Is This Unreasonable?

Distorted

I own and manage 3 properties, 2 are let to students and beyond general untidyness, are easily enough managed. The other is smaller but causes far more difficulty. Its strange. Its a lovely 2 bedroom flat, in one of the best close to the city centre locations. I set the rent cheap for the area - the reason being that tenants never seem to stay very long there.

Latest one was typical - twenty something female, 6 months lease. Everything fine for the first two months, then the moaning starts. The central heating broke. I booked a plumber. Plumber found it needed a part and booked further appointment for full repair 10 days later. Tenant was told this and had use of an electric shower and fully tested and compliant alternative electric heater in the interim.

Cue her phoning me almost nightly, around 8.30-9.30pm to complain about lack of central heating. Next night she claims its working. Then a bulb bursts and cuts out the main circuit for the lights in the lounge. But there are side lights she can use. I try to explain to her how to push up the tripped fuse in the fuse box, but it is beyond her. So I book an electrician for a few days hence. Then she complains that the alternative bathroom with the electric shower she is using isn't suitable because the lock is broken on the door. First I've heard of it, and since the other tenant is away on holiday, I tell her I don't propose to do anything about it until I can get up there to inspect the flat in a couple of weeks time.

Blesses silence for one night and then a phone call at 9.30pm the next night - she intends to cancel her rental payment due the next day for the month because of the problems in the flat. I tell her I'm not happy with her living there without paying rent and she says she will move out the next day. Now she is gone! Naturally without paying bills...

I will chase her up, thats not the issue. She even left it clean. I just wondered if anyone else gets plagued by these sorts of tenants, who don't respect the fact they have signed a legally binding agreement, who don't realise that things break and who constantly hassle landlords, despite being given a day and time for the thing to be fixed, who basically struggle with being adults living away from home and not having mummy and daddy on call...

Or is just me??!

Cookie_Monster

There are just some people out there like that. A quick search of this forum throws up all kinds of weird and wonderful tenants and landlords.

matrim

TBH if I was a tenant I wouldn't be happy to be without central heating for 10 or more days.
And your attitude to the lock being broken would put me off too. The mix of a seemingly uncaring attitude, heating problems, and being a few days without light, would have me considering moving out too.

In saying that you probably are a decent landlord as you seemed to get someone in to look at the problems quickly but 2 of the most important things in a flat are heat and electricity. Having problems ongoing with both of them at the same time is off putting for any tenant.

Cookie_Monster

when did this happen?
You would not have needed the heating on any time since late Feb to be honest and its only an internal lock, not a big deal at all. We have at least two that don't work and it doesn't matter at all tbh. If external, I would want it fixed immediately though

Distorted

matrim wrote: »

TBH if I was a tenant I wouldn't be happy to be without central heating for 10 or more days.
And your attitude to the lock being broken would put me off too. The mix of a seemingly uncaring attitude, heating problems, and being a few days without light, would have me considering moving out too.

In saying that you probably are a decent landlord as you seemed to get someone in to look at the problems quickly but 2 of the most important things in a flat are heat and electricity. Having problems ongoing with both of them at the same time is off putting for any tenant.

It happened this month, ie August. The tenant was certainly not left without electricity, simply ceiling lights in the living room did not work but there were wall lights which did and a tall highlighter lamp. There was heating provided by a freestanding modern electric heater, although it wasn't cold. I don't think any reasonable person would see a fuse in a circuit breaker being tripped as a problem with the electricity as all modern wiring systems have such a safety device. I guess you could have really old wiring which didn't trip the circuit breaker?

I don't really see what else I could have done. I answered the tenant's phone calls, even though she phoned me in the late evening and on Sundays. I booked a plumber, even though I wasted a call out charge the previous time when there was nothing wrong with the heating. The fuse was flipped up for her in the fuse box by the plumber (whose opinions of her capability I will not repeat), which quite frankly, any responsible adult should be able to do, particularly when someone explains it to her over the phone.

I guess I could have rushed round, held her hand and personally boiled the kettle to make hot water bottles for her, but I'm a landlord and I keep a polite distance with my tenants, simply responding to them quickly. You do however have to sift out the essential complaints from the non-essential. I must admit I find nightly phone calls from a tenant does make me adopt a slightlier icy tone - the unspoken meaning in this case being "I am dealing with it. You have been given a date for the plumber. Please don't harass me over this as you are not suffering any hardship and I am responding as well as anyone can in the circumstances to your demands". I am not a substitute parent.

I've been a landlord for 13 years and in that time I have noticed that tenants seem more and more unable to do simple things for themselves.

matrim

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

when did this happen?
You would not have needed the heating on any time since late Feb to be honest and its only an internal lock, not a big deal at all. We have at least two that don't work and it doesn't matter at all tbh. If external, I would want it fixed immediately though

Regarding the lock, it sounds to me that you rent the 2 rooms separately and therefore the 2 tenants are effectively strangers so this might be why she was concerned about the internal lock. Plus, if she was only going to have to use that shower for say 2 weeks but you wouldn't fix the problem for 3 weeks you are basically just ignoring it.

As for heating, probably not needed but I've lived in places that needed the heating on during August so it can depend on the place.

Although, The tenant does sound like a chore and someone who can't do the most basic thing herself, so I can understand some of your annoyance.

Personally after getting the landlords permission I'd fix simple things myself, e.g. change an internal locks etc, but I have been burned by a landlord before who agreed I could change a lock then when I went looking for my deposit back a few months later complained that I had thrown out the broken lock, so it can be in a tenants best interest to just leave everything to the landlord.

I'd also say you are likely to get more reliable tenants if you rent it as a full apartment rather than 2 rooms. If I rent a room I generally see it a somewhere to stay that I don't have to really care about, whereas if I rent a full place I see it as MY place so I'd care more about the upkeep

Treehouse72

Distorted wrote: »

I own and manage 3 properties, 2 are let to students and beyond general untidyness, are easily enough managed. The other is smaller but causes far more difficulty. Its strange. Its a lovely 2 bedroom flat, in one of the best close to the city centre locations. I set the rent cheap for the area - the reason being that tenants never seem to stay very long there.

