SMF - Just Installed!

Fussy Tenants - withholding rent

Started by EKJR, December 04, 2019, 11:24:04 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

EKJR

New here!  Please be gentle as really not sure what to do, first post......

We have rented out our parents home and it is a (to me) high rent.  However, our tenants seem very fussy.  It is managed by an agency, but the list of repairs and requests are constant; it is draining. 

Mr Tenant is a lawyer and Mrs tenant likes to wield that a lot.  I find this quite scary!  So do our managing agency, but they are trying! 

We have repaired what we can, some extra stuff , some necessary, always had people sent over to do work, even the small stuff almost on a weekly basis. 

The house is In good repair; but it is not new and is not a show home.
It's a bit dated and aging - but this is how they saw it when they wanted to rent it. 

However.  The tenants have recently with held all of one months rent.  Their reasoning is that;

1.  The underfloor heating is not as effective in The conservatory as they would like.   We have looked into repairing it, got it working, but not quite to as they would like.    it works but needs a new boiler and we cannot afford one.  The rest of the heating throughout the house works well.  We have purchased and they accepted oil filled heaters to heat the conservatory.  But it is still one of their reasons to not pay their rent.

2.  One of the 4 showers In The house has a switch to turn the water flow from a main shower, to the hand held side shower head.   The switch does not work - but the main shower works fine and so do the other 3 showers In The house. They want the switch repaired, so they have the hand held shower facility.  We have said 'no' as the shower still
Works as a shower and there are 3 other showers in the house..... albeit this is the only one with the duel hand held/main shower function.

3.  There used to be a built in exterior light to the front of the property.  It was broken and we were quoted £900 for it to be repaired.  An alternative light was installed and this broken light was plated over.  This is how the tenants took the property.  The light was plated over when they viewed the property.  They wish it to be re-installed/repaired.  We have said no.

So, in sum - they accepted heaters as a solution for the conservatory heating problem; they wish us to make a repair to something that was disabled when they moved in and are withholding all the rent due to a switch on the shower being faulty......... i'm Sorry, but how can that be? 

We have had 2 odd job contractors now refuse to undertake any more  work at our property due to the Mrs Tenant standing over them, criticizing and asking them to undertake unauthorised work. It's all a bit of a prima  Donna nightmare.  HOWEVER!  I want to remain reasonable, they pay a lot of rent  and remain legal without them taking the michael (sorry michael).

Really grateful for informed legal advice - remember he's a lawyer (in Dubai - something we are reminded about on a monthly basis). 

Thanks SO much!! 
X


heavykarma

Section 21.Be sure to wish them the best of luck in their quest for the perfect property.

gam30ver

Since Mr Tenant is a lawyer you'd think he'd realise that withholding rent is a no no.

Anyway I too think Section 21, with tenants like these it will likely only get worse.

bloofox

Don't be scared of the Lawyer, you didn't say if you knew for sure he is one but even if he is,he's not the only one...

This will never be a good tenancy for you, so end it. You don't need to be waiting for the next complaint and lack of payment on the rent.. and it will happen all the time. 

She's never going to be happy, let her go..