Landlord, Agent or Tenants problem?
Discussion
No one in our family has ever rented before so this is all new to us. My daughter and family have just rented a pleasant flat which had been previously vacant for a couple of months between tenants.
Got keys and there were a number of small issues like the water had been turned off but we were unable to get it on again, light switch not working etc. but also that the fridge freezer and washing machine had been damp when the property was cleaned/vacated and then the doors were shut rather than leaving open to air. The Fridge & freezer both had mould which I was able to clean away and appears to be ok but the washing machine is really musty and we've tried several boil washes with and without stuff to try to remove the smell but it persists.
Now we do not want to upset the landlord so early in the tenancy but having reported this to the Agents they have responded that they will speak to the landlord but are not sure what they can do.
When my daughter got the keys and did the initially inventory check it was noted that the previous tenant had left behind a number of (quite a lot in fact)possessions which we have since disposed of as instructed although I'm annoyed the flat wasn't sufficiently checked by the Agents on departure and that it was checked to be empty. Someone had turned the water off so why was the doors to the appliances not left ajar as I'd have expected that to be standard practice for a Lettings Agent to make sure they were aired and dry after a few weeks.
As I say I do not want to upset the landlord as my daughter would like to stay there for quite a few years and the landlord has already paid out to get the carpets cleaned because they were dirty and fix a number of other small items but surely in my opinion this is poor service to the landlord by the Agents that the property wasn't properly checked by them when the last tenant moved out and prepared correctly for the new tenant? I seriously dispute that it had an end of tenancy clean as surely if it had the items left behind would have been found/removed and the carpets would have been cleaned.
Got keys and there were a number of small issues like the water had been turned off but we were unable to get it on again, light switch not working etc. but also that the fridge freezer and washing machine had been damp when the property was cleaned/vacated and then the doors were shut rather than leaving open to air. The Fridge & freezer both had mould which I was able to clean away and appears to be ok but the washing machine is really musty and we've tried several boil washes with and without stuff to try to remove the smell but it persists.
Now we do not want to upset the landlord so early in the tenancy but having reported this to the Agents they have responded that they will speak to the landlord but are not sure what they can do.
When my daughter got the keys and did the initially inventory check it was noted that the previous tenant had left behind a number of (quite a lot in fact)possessions which we have since disposed of as instructed although I'm annoyed the flat wasn't sufficiently checked by the Agents on departure and that it was checked to be empty. Someone had turned the water off so why was the doors to the appliances not left ajar as I'd have expected that to be standard practice for a Lettings Agent to make sure they were aired and dry after a few weeks.
As I say I do not want to upset the landlord as my daughter would like to stay there for quite a few years and the landlord has already paid out to get the carpets cleaned because they were dirty and fix a number of other small items but surely in my opinion this is poor service to the landlord by the Agents that the property wasn't properly checked by them when the last tenant moved out and prepared correctly for the new tenant? I seriously dispute that it had an end of tenancy clean as surely if it had the items left behind would have been found/removed and the carpets would have been cleaned.
Sod that...
Its the LL vs Agents problem... My tenants reported mold in the washing machine filter and I just replaced it, what am I going to make the tenants do? Live with a washing machine, etc that could damage clothes.
If its bulbs and stuff like that, then they should have been spotted either by the check in person with the tenant present or if they both missed them, just get them replaced yourself.
Issues like white goods that are mold-ridden, no thats not their problem, its the LL's issue and they will sort it and b
k the agency and quite rightly.
Its the LL vs Agents problem... My tenants reported mold in the washing machine filter and I just replaced it, what am I going to make the tenants do? Live with a washing machine, etc that could damage clothes.
If its bulbs and stuff like that, then they should have been spotted either by the check in person with the tenant present or if they both missed them, just get them replaced yourself.
Issues like white goods that are mold-ridden, no thats not their problem, its the LL's issue and they will sort it and b
k the agency and quite rightly.But my worry is that as we cannot contact the Landlord directly the Agent might be inferring we are being fussy and beginning to be a pain. As I say my daughter would like to stay there for a number of years and is keen to keep the place nice but I'm really worried that come the end of the first year she might be managed out because of these issues we are raising with a large increase in rent.
I just think it's the Agents fault and they shouldn't even be contacting the landlord as they have been paid by the landlord to see old tenants out and new ones in with and remedial work carried out prior to the new letting.