Latest one was typical - twenty something female, 6 months lease. Everything fine for the first two months, then the moaning starts. The central heating broke. I booked a plumber. Plumber found it needed a part and booked further appointment for full repair 10 days later. Tenant was told this and had use of an electric shower and fully tested and compliant alternative electric heater in the interim.

Cue her phoning me almost nightly, around 8.30-9.30pm to complain about lack of central heating. Next night she claims its working. Then a bulb bursts and cuts out the main circuit for the lights in the lounge. But there are side lights she can use. I try to explain to her how to push up the tripped fuse in the fuse box, but it is beyond her. So I book an electrician for a few days hence. Then she complains that the alternative bathroom with the electric shower she is using isn't suitable because the lock is broken on the door. First I've heard of it, and since the other tenant is away on holiday, I tell her I don't propose to do anything about it until I can get up there to inspect the flat in a couple of weeks time.

Blesses silence for one night and then a phone call at 9.30pm the next night - she intends to cancel her rental payment due the next day for the month because of the problems in the flat. I tell her I'm not happy with her living there without paying rent and she says she will move out the next day. Now she is gone! Naturally without paying bills...

I will chase her up, thats not the issue. She even left it clean. I just wondered if anyone else gets plagued by these sorts of tenants, who don't respect the fact they have signed a legally binding agreement, who don't realise that things break and who constantly hassle landlords, despite being given a day and time for the thing to be fixed, who basically struggle with being adults living away from home and not having mummy and daddy on call...

Or is just me??!

Mate, I have similar problems. I am a professional swimmer and it is becoming a pain.

> Every time I train I end up soaking wet. It is a total hassle I tell you.
> When I go to work, I am made wear these tiny little trunks, which is a little embarrassing to stand there basically in the nip! I mean, the cheek!
> They also put chlorine in the water and this can hurt my eyes. What's to be done??
> After I've finished work I find that my fingers are all wrinkly and it's unsightly and might damage my fingers long-term. Why does the universe hate me so much??

Honestly, if only there was no water, no swimming trunks, no chlorine and no wrinkled fingers, professional swimming would suit me down to the ground. Sigh.

magentas

Distorted wrote: »

It happened this month, ie August. The tenant was certainly not left without electricity, simply ceiling lights in the living room did not work but there were wall lights which did and a tall highlighter lamp. There was heating provided by a freestanding modern electric heater, although it wasn't cold. I don't think any reasonable person would see a fuse in a circuit breaker being tripped as a problem with the electricity as all modern wiring systems have such a safety device. I guess you could have really old wiring which didn't trip the circuit breaker?

I don't really see what else I could have done. I answered the tenant's phone calls, even though she phoned me in the late evening and on Sundays. I booked a plumber, even though I wasted a call out charge the previous time when there was nothing wrong with the heating. The fuse was flipped up for her in the fuse box by the plumber (whose opinions of her capability I will not repeat), which quite frankly, any responsible adult should be able to do, particularly when someone explains it to her over the phone.

I guess I could have rushed round, held her hand and personally boiled the kettle to make hot water bottles for her, but I'm a landlord and I keep a polite distance with my tenants, simply responding to them quickly. You do however have to sift out the essential complaints from the non-essential. I must admit I find nightly phone calls from a tenant does make me adopt a slightlier icy tone - the unspoken meaning in this case being "I am dealing with it. You have been given a date for the plumber. Please don't harass me over this as you are not suffering any hardship and I am responding as well as anyone can in the circumstances to your demands". I am not a substitute parent.

I've been a landlord for 13 years and in that time I have noticed that tenants seem more and more unable to do simple things for themselves.

You sound an awful lot more responsive than most landlords I've had!
You have a responsibility as a landlord but you seem fair enough.

Just put it down to the fact that a bit of cop-on is lost on some people:rolleyes:

geem

Distorted wrote: »

I own and manage 3 properties, 2 are let to students and beyond general untidyness, are easily enough managed. The other is smaller but causes far more difficulty. Its strange. Its a lovely 2 bedroom flat, in one of the best close to the city centre locations. I set the rent cheap for the area - the reason being that tenants never seem to stay very long there.

Latest one was typical - twenty something female, 6 months lease. Everything fine for the first two months, then the moaning starts. The central heating broke. I booked a plumber. Plumber found it needed a part and booked further appointment for full repair 10 days later. Tenant was told this and had use of an electric shower and fully tested and compliant alternative electric heater in the interim.

Cue her phoning me almost nightly, around 8.30-9.30pm to complain about lack of central heating. Next night she claims its working. Then a bulb bursts and cuts out the main circuit for the lights in the lounge. But there are side lights she can use. I try to explain to her how to push up the tripped fuse in the fuse box, but it is beyond her. So I book an electrician for a few days hence. Then she complains that the alternative bathroom with the electric shower she is using isn't suitable because the lock is broken on the door. First I've heard of it, and since the other tenant is away on holiday, I tell her I don't propose to do anything about it until I can get up there to inspect the flat in a couple of weeks time.

Blesses silence for one night and then a phone call at 9.30pm the next night - she intends to cancel her rental payment due the next day for the month because of the problems in the flat. I tell her I'm not happy with her living there without paying rent and she says she will move out the next day. Now she is gone! Naturally without paying bills...

I will chase her up, thats not the issue. She even left it clean. I just wondered if anyone else gets plagued by these sorts of tenants, who don't respect the fact they have signed a legally binding agreement, who don't realise that things break and who constantly hassle landlords, despite being given a day and time for the thing to be fixed, who basically struggle with being adults living away from home and not having mummy and daddy on call...

Or is just me??!

Seems to me that the difficulties are with the apartment itself - lots of problems. Your response seems inadequate. If you hired a car would you be happy with no heating for over a week, only being able to use 'side lights' as for not fixing the lock on the toilet until you feel like...

What do you think you are being paid for exactly? Your property is your business and it is up to you to maintain it perfectly.

Graces7

Distorted wrote: »

It happened this month, ie August. The tenant was certainly not left without electricity, simply ceiling lights in the living room did not work but there were wall lights which did and a tall highlighter lamp. There was heating provided by a freestanding modern electric heater, although it wasn't cold. I don't think any reasonable person would see a fuse in a circuit breaker being tripped as a problem with the electricity as all modern wiring systems have such a safety device. I guess you could have really old wiring which didn't trip the circuit breaker?

