between the cushions on the couch- YUCK!! But I can even live with that, I've cleaned it all anyway. What really makes me angry is that we have a broken window, a broken bathroom vent, and a broken kitchen vent, which have all been broken since before we've moved in.

Her excuse is that she is too busy, but she's had 2 whole months and not one single repairman has been called! In that time, we've called people out to get estimates and such, but she never agrees to pay the fee and actually get the work done. After months of neglect the hedge in our garden, which contractually is her responsibility to cut 4X a year, was so big we couldn't see out our windows anymore. Finally my husband and I spent our day off trimming it because we gave up hope she would ever deal with it and we have to live here!

I am so frustrated because I have no idea what the norm is here, or how to persuade her to start taking an interest in the things she promised us when we moved in. My poor husband has wasted way too many work hours calling her up and trying to get these issues sorted out. We are both just exhausted with her excuses.

What can I do? I mean, I know we can find another place to live when our lease is up, but in the remaining months what should we do??

Put it in writing to her: details all the problems and tell her if the problems aren't resolved within 14 days you will hire someone to do the repairs and send her the bill. If you end up having to pay someone yourselves, keep the receipts and withhold the amount from your last month's rent. 

Britwife-

Thanks for the advice. Seeing your straightforward response even calmed me down a bit. 

Put it in writing to her: details all the problems and tell her if the problems aren't resolved within 14 days you will hire someone to do the repairs and send her the bill. If you end up having to pay someone yourselves, keep the receipts and withhold the amount from your last month's rent. 

I agree with this advise 100%. When we were living in the UK, our landlord was exactly the same. She was beyond terrible. The amount of stress she caused us was unreal. Do not waiver on BritWife's advise and think that she will change. Document everything and mail it to her and if she doesn't fix things then withhold the amount at the end. Also, I would advise finding another place when your lease is up because she will probably continue as she operates now. In our case, we stayed way too long in our situation and it was a big regret.

Glad to be of help! Hope it gets sorted out soon.

are these cases more often through private landlords or through agencies or pretty much the same?

good luck with it!

I just wanted to say thanks again for the advice. My husband called her up again and something he said must have worked because she started fixing things. Our aerial, bathroom vent, and kitchen extractor are all in working order now! Yay! Hopefully this continues.

are these cases more often through private landlords or through agencies or pretty much the same?

I can't speak to what is normal, but we have a private landlord. Other people I know have an agency and have no problems at all.

I can't speak to what is normal, but we have a private landlord. Other people I know have an agency and have no problems at all.

... and then there is myself, renting through a large and well-known agency.   I am entering my 6th week since my lounge ceiling collapsed, and still nothing has been done.  The letting agents, landlord, and landlord's insurance company are all arguing amongst themselves, and in the meantime, I am still living in dust and plaster hell.

yeah, I think it's going to depend.  some landlords are great, some are crap, some letting agencies are great, some are crap.  Our private landlords have been nothing but wonderful with resolving any issues- in my ideal world I'd keep renting from them until we were ready to buy a house!

Echoing Q-G and springhaze - it really depends!  We have had nothing but trouble from two of three agencies we have rented from here in the UK, and greatly prefer renting privately.  In fact, our landlord is currently in the process of firing our letting agency, with our blessing!

... and then there is myself, renting through a large and well-known agency.   I am entering my 6th week since my lounge ceiling collapsed, and still nothing has been done.  The letting agents, landlord, and landlord's insurance company are all arguing amongst themselves, and in the meantime, I am still living in dust and plaster hell.

Sorry for the hijack, but have you been to the Citizen's Advice Bureau about this? I would think that you should, at minimum, expect a reduction in rent for your horrible inconvenience.

... and then there is myself, renting through a large and well-known agency.   I am entering my 6th week since my lounge ceiling collapsed, and still nothing has been done.  The letting agents, landlord, and landlord's insurance company are all arguing amongst themselves, and in the meantime, I am still living in dust and plaster hell.

Can you contact the council and let them know that you have unsafe living conditions and that your landlord is doing nothing about it?

http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/getadvice/advice_topics/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_in_private_rented_accommodation/the_private_rented_housing_panel_prhp

QG - you might want to check this out or at least bring it to your landlord/letting agent's attention - but it only applies if your landlord or letting agent is accredited. [nb: for anyone else reading this, it applies only in Scotland, not the rest of the UK.]