I just think it's the Agents fault and they shouldn't even be contacting the landlord as they have been paid by the landlord to see old tenants out and new ones in with and remedial work carried out prior to the new letting.
solo2 said:
But my worry is that as we cannot contact the Landlord directly the Agent might be inferring we are being fussy and beginning to be a pain. As I say my daughter would like to stay there for a number of years and is keen to keep the place nice but I'm really worried that come the end of the first year she might be managed out because of these issues we are raising with a large increase in rent.
I just think it's the Agents fault and they shouldn't even be contacting the landlord as they have been paid by the landlord to see old tenants out and new ones in with and remedial work carried out prior to the new letting.
True but if the white goods have issues like mold, its the LL that authorises the buying of new goods.I just think it's the Agents fault and they shouldn't even be contacting the landlord as they have been paid by the landlord to see old tenants out and new ones in with and remedial work carried out prior to the new letting.
Try as much cleaning as possible, but if it still smells, then leave it in the agents hands and if they start dragging, tell them you will send them a bill for any incurred costs whilst the goods are not usable.
You have no experience of renting and you've invented a possible panic scenario which is a massive over reaction on the landlord's part to perfectly reasonable requests (if the requests are to get the washing machine sorted and other small items.
Ask yourself a simple question: If you were the landlord would you chuck someone out after a year who had paid their rent on time every time and not been a pain for the rest of the 12 months over a really small issue at the beginning of the tenancy? The answer is bound to be no, so why are you inventing anything else?
Forget the pointless whining about what "should have been done, surely" and just ask for what you NEED. Then move on and forget all about it.
Ask yourself a simple question: If you were the landlord would you chuck someone out after a year who had paid their rent on time every time and not been a pain for the rest of the 12 months over a really small issue at the beginning of the tenancy? The answer is bound to be no, so why are you inventing anything else?
Forget the pointless whining about what "should have been done, surely" and just ask for what you NEED. Then move on and forget all about it.
She may well like the place, but the issues she has a perfectly valid ones, and if the people she's paying decide to act like petulant children over them at some later date, does she really want them as agents/landlord?
If she's as good a tenant as you say, then they'd be cutting off their nose to spite their face by wanting her out over such things.
If she's as good a tenant as you say, then they'd be cutting off their nose to spite their face by wanting her out over such things.
[quote=Pothole]You have no experience of renting and you've invented a possible panic scenario which is a massive over reaction on the landlord's part to perfectly reasonable requests (if the requests are to get the washing machine sorted and other small items.
Ask yourself a simple question: If you were the landlord would you chuck someone out after a year who had paid their rent on time every time and not been a pain for the rest of the 12 months over a really small issue at the beginning of the tenancy? The answer is bound to be no, so why are you inventing anything else?
Forget the pointless whining about what "should have been done, surely" and just ask for what you NEED. Then move on and forget all about it.[/quote
^^^^^Agree, and why i now let property with just a cooker,no washing machine,fridge etc. etc.
I had a similar situation to the OP, letting a flat once to three females, with their complaint following of black spots on their washing machine "whites". I did a number of hot washes, white vinegar, baking soda, even replacing washing machine door seal,but still the black spots kept appearing on their washed "whites". I ended up going out and buying an auction John Lewis as new returned (scratched) washing machine for £75.
As a footnote, whilst the smell might appear to be from the washing machine, door seal, filter etc., it could also be due to "still" water in the washing machines waste pipe.
Ask yourself a simple question: If you were the landlord would you chuck someone out after a year who had paid their rent on time every time and not been a pain for the rest of the 12 months over a really small issue at the beginning of the tenancy? The answer is bound to be no, so why are you inventing anything else?
Forget the pointless whining about what "should have been done, surely" and just ask for what you NEED. Then move on and forget all about it.[/quote
^^^^^Agree, and why i now let property with just a cooker,no washing machine,fridge etc. etc.
I had a similar situation to the OP, letting a flat once to three females, with their complaint following of black spots on their washing machine "whites". I did a number of hot washes, white vinegar, baking soda, even replacing washing machine door seal,but still the black spots kept appearing on their washed "whites". I ended up going out and buying an auction John Lewis as new returned (scratched) washing machine for £75.
As a footnote, whilst the smell might appear to be from the washing machine, door seal, filter etc., it could also be due to "still" water in the washing machines waste pipe.
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