I don't really see what else I could have done. I answered the tenant's phone calls, even though she phoned me in the late evening and on Sundays. I booked a plumber, even though I wasted a call out charge the previous time when there was nothing wrong with the heating. The fuse was flipped up for her in the fuse box by the plumber (whose opinions of her capability I will not repeat), which quite frankly, any responsible adult should be able to do, particularly when someone explains it to her over the phone.

I guess I could have rushed round, held her hand and personally boiled the kettle to make hot water bottles for her, but I'm a landlord and I keep a polite distance with my tenants, simply responding to them quickly. You do however have to sift out the essential complaints from the non-essential. I must admit I find nightly phone calls from a tenant does make me adopt a slightlier icy tone - the unspoken meaning in this case being "I am dealing with it. You have been given a date for the plumber. Please don't harass me over this as you are not suffering any hardship and I am responding as well as anyone can in the circumstances to your demands". I am not a substitute parent.

I've been a landlord for 13 years and in that time I have noticed that tenants seem more and more unable to do simple things for themselves.

If someone has never done this before; they need showing. It is not everyone who can handle dealing with switches like that.
It can be scary.

The first time it happened to us, we insisted the landlord come and show us and do it for us; after that we have managed ourselves.

Maybe you could have suggested that it was the trip switch before calling the plumber?

MistyCheese

OP, I know this post looks like a point-by-point attack by it's not meant that way, I just have a response to numerous points of yours.

Distorted wrote: »

I try to explain to her how to push up the tripped fuse in the fuse box, but it is beyond her.

Some people are afraid to touch fuse boxes, for fear of making a problem worse or even fear of getting a shock.

Distorted wrote: »

I tell her I don't propose to do anything about it until I can get up there to inspect the flat in a couple of weeks time.

If I told a landlord that a lock was broken and they responded with "Well, I'm not going to do anything about it for a couple of weeks." I would be planning my move then.

Distorted wrote: »

Blesses silence for one night and then a phone call at 9.30pm the next night - she intends to cancel her rental payment due the next day for the month because of the problems in the flat.

Maybe then she was planning to move but stayed there until the rent was due. She could have been giving you one more chance to actually fix what was broken.

Distorted wrote: »

these sorts of tenants, who don't respect the fact they have signed a legally binding agreement,

That works both ways. Most leases stipulate that the landlord must keep the place in good repair. Saying you don't propose to fix something for a couple of weeks is not keeping a property in good repair.

Distorted wrote: »

who don't realise that things break and who constantly hassle landlords, despite being given a day and time for the thing to be fixed,

My last landlord had no problem giving dates and times for things to be fixed, the dates and times came and went without him doing anything though.

Distorted wrote: »

Everything fine for the first two months, then the moaning starts.

Dare I say the moaning started because things starting breaking? I'm sorry you're having trouble with the flat but it sounds like the tenants was having problems with it too.

Wolfe Tone

I think people are being a bit harsh on the OP here. He seems an ideal landlord, first of all he answers his phone!(at unreasonable hours too) books things to be fixed when he is told about them. As far as I can see the only thing he did wrong was to put the lock on the long finger(when the other tenant was away on holidays so there was no need for it)

mikemac

You seem a decent landlord even if your tradesmen are pretty slow.

If you book an electrician it shouldn't take a few days to get them to call around.
Lots of electricians out there

It's a two bed apartment.
If the girl was sharing the apartment then a lock on the bathroom isn't an unreasonable request, in fact it's pretty much an assumption that the bathroom will have a lock.

Yes it's an internal lock but she is sharing the flat with another tenant, a lock is needed so why the delay?

Sorry but a few weeks to sort it isn't acceptable.
Edit, though the other tenant was away, I see that point.

lisasimps

just a quick point, I definitely wouldnt be comfortable with using a shower in an unlocked bathroom even f the other tennant was away. Knowing my luck, the other tenants brother / sister / friend etc could have the keys and could be sent around to collect this that or the other so I see her point here.

You do sound like a good enough landlord, but I would definitely agree with someones post above that you would probably get more loyal tenants if you rented the apartment as one unit

Theboinkmaster

Distorted wrote: »

I own and manage 3 properties, 2 are let to students and beyond general untidyness, are easily enough managed. The other is smaller but causes far more difficulty. Its strange. Its a lovely 2 bedroom flat, in one of the best close to the city centre locations. I set the rent cheap for the area - the reason being that tenants never seem to stay very long there.

Latest one was typical - twenty something female, 6 months lease. Everything fine for the first two months, then the moaning starts. The central heating broke. I booked a plumber. Plumber found it needed a part and booked further appointment for full repair 10 days later. Tenant was told this and had use of an electric shower and fully tested and compliant alternative electric heater in the interim.

Cue her phoning me almost nightly, around 8.30-9.30pm to complain about lack of central heating. Next night she claims its working. Then a bulb bursts and cuts out the main circuit for the lights in the lounge. But there are side lights she can use. I try to explain to her how to push up the tripped fuse in the fuse box, but it is beyond her. So I book an electrician for a few days hence. Then she complains that the alternative bathroom with the electric shower she is using isn't suitable because the lock is broken on the door. First I've heard of it, and since the other tenant is away on holiday, I tell her I don't propose to do anything about it until I can get up there to inspect the flat in a couple of weeks time.

Blesses silence for one night and then a phone call at 9.30pm the next night - she intends to cancel her rental payment due the next day for the month because of the problems in the flat. I tell her I'm not happy with her living there without paying rent and she says she will move out the next day. Now she is gone! Naturally without paying bills...

I will chase her up, thats not the issue. She even left it clean. I just wondered if anyone else gets plagued by these sorts of tenants, who don't respect the fact they have signed a legally binding agreement, who don't realise that things break and who constantly hassle landlords, despite being given a day and time for the thing to be fixed, who basically struggle with being adults living away from home and not having mummy and daddy on call...

Or is just me??!

TBH i wouldn't want you as my landlord.

syklops

feelingstressed wrote: »

You seem a decent landlord even if your tradesmen are pretty slow.

