Tenant Question
Discussion
Dear All.
Very quickly I would like opinions:
We own a flat which we let out.
We had huge problems with the heating system in the last month which has caused the tenant some inconvenience obviously.
Tenant stayed at home for the day when BG came to flush the sludge. She didn't have to as we have a keyholder nearby who could let BG in. She's also been late for work twice wating for BG to arrive. Again, we have a keyholder.
Now she's b
hing about wanting money off the month's rent as compensation for the inconvenience and loss of earnings. I have offered her £300 as by and large she's a good tenant. This a 1/4 of the months rent and seems satisfactory to me given I'm not obliged to give her squat.
Your thoughts? More generous or tell her to lump it.
Very quickly I would like opinions:
We own a flat which we let out.
We had huge problems with the heating system in the last month which has caused the tenant some inconvenience obviously.
Tenant stayed at home for the day when BG came to flush the sludge. She didn't have to as we have a keyholder nearby who could let BG in. She's also been late for work twice wating for BG to arrive. Again, we have a keyholder.
Now she's b
hing about wanting money off the month's rent as compensation for the inconvenience and loss of earnings. I have offered her £300 as by and large she's a good tenant. This a 1/4 of the months rent and seems satisfactory to me given I'm not obliged to give her squat.Your thoughts? More generous or tell her to lump it.
Sounds more than generous.
I to am a landlord and use British Gas Homecare type service, which came in handy when the tenant wanted the radiators bleeding as they came round and did it free of charge. For me to have done it would've been a 200 mile round trip at the time.
If things in the house break I pay for them to be replaced or fixed but its her responsibility for them to get in the house to do it or she has to live with whatevers broken and agree a suitable time with the repairer.
My thought is that if it was her own heating system in her own home she'd of had to have waited in for BG without recompense so why does she deserve recompensing in this instance. Tenants have to take a degree of responsibility for the home in which they are living, in my opinion.
If you had wanted work done on the property out of choice that she hadn't asked for then fair enough or something caused by serious neglect on your part then maybe.
I to am a landlord and use British Gas Homecare type service, which came in handy when the tenant wanted the radiators bleeding as they came round and did it free of charge. For me to have done it would've been a 200 mile round trip at the time.
If things in the house break I pay for them to be replaced or fixed but its her responsibility for them to get in the house to do it or she has to live with whatevers broken and agree a suitable time with the repairer.
My thought is that if it was her own heating system in her own home she'd of had to have waited in for BG without recompense so why does she deserve recompensing in this instance. Tenants have to take a degree of responsibility for the home in which they are living, in my opinion.
If you had wanted work done on the property out of choice that she hadn't asked for then fair enough or something caused by serious neglect on your part then maybe.
Both landlords and tenants have an equal legal responsibility to ensure that during any adverse weather conditions, that pipes etc. do not freeze, that includes the general maintenance of the heating system.
At the same time, a tenant can refuse entry to the rented property, to either the landlord or an agent acting for the landlord, unless of course there is an emergency.
In this cold snap several of my tenants have conjured up reasons to make complaints, some tenants allowing me access when they are away, others only when they are in attendance.
Last week I had a similar situation/tenant to the tenant in your posting, who only allowed access when the tenant was in attendance, and then verbally attacked the plumber because he was 20 minutes late from the appointed time. My tenant’s original complaint was noising central heating pipes and faulty control timer, plumber found pipe noise not excessive and timer working correctly, with plumber’s assumption being that tenant wants new combi boiler fitted to reduce heating bills.
If a tenant requested financial compensation for being in either attendance for the plumber, or for the failure of the plumber to attend the call out, then I would either ask for proof from the tenant of any loss earnings, expenses etc., or I would ask the tenant if they in the future will be willing to compensate you for false call outs, loss keys, renewal of tenancy agreements, cleaning, gardening etc.
To conclude, unless the circumstances warranted it, I would personally appose any payment, since the same will start a presedence that may escalate in the future.
PS As a landlord do not use BG, find a local reliable gas engineer, that way you will always have the SAME engineer servicing, repairing the heating system.
At the same time, a tenant can refuse entry to the rented property, to either the landlord or an agent acting for the landlord, unless of course there is an emergency.
In this cold snap several of my tenants have conjured up reasons to make complaints, some tenants allowing me access when they are away, others only when they are in attendance.
Last week I had a similar situation/tenant to the tenant in your posting, who only allowed access when the tenant was in attendance, and then verbally attacked the plumber because he was 20 minutes late from the appointed time. My tenant’s original complaint was noising central heating pipes and faulty control timer, plumber found pipe noise not excessive and timer working correctly, with plumber’s assumption being that tenant wants new combi boiler fitted to reduce heating bills.
If a tenant requested financial compensation for being in either attendance for the plumber, or for the failure of the plumber to attend the call out, then I would either ask for proof from the tenant of any loss earnings, expenses etc., or I would ask the tenant if they in the future will be willing to compensate you for false call outs, loss keys, renewal of tenancy agreements, cleaning, gardening etc.
