UK’s leading housing and homelessness charity Shelter acknowledges the fact that it is often very difficult to get the landlord to do the repairs. A very useful step by step guide (with sample letters) has been put together for tenants to use.

GETTING REPAIRS DONE

Reporting repairs
Always report the problem to your landlord in writing. Call if the problem is urgent.

Complaining about repair work not done
If your landlord does not carry out the repairs, you can write to them again, explaining that if repairs are not carried out within a certain time frame, you will take further action.

The action you can take will depend on the nature of the repairs needed and what sort of tenancy you have. If you rent privately, your landlord may try to evict you rather than do the repairs. Always consider the risks and talk to an adviser before you take action!

Warning your landlord that you’re contacting the council
If the state of your home is affecting your health, the environmental health department of your local council may be able to help you take action. Before contacting them, write to your landlord to let them know – this may spur them into action. Remember that council tenants do not have this option.

Doing repairs yourself
If your landlord is refusing to carry out repairs or is being unreasonably slow in getting the work done, you might be able to do the repairs yourself and pay for them out of the rent. However, this is very risky as you may put yourself at risk of eviction. Always get help from a specialist housing adviser before you decide to take action in this way.

Even if you have very strong tenancy rights, you must follow the correct procedureand send all four of the following separate letters in order:

1. Letter 1: explain that you are going to do the work yourself unless the repairs are done within a reasonable time.
2. Letter 2: Send your landlord quotations for doing the work from three reputable contractors. Explain that you are going to go ahead with the cheapest quote unless your landlord arranges for the repairs to be done within a certain time.
3. You’ll need to pay for the work yourself and send your landlord the receipt. Use letter 3 to enclose a copy of the receipt from the cheapest contractor and ask for your money back.
4. If your landlord does not give you back the money, use letter 4 to explain that you are going to deduct the money from your future rent. You must have sent the first three letters before you attempt to do this.

Download sample letters from Shelter

Community Legal Advice has recently posted 3 videos on YouTube that contain some good advice for the private renters. The videos are in sign language, dubbed, in English.

- What if I can’t afford the deposit?
- Can my landlord throw me out?
- What if I have difficulty paying my rent?

- When can my landlord come into my home?
- My home is damp and my things have been damaged. What can I do?
- What if my landlord won’t give my deposit back?

- How can I leave my shared house or flat?
- My neighbours are so noisy I can’t sleep. What can I do?

Community Legal Advice
Shelter

It’s no secret that the management of a rental property in London is often too difficult for many landlords and professional managers to handle. We understand that it is not easy to find a decent plumber or builder whom you can trust, and count on. But in too many cases it seems that managing a rental is such a daunting task, so stressful, that it induces procrastination.

I recently had an acquaintance wait for a professional manager to fix problems in the newly rented apartment for – 6 weeks. The deal was that everything would be done very shortly. After dozens of calls and a few letters, when no-one showed up for over a month, she finally went to the manager’s office, and basically said she’s not leaving until someone gives her an exact date and time when the plumber comes. The next day the plumber came and the problem was fixed. But the management company still ended up paying for delaying with the works. The tenant asked for a compensation, and as a reputable company, they agreed to pay for the inconvenience.

One of the worst problems the managers have, is that they fail to communicate with the tenant. The manager could have at least talked to the tenant, let her know what is going on, how much longer it is going to take. Maybe the tenant could have organized a plumber herself but how could she if she’s not sure she’s going to get a refund?

Here is some advice on what you can do to speed up the process of getting things fixed in your new rental:

Do not sign the agreement before the problems are fixed.
Never if there is no heating, no water or if the conditions are hazardous to your health.

Before you sign the agreement:

Check everything in the rental before signing the agreement.
Try to imagine a day in your life, and act it out doing all those things you normally would do during a day.

Take as much time as you need to do the check-up.
Tell the agent or landlord before meeting for the final viewing that you will need time (depending on the size of the place) to check that everything is the way it is supposed to be.

The final checking should be done after the previous tenant has moved out.
Otherwise you will most likely be more reserved to look everywhere, and could end up missing something important.

Look at the EPC
Check the rating and see what is advised in order to get the place in better condition. Ask what the landlord is willing to do, then put it down in writing.

If there are no major problems in the rental, and you do sign the agreement:

Always make sure to have in writing everything that needs to be fixed or done, along with the approximate dates by which the landlord promises to fix each problem.

Take action if the problems have not been fixed when promised, don’t just wait around hoping.
Best bet is to remind the landlord by sending him the list by E-mail or mail. If noone reacts, go to their office.

If you think you can fix some things yourself – tell the landlord.
Write down how much is the refund for that.

Want to read how bad it can really be? Here’s a link to a thread in LandlordZone forum: New flat’s ceiling collapsed and neighbours are noisy.

Photo: West London

Draught can be a major source of discomfort, increasing your heating costs by up to 25% in the winter. It is said that if all the sources of draughts in a typical home were added together, it would be equivalent to having a 1.5 metre by 1.0 metre hole in the wall!

This HomeServe video here will give you a few ideas on how you can fix the drafty windows and doors. But make sure you notify your landlord before you do any insulation by yourself, as the materials you use could be damaging to the property.

Sealing out draughts

This is hilarious. Apparently it cost £3,320 to deep clean the 3-bed Admiralty House flat that John Prescott rented when he was Deputy Prime Minister.

Wow, it would have taken 474 hours for Monika to clean it at her modest £7 per hour rate!

Photo: Admiralty House by David Hawgood