If you book an electrician it shouldn't take a few days to get them to call around.
Lots of electricians out there

It's a two bed apartment.
If the girl was sharing the apartment then a lock on the bathroom isn't an unreasonable request, in fact it's pretty much an assumption that the bathroom will have a lock.

Yes it's an internal lock but she is sharing the flat with another tenant, a lock is needed so why the delay?

Sorry but a few weeks to sort it isn't acceptable.
Edit, though the other tenant was away, I see that point.

The fact the other tenant was away is irrelevant. He could come back early. Someone else might have a key and come in, and the landlord has a key and could come in. I am not suggesting the landlord does, but if you are a single female in a shared flat, these are the sort of things that will go through your mind.

I'm a pretty big bloke, but even I feel uncomfortable if there is no lock on the toilet, and/or shower, for the simple reason that those are the places I feel vulnerable.

I don't really see what else I could have done. I answered the tenant's phone calls, even though she phoned me in the late evening and on Sundays.

If she works standard or semi-standard hours, then when would you expect her to call you? Most people are not meant to make or take calls during work hours. If she called you at 1pm when you were having your lunch I suspect you would also be complaining.

I booked a plumber, even though I wasted a call out charge the previous time when there was nothing wrong with the heating. The fuse was flipped up for her in the fuse box by the plumber (whose opinions of her capability I will not repeat), which quite frankly, any responsible adult should be able to do, particularly when someone explains it to her over the phone.

I bet the plumber felt like a big man, telling you how clueless the woman was in the house, ignorant of the fact that if she had not been unwilling to flip the trip switch he wouldn't have gotten the job and the call out fee that goes with it.

To be honest, I dont blame her not wanting to go to the fusebox. Light bulbs go all the time, but its rare enough for them to go, and trip the fuse at the same time. Add that to the central heating which is not working, you might be more inclined to let some one else sort out the fusebox. Especially, if your not confident in that area.

I guess I could have rushed round, held her hand and personally boiled the kettle to make hot water bottles for her, but I'm a landlord and I keep a polite distance with my tenants, simply responding to them quickly.

I suppose it depends on your definition of a quick response. Mine is that it gets dealt with and resolved quickly, not that you simply answer your phone.

You do however have to sift out the essential complaints from the non-essential.

How do you sift them out? Is it a case that, in your opinion a lock on the bathroom door is non-essential? Or that central heating in august is non-essential?

I must admit I find nightly phone calls from a tenant does make me adopt a slightlier icy tone - the unspoken meaning in this case being "I am dealing with it.

Why make it unspoken? Also, actions speak louder than words, it takes 10 minutes to put a lock on a bathroom door. Why not go round to the house and do it for her. Why does it need to take 3 weeks to get it organized?

I've been a landlord for 13 years and in that time I have noticed that tenants seem more and more unable to do simple things for themselves.

I'd say its more a case that tenants have gotten stung a lot more by inexperienced landlords(I dont mean you), who have withheld deposits over tiny things, to the extent that people won't touch anything in the house, instead leaving it to the landlord to sort out. That and the quality of accommodation has gone down while peoples aspirations have gone up.

In my own experience, being a bit of a fixer, I have fixed many things in various houses over the years, and its amazing how difficult it can be to get money out of some landlords to pay just for the parts.

convert

This will probably be an unpopular view, but I can't believe the amount of stick and hassle that the OP is getting.

With all due respects to his tenant, who was probably a nice girl, she sounds like a whingy, moany ***** who complained over the smallest thing. Ok, there's very few tenants out there who have had nothing break or go wrong in a property, myself included. In my time as a tenant, I've had a fridge break, a washing machine die, and the wheel come off a lawnmower. None of them were actually my fault, the appliances were just old, ancient in the case of the lawnmower. I've also had fuses blow, the heating system break, mould grow due to poor ventilation in a bathroom, and leaks caused by shoody building in a top floor apartment. These I accepted because I know that things can and do break or go wrong, and it's not necessarily anybody's fault.

However, it is the landlord's reaction to these issues which is important. From what the OP posted above, it seems like he did take the necessary course of action regarding the heating and the ESB. He arranged for a plumber and electrician to come out and check it. It's not his fault that the heating couldn't be fixed on the spot. Moreover, anywhere I've lived, apartment or house, has not required to have heating on in August. Furthermore, the landlord provided an alternative, so there wasn't really any excuse for the tenant to phone about it every single day.

As for the lock on the door. My friend lived in a mixed house last year and the lock broke on the bathroom door. They contacted the landlord (who lived abroad) about it, and they said they'd do something about it. A month later, still no word, and when they asked if they could either change the lock themselves or arrange for somebody to change it for them, the landlord refused their offer. After about 5 months, the lock was eventually changed. It wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, but it was slightly inconvenient and required people shouting (usually at nobody) before they entered the bathroom (knocking on the door would have opened it!). I'd definitely take the landlord's three weeks over six months!

As for witholding rent rent because the heating and/or electricity wasn't working... I seem to remember a few threads in this forum recommending and promoting such actions....

Oh, and just to clarify, I'm not a landlord, nor ever have been. But I have been a tenant for at least the last ten years.

Ciara22

Im inclined to agree with the OP's opinion. Tenants get away with an awful lot these days, in fact I dont see why anyone would buy a property when you can rent and get the owner to pay for absolutely everything.

Saying that, if you owned your own property, you would need to know how to reset a tripped switch and have the cop on to know that a washing machine is not draining cos theres something stuck in the filter etc etc. If you didnt, then you would learn pretty quick if you were paying the call out fees which are at least €90 before any works begin.

But thats just it. The tenants DONT pay the callout fees (and Im not suggesting that they should) so this means that they dont care what the problem is or how long it takes to get fixed. It also means that they misinform landlords about problems. Ive had tenants tell me the shower was completely broken when they just didnt know they had to pull the ceiling cord and Ive had tenants complain they had no hot water when they didnt switch on the immersion.

Tenants are more and more demanding these days because they know they can just up and leave and find another apartment at a moments notice. And thats just the way it is!

RetroFurniture

I think people are actually being quite unreasonable to the OP.

Was there a lock on the bathroom door when the tenant moved in?
If so then how did it break? If the tenant broke the lock then surely it is their responsibility to fix it as this would be something that would be taken out of their deposit when they leave anyway.