To conclude, unless the circumstances warranted it, I would personally appose any payment, since the same will start a presedence that may escalate in the future.
PS As a landlord do not use BG, find a local reliable gas engineer, that way you will always have the SAME engineer servicing, repairing the heating system.
Edited by Wings on Wednesday 1st December 13:43
Well you can make the offer as purely a gesture of goodwill.
I personally would always prefer the tenant to be present when a plumber etc visits because, if anything goes missing or gets damaged, you'll be the fist to hear of it.
I've only allowed tradesmen to enter a tenanted property specifically by prior agreement with the tenant. This happened a week or so ago, as the tenant was at work and his wife was in London - and the heating had failed - and it was friday afternoon.
I do think your offer is more than generous though. If you've already offered it, I'd be surprised if she doesn't snap your hand off.
What does she do by the way, a brain surgeon, a rocket scientist or a high class hooker? Either way, she won't be £300 out of pocket.....
I personally would always prefer the tenant to be present when a plumber etc visits because, if anything goes missing or gets damaged, you'll be the fist to hear of it.
I've only allowed tradesmen to enter a tenanted property specifically by prior agreement with the tenant. This happened a week or so ago, as the tenant was at work and his wife was in London - and the heating had failed - and it was friday afternoon.
I do think your offer is more than generous though. If you've already offered it, I'd be surprised if she doesn't snap your hand off.
What does she do by the way, a brain surgeon, a rocket scientist or a high class hooker? Either way, she won't be £300 out of pocket.....
Edited by Davel on Wednesday 1st December 16:35
Wings said:
Both landlords and tenants have an equal legal responsibility to ensure that during any adverse weather conditions, that pipes etc. do not freeze, that includes the general maintenance of the heating system.
At the same time, a tenant can refuse entry to the rented property, to either the landlord or an agent acting for the landlord, unless of course there is an emergency.
In this cold snap several of my tenants have conjured up reasons to make complaints, some tenants allowing me access when they are away, others only when they are in attendance.
Last week I had a similar situation/tenant to the tenant in your posting, who only allowed access when the tenant was in attendance, and then verbally attacked the plumber because he was 20 minutes late from the appointed time. My tenant’s original complaint was noising central heating pipes and faulty control timer, plumber found pipe noise not excessive and timer working correctly, with plumber’s assumption being that tenant wants new combi boiler fitted to reduce heating bills.
If a tenant requested financial compensation for being in either attendance for the plumber, or for the failure of the plumber to attend the call out, then I would either ask for proof from the tenant of any loss earnings, expenses etc., or I would ask the tenant if they in the future will be willing to compensate you for false call outs, loss keys, renewal of tenancy agreements, cleaning, gardening etc.
To conclude, unless the circumstances warranted it, I would personally appose any payment, since the same will start a presedence that may escalate in the future.
PS As a landlord do not use BG, find a local reliable gas engineer, that way you will always have the SAME engineer servicing, repairing the heating system.
Wings, your responses to these tenant / landlord questions are always bloody good and well reasoned.At the same time, a tenant can refuse entry to the rented property, to either the landlord or an agent acting for the landlord, unless of course there is an emergency.
In this cold snap several of my tenants have conjured up reasons to make complaints, some tenants allowing me access when they are away, others only when they are in attendance.
Last week I had a similar situation/tenant to the tenant in your posting, who only allowed access when the tenant was in attendance, and then verbally attacked the plumber because he was 20 minutes late from the appointed time. My tenant’s original complaint was noising central heating pipes and faulty control timer, plumber found pipe noise not excessive and timer working correctly, with plumber’s assumption being that tenant wants new combi boiler fitted to reduce heating bills.
If a tenant requested financial compensation for being in either attendance for the plumber, or for the failure of the plumber to attend the call out, then I would either ask for proof from the tenant of any loss earnings, expenses etc., or I would ask the tenant if they in the future will be willing to compensate you for false call outs, loss keys, renewal of tenancy agreements, cleaning, gardening etc.
To conclude, unless the circumstances warranted it, I would personally appose any payment, since the same will start a presedence that may escalate in the future.
PS As a landlord do not use BG, find a local reliable gas engineer, that way you will always have the SAME engineer servicing, repairing the heating system.
Edited by Wings on Wednesday 1st December 13:43
I really like the idea of a gas engineer that is dedicated as no doubt BG will do their best to be as incompetent as possible by sending out a different engineer with a different interpretation of the rules.
Despite Landlords getting a bad name in many instances, I have found (being a landlord) that tenants can sometimes be unreasonable and make life extremely difficult when they want to.
If one of my tenants acted in this way 'demanding compensation' due to ensuring their boiler was fixed, I would seriously consider turfing them out at the end of a tenancy.
It is just something about this kind of attitude that really grips my st.
If one of my tenants acted in this way 'demanding compensation' due to ensuring their boiler was fixed, I would seriously consider turfing them out at the end of a tenancy.
It is just something about this kind of attitude that really grips my s
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