UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all - (another) new Landlord here. I've had a read through the forum and thoguht i'd sign up to contribute, and stick around. However first, i have a question...

I have recently purchased a property and have also taken on the tenants. I inspected the property and it required work doing to it, most noticeably, the electrics.
I want to ensure that this work is carried out however the house has A LOT of clutter and it would be near impossible to get an electrician to carry out a re-wire with the tenants there.
How have people got around work that is required with such disruption to the tenants?

More importantly - if the electrics are deemed unsafe/not up to standard, am i obliged to put them in temporary accommodation until the work is completed?

Thanks in advance!

Why does it need a rewire?

If you want them to not be there for works carried out you'll have to provide alternative accommodation. 

I have been told that the main fuse box needs replacing and with that the electrics in the kitchen and the back area of the house are wired as an extension. All wires are surface too.
Its not that i dont want them to be there, i just think that it would be very disruptive for them. Am i within my rights to state that work will be happening in X amount of weeks and they've just got to deal with it?

Quote from: goatbateman on July 16, 2014, 02:23:12 PMAm i within my rights to state that work will be happening in X amount of weeks and they've just got to deal with it?

I think you should be very careful phrasing something [or approaching something] like that. If the current Tenants would benefit from the work, can you not be open and transparent with them and say "I would intend on doing X work, in Y weeks that will take Z weeks to complete, are you OK with that?" if the answer is "yes" then you have your green light. If the answer is more doubtful or a flat "no", then you need to figure out what's best for you all... possibly a reduction in rent for the duration  of the work... much better than alternative accommodation (for everyone)... depending on the disruption, of course - no electricity some days between 09:00 and 17:00 is entirely different to no electricity at all for 4 weeks.

This is all assuming you want the Tenants to stay on - but you just feel the work needs doing. If you're happy for the Tenants to go (or it's even possible) then you can issue a Section 21 and do this disruptive work when the property is empty, before the next Tenants take it on, nice and shiny.