With regards to the electricity and heating, I think these should be fixed as quickly as possible by the landlord although with the lights I think the fact that there was other lighting in the room makes it a lot less urgent.

Tenants need to realize that they are not living in hotels and landlords are not on 24 hour call to their every need. If a major problem occurs outside of normal working hours then tenants must do what any other grown up would and sort the problem and then seek reimbursement from their landlord if the problem was not caused by them.

The law is actually quite ambiguous in this area. If you check the citizen's information website you will find this quote under the Landlord's Responsibilities section;

[Landlord is obliged to]
"Repair and maintain the interior of the property to the standard it was in at the start of the tenancy
Repair and maintain the structure of the property
Reimburse tenants for any repairs they carry out which are your responsibility"
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/housing/renting-a-home/landlords_rights_and_obligations

However if you actually read the Tenancy Act 2004 this is what it says about maintaining the interior;

[Landlord has responsibility to]

"carry out to—
(ii) the interior of the dwelling all such repairs and
replacement of fittings as are, from time to time,
necessary so that that interior and those fittings are
maintained in, at least, the condition in which they
were at the commencement of the tenancy and in
compliance with any such standards for the time
being prescribed,"

Note the words I've underlined.

It also says that tenants must not cause any deterioration to the property beyond normal wear and tear (again ambiguous) and that landlords would not be responsible for such damage.

Tenancy Act here;
http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/acts/2004/a2704.pdf

I work for a company which owns and manages it's own apartments and I do have to deal with complaints that seem quite silly and perhaps people are pushing their luck, on the other hand I see the point that dealing with them is my job and I tend to deal with it on a case by case basis.

The_Morrigan

Ciara22 wrote: »

Im inclined to agree with the OP's opinion. Tenants get away with an awful lot these days, in fact I dont see why anyone would buy a property when you can rent and get the owner to pay for absolutely everything.

Saying that, if you owned your own property, you would need to know how to reset a tripped switch and have the cop on to know that a washing machine is not draining cos theres something stuck in the filter etc etc. If you didnt, then you would learn pretty quick if you were paying the call out fees which are at least €90 before any works begin.

But thats just it. The tenants DONT pay the callout fees (and Im not suggesting that they should) so this means that they dont care what the problem is or how long it takes to get fixed. It also means that they misinform landlords about problems. Ive had tenants tell me the shower was completely broken when they just didnt know they had to pull the ceiling cord and Ive had tenants complain they had no hot water when they didnt switch on the immersion.

Tenants are more and more demanding these days because they know they can just up and leave and find another apartment at a moments notice. And thats just the way it is!

I have to agree - and I've found that people these days are either very lazy or idiotic in relation to real life.
Now I bought a few years ago - but I've been renting since I was 17, and yes I've had to ring Daddie to find out how to reset the trip switch or fiddle with the cistern to stop the toilet running, but that's how I learnt. I've also been electrocuted and had pipes burst, ceilings fall in from heavy rain, and washing machines break down etc and I've had to bare the brunt of the costs and figure out how to fix things and who to call. I might add I've had a lot of these issues before I bought my own place.
There is nothing wrong with a quick call to the landlord stating that something is broken, or something needs to be replaced - receipt is in the post, and is it acceptable to deduct from the next lot of rent etc, but common sense should prevail at all times. The landlord shouldn't be coming out to change lightbulbs or calling an electrician to flip a trip switch, and a landlord is not there for 24/7 callouts, the tenants have a bit of responsibility for the house/room they are renting.

Treehouse72

convert wrote: »

It's not his fault that the heating couldn't be fixed on the spot.

Isn't it? This is my problem with amateur landlords. Many of them are new to it and haven't a clue. Moreover, many of them seem never to have even rented themselves! This is certainly true of many celtic tiger specuvestors.

My last LL was an amateur (I was there 2006-2008 I think). Two days after moving in my hot water went. I rang the LL....and her reply was, "Oh". I could hear down the phone line she hadn't the first baldy notion what to do next. Next day she called to say she'd been ringing round the Yellow Pages and nobody was free for 10 days to come and fix it. I think it took 8 days in the end.

Now, she refunded my rent over that time, so fair dues. Things go wrong, she fronted up, fine. But my point is that being a landlord is a professional commitment. You can't do it half-arsed and hope to have a quiet life. Do it half arsed and take 10 days to fix the heating and you are going to have trouble. That's just how it is. By contrast, an old-school professional landlord would have a bunch of lads to do this work, or would have the competences himself, or would have a contacts book to find the right people right away.

In the OP, the landlord:

> Left the tenant with no central heating for 10 days
> Considered a single electric heater to be a suitable substitution. No mention that this wouldn't heat all the house, nor that these kinds of heater are incredibly expensive to run (does OP know that?).
> From what I can tell, left the tenant with no electricity for several days
> Was unable to visit the house to inspect something that the tenant needed fixing for several weeks.

And people are saying he's a good landlord and the tenant is being unreasonable?

The days of getting something for nothing are over. Being a landlord is hard and you have to work for your money. What OP is describing is having to work for his money. So what's the issue?


Ed: Meant to add, the tenant is totally in the wrong in the manner she broke her lease.

ztoical

Treehouse72 wrote: »

> Left the tenant with no central heating for 10 days
> Considered a single electric heater to be a suitable substitution. No mention that this wouldn't heat all the house, nor that these kinds of heater are incredibly expensive to run (does OP know that?).
> From what I can tell, left the tenant with no electricity for several days
> Was unable to visit the house to inspect something that the tenant needed fixing for several weeks.

My reading of the OP was different. They were left with no central heating due to a part needing to be ordered to fix the problem with the central heating, hardly the LL fault. The LL provided a heater in the middle of what has been a pretty decent August weather wise. They did not say they would take money off the rent for the added cost of the heater but at the same time they didn't say they wouldn't. There is an electric shower in the flat so they weren't left without hot water to wash with. They are sharing the flat and other person is away so they didn't need to heat the whole flat [flat not house] I've had to heat a whole 3 bedroom house with one heater in the middle of January before and didn't ring the landlord every night complaining. It's not always possible to fix things straight away.

