UK Landlord Forum / Life

I have a new tenant who has been in the property for 1 month. The property has a wiser smart hub for the central heating which she has set up. She can't get Sky to fit the broadband until 6th of December so she can't programme fully for the heating to go on at set times. I have had the plumber round who fitted a new boiler 12 months ago, all has safety vets are up to date and he has shown her how to put on heating manually for the next 2 weeks. She is now asking what more I can do to help her? The heating system is in full wortorder, she can put on and off manually the house is fully damp proofed lift insulated etc etc . I am not responsible for Sky and when they can h do it internet ? Any advice please. Thanks in advance.

Tell her, no there's nothing you can do.

Thank you I just wanted another opinion as I feel it is unfair to try and blame me for the internet fitting

This would make my blood run cold. One month in and she is expecting you to deal with things that are not part of your landlord duties. Nip this in the bud, or I promise she will be a very needy tenant. 

Isn't there an easy solution of using her own phone's connectivity to provide a WiFi hotspot that - whatever - can connect to and obtain access to the outside world?

I'd say there is, unless corrected by someone more capable than me - and I don't come across those folk very often.

It's like buying her a fishing rod, instead of a fish - you are helping her to help herself.

You don't say who supplied the Smart Hub... I expect it was you? That said, you might offer her a crisp £20 note just because...

Yes, any new Tenant would not have fixed line Broadband from day 1 (so you really don't have to - but what is £20? - and I bet it will make her happy - which is what you want). It's what we all want.

Quote from: Neets72 on November 25, 2024, 09:13:09 AMThank you I just wanted another opinion as I feel it is unfair to try and blame me for the internet fitting

I hear that you have taken this message as some kind of blame.
But I did read she asked what more could be done to help her.

I installed Nest (Thermostat and Protects) in a property I renovated before. Beyond the initial gasps of wonder (and awe) I would say they've been more trouble than simple alternatives. I learned my lesson. Also, don't get me started on the 'smart' burglar alarm... subscription-based pricing model, indeed.

I'm a bit in the middle. I, generally, don't think that internet of things appliances are appropriate for let properties. They're intrusive (these smart thermostats often detect if someone's in the property or not) and can usually be controlled remotely.

But they're becoming ubiquitous, and it's hard to see why tenants shouldn't have normal things...

I would document the instructions to turn the heating on and off, just so that there is evidence you provided a temporary solution.

Advise the Tenant that they have a number of potential solutions to obtain wifi services.

1. Ring Sky and ask for one of their mini wifi boxes that uses a sim until the service is provided.

2. Suggest she buys a suitable 4G LTE Router, I have had Tenants cut off from Internet by Landlord they bought TP-Link router but there are cheap basic routers online that support LTE that would probably suit her requirements for £35. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mercusys-Wireless-streaming-devices-MB110-4G/dp/B0CTD1M2S8

She can then go to Money Saving Expert and sign up for a  one month contract

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/

Choose show all deals and take out a £2 a month contract for 15gb then cancel after 1 month with no penalty.


3. She could ask a neighbour to borrow their wifi and then get a second hand router from eBay to create a wireless bridge to pick up the signal and boost it into her home.  She could do the same with EE-Wifi if she can see on her phone, but the sim option above is probably cheaper than BT/EE Hotspot charges.


It is important that this Tenant does not confuse the Landlord Tenant relations as one she may have had with a University, or her dad.  Keep things formal but friendly, just explaining that she has been provided with instructions on how to operate the boiler manually and you are not responsible for the provision of wifi.  Make sure these comms are all in writing to avoid later being accused of things that have not happened.

I have had LL's with issues and boundaries, their solution was to have the boiler module replaced with a manual module and a conventional thermostat.



https://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/reasons-why-i-hate-my-tenant/


https://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/my-tenant-isnt-happy-with-landlords-repair-work/

Quote from: Neets72 on November 24, 2024, 08:00:02 PMI have a new tenant who has been in the property for 1 month. The property has a wiser smart hub for the central heating which she has set up. She can't get Sky to fit the broadband until 6th of December so she can't programme fully for the heating to go on at set times. I have had the plumber round who fitted a new boiler 12 months ago, all has safety vets are up to date and he has shown her how to put on heating manually for the next 2 weeks. She is now asking what more I can do to help her? The heating system is in full wortorder, she can put on and off manually the house is fully damp proofed lift insulated etc etc . I am not responsible for Sky and when they can h do it internet ? Any advice please. Thanks in advance.

Quote from: Hippogriff on November 25, 2024, 03:31:26 PMIsn't there an easy solution of using her own phone's connectivity to provide a WiFi hotspot that - whatever - can connect to and obtain access to the outside world? I'd say there is, unless corrected by someone more capable than me - and I don't come across those folk very often.

Heating hubs are generally not WiFi capable. They normally plug into your router via a short ethernet cable.

Thanks for everyone's advice - I have provided the tenant with instructions and various options and this appears to have resolved the situation.