UK Landlord Forum / Life

There is no hot water in the property due to failure of the boiler on Thursday last week.  However, we use electric heating so heating is not effected.

I have called technicians to do an emergency repair on the next day (Friday)  and I was told that the boiler needs a replacement.  This replacement is going to be a separate job, and my next appointment is Sunday this week.

My tenant's contract is ending on Saturday this week, given there's only a few days left and nothing can be done immediately, I've offered them £100 compensation towards the inconveniences they have to live with.

However, tenants are dissatisfied and is asking for £200 compensation, plus £75 towards food bills per day, plus they wish to move into a hotel due to no hot water.

Could anyone suggest what I should do to avoid being extorted?  I am not responding to their requests at the moment, but is this a correct thing to do?

Not responding probably isn't the best idea.

Firstly, I commend you for getting in first with a goodwill offer. Many Landlords wait until they are asked and then they're on the back foot.

£100 also sounds reasonable... although we all need to understand they will find it hard to be clean. If they are a family this could prove very challenging. However, the simple point to remember is this - being a Tenant doesn't create a bubble of immunity around you, things happen, things break, the question is whether they could do anything faster then you are doing. A Landlord must be allowed a reasonable time to effect repairs. The beauty about the word reasonable is that it is impossible to define objectively. So, as long you feel you are doing all you can (and it probably sounds like you are?) then no further action beyond what you are doing is required.

Not sure what the rent is, but £75 per day for food seems... extreme?

Note "reasonable" here - https://www.rla.org.uk/landlord/guides/responsibilities/repairs.shtml

And the real legislation http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/70 please see Section 11 and note there are no timeframes determined. You may wish to quote this or refer your Tenants to this but the wider issue here is that you have unhappy Tenants and if you refuse to cave-in to their demands they will just be even more unhappy so I'd start to look at alternative future plans... or cave?

@Hippogriff

Thank you so much for your advise, this is most helpful.

Agree that your offer is perfectly fair.It is always a good idea to have an electric shower,so people can wash if the boiler packs in.I am puzzled,how has the  broken boiler affected the use of cooker or microwave,why has their food bill rocketed?
You have tried your best,and acted promptly,they are trying it on.

Always think of having back up systems, eg electric shower or immersion heater.  When we had to replace our boiler we didn't go with a Combi boiler just for that reason.  It makes getting a repair less stressful.