They weren't left without power, they had a overhead lights in the sitting room go but had side lights and lamp. They blew a fuse and were unable to flip the trip switch so if they'd no power for a bit it was their own fault. I've shared with people who are total unable to do basic things like flip a trip switch but the LL tired to talk them through it, what were they expected to do? Drive over in the middle of night to do it? There was nothing wrong with the power in the flat, it was just a blown fuse.

Let me ask if a lightbulb goes in a flat would you ring a LL expecting them to come over and change it? Cus from the sound of it some people on this thread seem to think the LL is meant to look after everything.

convert

Distorted wrote: »

The central heating broke. I booked a plumber. Plumber found it needed a part and booked further appointment for full repair 10 days later. Tenant was told this and had use of an electric shower and fully tested and compliant alternative electric heater in the interim.

Going by what the OP posted, it would appear that the landlord phoned a plumber when the heating broke. No less would be expected. The plumber informed the landlord that a new part was required for the system, and said it would be 10 days before it could be replaced.

Unfortunately we don't know whether this was due to the fact that it would take 10 days for the plumber to acquire the necessary part, or whether he was booked up for the remainder of the week.

If, for argument's sake, it is assumed that the delay was due to the time it took to acquire the relevant part, then it wasn't necessarily the landlord's fault. Ok, maybe they could have called another plumber, but it is likely that they would have told him the same thing.

I dont understand how you can claim that the landlord is to blame for the the above, or why you feel is amateurish about that course of action. If I brought my car to a mechanic and he couldn't fix it on the spot because it required new parts (and, yes, it has happened me and family members on numerous occasions), would I blame him and call him amateurish? NO. An amateurish approach, in my opinion, would be me trying to fix my car or the landlord attempting to repair the system himself, causing even more problems for both tenant and landlord, not to mention the fact that it could be potentially dangerous.

There are many landlords out there who would not have provided a heater for the tenant for the duration it took to have the heating replaced.

And what apartment/house needs heating on during the month of August, especially the one we've just had. I lived in a 'cold' house for three years (i.e. it never retained heat, and during sub zero temperatures the heating would have to be on almost constantly in order to stay somewhat warm) and never, ever had to use the heating during the summer. Moreover, if you're cold, put on an extra jumper or hoodie. There's no excuse for a girl wandering around in a string vest top complaining they're cold and that they need the heating on. (I lived with one for 2 years, and she couldn't understand why on earth she should put on a jumper over her, erm, excuse for a top, when she could turn on heating instead! :eek:)

Treehouse72

Ok, I am being harsh. But my main point is that it is bloody ridiculous for a landlord to be whinging about this stuff. Stuff breaks and tenants are flakey. So what? Get over it or sell your properties and stop being a landlord. In addition to which, isn't this hassle and headache precisely what the landlord gets paid to endure? Do landlords expect to just sit back and watch the rent roll in? This is why sensible, professional landlords factor costs and labour into their yield calculations.

astrofool

Treehouse72 wrote: »

Ok, I am being harsh. But my main point is that it is bloody ridiculous for a landlord to be whinging about this stuff. Stuff breaks and tenants are flakey. So what? Get over it or sell your properties and stop being a landlord. In addition to which, isn't this hassle and headache precisely what the landlord gets paid to endure? Do landlords expect to just sit back and watch the rent roll in? This is why sensible, professional landlords factor costs and labour into their yield calculations.

I love how you have this idea that Landlords before the boom were professional, and since the boom and the "amateur" landlords appeared, the standards of landlord'ing of gone downhill.

I'm not a landlord, but the tenant in this case sounds completely useless, if I worked with someone like that, I'd probably be "whinging" about them too. How the hell do people like that exist in the real world?

Distorted

Some clarification here. I'm not an amateur landlord (I'm a qualified solicitor who works in licensing and have been a landlord for 13 years) and I'm not whinging, I'm simply letting off steam. What I find interesting from some of the responses on here is the sheer vitriol against landlords. It seems that they are seen as fair game by some who become almost abusive towards them. Makes you wonder whether these are people who have lost their deposits for breaching tenancy agreements and forever hold a grudge.

Of course this tenant was not left without electricity. Neither was she left without heat or a shower. She did not complain of being cold. The reason I was slightly slow to her complaint about the door lock (which was fully functional a few weeks earlier when she moved in) is that she had phoned me every single night that week already, alternatively telling me that the central heating was broken, no it was working now, it was broken again, it was working, the lights didn't work, etc. Every night there was a new problem. I would book a tradesman for one thing and the next night it was something else. The plumber I booked for 10 days hence will also do general repairs and I became unsure of how genuine her grievances were. My instinct as a landlord was not to encourage her by pandering to her too much. Her complaints were so numerous and her tone mildly hysterical at times. I did not visit immediately myself as I was on holiday at the time, as was the other tenant (whom she also complained about as he did not "help her enough").

It was not possible for the plumber to give an earlier date as the part was not stocked in this country and he had to wait until the manufacturer's agent got more of the part in. The 10 days represented a period in which he was confident that the part would be with him and in which he would be available.

My suspicion is that this tenant was simply not mature enough to cope with living on her own, at the age of 25. Its noticable that her "meltdown" came when the other tenant was away on holiday. I cannot act as someone's substitute parent and deal with issues they may have about lonlieness. What I do know is that tenants are becoming more and more frequently unable to act like independent, responsible adults and are increasingly rude when you are simply doing all that is possible in the circumstances to rectify problems - if it were my own house, it wouldn't have been fixed any quicker.

The law does not justify a tenant withholding their rent if a defect is fixed within a reasonable time. Properties are required to be of a reasonable standard, not a perfect standard. Unfortunately, things do break. It is not always possible for things to be repaired or replaced instantly.

The tenant has now contacted me to say that she made a mistake and wants to move back in. I told her I will think about it but tbh the answer will be no - I am not putting up with someone who withholds their rent every time something breaks, nor with someone who constantly phones and harasses me. I am considering giving the other tenant (who is actually an ideal tenant) notice and remarketing the property as an executive let as an entity at a much higher rent. For the style of property, the location and standard of decor (all the appliances, inc the central heating boiler, are only 18 months old), I could be getting 30-40% more rent. In that case, I don't mind getting such requests to fix things instantly.

copacetic

Distorted wrote: »

Latest one was typical - twenty something female, 6 months lease. Everything fine for the first two months, then the moaning starts. The central heating broke.

tbh, this sentence is the key for me. Complaining that a tenant 'starts moaning' because the heating broke is ludicrous imo.

convert wrote: »

This will probably be an unpopular view, but I can't believe the amount of stick and hassle that the OP is getting.

With all due respects to his tenant, who was probably a nice girl, she sounds like a whingy, moany ***** who complained over the smallest thing. .

It's your opinion but what a pile of rubbish, 'the smallest thing'?, the heating was broken. The apartment appears to be in poor repair, with constant problems for tenants and a landlord who just wants them to keep their mouth shut when things break. The problem isn't the tenants it's the state of the place.

Wolfe Tone

Instead of turfing the other tenant out, ask them if they want to get in someone they know?

convert

copacetic wrote: »

It's your opinion but what a pile of rubbish, 'the smallest thing'?,

A door handle/lock, in my opinion, is the smallest thing, unless, of course, it is an outside lock.

At 25 she should be more than capable of contacting the landlord to let them know that the lock is broken, and ask them if they would like her to buy a lock to replace it (and take the cost out of the rent), or if they would like to arrange it themselves.

Heating > lock therefore the lock is 'the smallest thing'

Distorted

No, its not in poor repair at all. What an utterly bizarre thing to suggest - do you have difficulties with your sentence interpretation? It has such new wiring that it seems that if a light bulb bursts, it trips the circuit so as to minimise any risk of fire. Depends on what you term "problems" I guess. A tripped fuse is not most people's idea of a "problem", unless you are being delibately inflammatory. Broken central heating is but if someone can invent an apartment in which nothing ever breaks and needs repair, they will make a fortune. Can I also point out that one of the above posters, who referred to the good old days of "professional landlords" (one has to question that definition) and of having a "bunch of lads to sort things out" is being anything but professional in suggesting using unqualified tradesmen to work on things such as gas and electricity. I never heard such an amateruish response in my life and I suggest that landlord updates his knowledge on current safety regulations.

Can I also point out that this tenant informed me that she would be ceasing payment of rent and moving out FOUR DAYS into the central heating failure. The reference to ten days is the total period that she would have been inconvenienced, had she waited for the due date.

copacetic

Distorted wrote: »

No, its not in poor repair at all. What an utterly bizarre thing to suggest - do you have difficulties with your sentence interpretation? It has such new wiring that it seems that if a light bulb bursts, it trips the circuit so as to minimise any risk of fire. Depends on what you term "problems" I guess. A tripped fuse is not most people's idea of a "problem", unless you are being delibately inflammatory. Broken central heating is but if someone can invent an apartment in which nothing ever breaks and needs repair, they will make a fortune. Can I also point out that one of the above posters, who referred to the good old days of "professional landlords" (one has to question that definition) and of having a "bunch of lads to sort things out" is being anything but professional in suggesting using unqualified tradesmen to work on things such as gas and electricity. I never heard such an amateruish response in my life and I suggest that landlord updates his knowledge on current safety regulations.

Can I also point out that this tenant informed me that she would be ceasing payment of rent and moving out FOUR DAYS into the central heating failure. The reference to ten days is the total period that she would have been inconvenienced, had she waited for the due date.

Well my interpretation was that you were complaining of having constant trouble with the tenants of this apartment and not with the tenants of your others. Then you lists a number of problems with the apartment, my guess is that the previously problems were also tenants 'moaning' about these problems.

Resolve the problems - no issue with tenants, seems easy to me.

A light blub blowing doesn't 'trip the cct' to stop the risk of fire. It's indicative of poor electrics install.

iguana

ztoical wrote: »

They blew a fuse and were unablewilling to flip the trip switch so if they'd no power for a bit it was their own fault.

FYP:P

I'm honestly amazed at all of the people who wouldn't flip the trip switch in case it's dangerous. It's no more dangerous than switching on a light. I understand the tenant not knowing how to do it but refusing to after being told how to is her own fault. If anything the OP was a bit of a mug paying an electrician to come out for such a ridiculous job.

Distorted

copacetic wrote: »

Well my interpretation was that you were complaining of having constant trouble with the tenants of this apartment and not with the tenants of your others. Then you lists a number of problems with the apartment, my guess is that the previously problems were also tenants 'moaning' about these problems.

Resolve the problems - no issue with tenants, seems easy to me.

A light blub blowing doesn't 'trip the cct' to stop the risk of fire. It's indicative of poor electrics install.

The only problem (the central heating) has been resolved. As I say, if someone can invent the apartment in which nothing ever breaks, they will make a fortune.

And it is perfectly normal for a light bulb blowing the mini circuit breaker on the lighting circuit in the fuse box. Its a safeguard against fire, and all new wiring systems must now have it in place. It is annoying, but I can hardly take the wiring out and install old dodgy wiring! It was all done in accordance to building regulations 18 months ago and is fully PAT tested and in perfect condition. There is no fault with it. It does exactly what it is intended to do.

As for the problems I've been having with this apartment, my solution is actually to go upmarket with it and market it as an executive let.

syklops

A light blub blowing doesn't 'trip the cct' to stop the risk of fire. It's indicative of poor electrics install.

Correct.

I'm honestly amazed at all of the people who wouldn't flip the trip switch in case it's dangerous. It's no more dangerous than switching on a light. I understand the tenant not knowing how to do it but refusing to after being told how to is her own fault. If anything the OP was a bit of a mug paying an electrician to come out for such a ridiculous job.

If the light is not wired up correctly, and it blowing causes the fusebox to trip, then I can understand why the tenant would be reluctant to touch the fusebox.

Graces7

iguana wrote: »

FYP:P

I'm honestly amazed at all of the people who wouldn't flip the trip switch in case it's dangerous. It's no more dangerous than switching on a light. I understand the tenant not knowing how to do it but refusing to after being told how to is her own fault. If anything the OP was a bit of a mug paying an electrician to come out for such a ridiculous job.

Hmmm. To be faced with the control panel is a facer, frankly. The first time it happened to us we made the LL come and SHOW us. After that, fine. Wariness of the unknown is not ridiculous.

One thing occurs to me; that these days many more are having to rent and are not used to it.

If they have lived at home, then they will not have learned to do these jobs, any more than many have been taught to cook, clean, sew, knit etc.

Not their fault; the age we live in.

Us old ones have had a more basic education.

This old house has many small issues; we knew that when we took it and will sort some ourselves or with the help of friends; because we are used to doing that.

Osgoodisgood

Graces7 wrote: »

One thing occurs to me; that these days many more are having to rent and are not used to it.

If they have lived at home, then they will not have learned to do these jobs, any more than many have been taught to cook, clean, sew, knit etc.

Not their fault; the age we live in.

The alternative to renting is presumably to buy? In which case they would have to learn how to deal with things themselves anyway.

In any case the LL is not there to provide surrogate mammy services.

Graces7

Osgoodisgood wrote: »

The alternative to renting is presumably to buy? In which case they would have to learn how to deal with things themselves anyway.

In any case the LL is not there to provide surrogate mammy services.

Ah, you are a LL..

And expecting things you pay for to work is hardly "mammy services". And being mocked for being careful re electricity is also not that.

It would be the attitude of the LL that led to the sudden leaving..

Many do not have the ability/means to buy, especially not the younger ones.

The_Morrigan

Graces7 wrote: »

[/B]

Ah, you are a LL..

And expecting things you pay for to work is hardly "mammy services". And being mocked for being careful re electricity is also not that.

It would be the attitude of the LL that led to the sudden leaving..

Many do not have the ability/means to buy, especially not the younger ones.

Graces7 I'm not a landlord and I agree with the OP & Osgoodisgood and plenty others on here who don't think that a landlord should be available 24/7 or should be a substitute parent.
I'm also not "old" and can very much fend for myself, if I can't I call out a workman or ring my parents, the guys that live next door etc - When I was renting I rarely rang the landlord over stupid things unless it was a last resort that I couldn't sort out myself - and even when it was a major thing I'd just put in a call saying here last night about 10pm the washing machine started to leak we had to call out a plumber immediately, can we come to some sort of arrangement regarding the next lot of rent etc. Because I didn't harrass them everything a lightbulb needed changing or the radiators needed to be bled they were quite amicable.
The OP did all the necessary and the tenant wasn't left without essentiallys - ok the lock on the door was inconvenient, but the Landlord was on holidays.

I mean flip this - would the tenant be happy & content if the landlord was always contacting them to make sure everything was working and calling in every day to make sure the place was in tip top condition? I think not, they'd be calling the PRTB and Threshold and would be on here whinging about the landlord giving them no peace!

the_syco

Treehouse72 wrote: »

> They also put chlorine in the water and this can hurt my eyes. What's to be done??

Chlorine or piss does not hurt your eyes. Mix them together, however, and they will.

=-=

OP seems to be a decent landlord. Have rented in a few places, and when something breaks, and we can't fix it, we would then goto the LL.

Graces7 wrote: »

If they have lived at home, then they will not have learned to do these jobs, any more than many have been taught to cook, clean, sew, knit etc.

Not their fault; the age we live in.

Yes it is. If they're too lazy to cook and clean how is it not their fault? Also, not able to clean? WTF?

Graces7 wrote: »

Us old ones have had a more basic education.

Us young 'uns have access to a lot more info, provided we look for it.

Distorted

syklops wrote: »

Correct.



If the light is not wired up correctly, and it blowing causes the fusebox to trip, then I can understand why the tenant would be reluctant to touch the fusebox.

This light is most definately wired up correctly. It is because it meets the most current regulations that the circuit breaker is activated when a bulb bursts. Are all of the rest of you dealing with really old or incorrectly installed wiring or something that this is novel? When you are talking about wiring being shoddily done, please know what you are talking about, although how you can identify from the information given a star circuit being used when a mains is required or wires gathered together and taped up with sellotape, both examples of which my electrician has corrected in another property, I would be interested to know.

The other tenants in this flat who left before their lease was up did not do so because of the central heating - this is the first time it has broken. They left because of:
- buying another flat (2 of them, perfectly reasonable, gave full notice period, sorry to lose them as tenants)
- moving in with boyfriend (x 2, asked to excused from the full notice period, to which I reluctantly agreed, as they at least asked and were struggling for money)
- moved city (x 2 ditto above scenario)
- gave up job, tried to unsuccessfully seduce fellow tenant who left shortly afterwards, became obsessed about every minute detail of the property and rude and abusive to me on the phone, evicted her after getting a call on Christmas Eve telling me to install a new kitchen tap as she didn't like the old one and drainage grooves on the kitchen worktop)
- moved in with girlfriend following above

Not complaining, just outlining and a little bit fed up of tenants wafting in and out of my apartment for 3 months on a whim. As I say, I think (as previously suggested) the way forward is to let it as a two bedroom unit, and I don't think a more expensive rent will deter a good quality of tenant either.

Distorted

As a result of all of this, I am considering introducing monthly checks on all my properties. I wondered how often the rest of you check? I don't really like the idea as I consider it a bit intrusive, but if you inform the tenants in advance, it would appear to give them less chance to complain. It seems that most young people are now unable to go a month without needing some form of help, so I might as well pre-empt it and at least check basic things such as whether they have broken the hoover yet and whether they are able to use keys to lock the external doors.

Although it will not deter some of the more "interesting" phone calls I've had - "wheres the nearest supermarket?", "who do I ring to sort out broadband?" and of course the quite wonderful "Do you know which bus I can get to take me to ..."!

The_Morrigan

Distorted wrote: »

Although it will not deter some of the more "interesting" phone calls I've had - "wheres the nearest supermarket?", "who do I ring to sort out broadband?" and of course the quite wonderful "Do you know which bus I can get to take me to ..."!

Mother of God - please tell me you are kidding....

ztoical

Distorted wrote: »

As a result of all of this, I am considering introducing monthly checks on all my properties. I wondered how often the rest of you check? I don't really like the idea as I consider it a bit intrusive, but if you inform the tenants in advance, it would appear to give them less chance to complain. It seems that most young people are now unable to go a month without needing some form of help, so I might as well pre-empt it and at least check basic things such as whether they have broken the hoover yet and whether they are able to use keys to lock the external doors.

Although it will not deter some of the more "interesting" phone calls I've had - "wheres the nearest supermarket?", "who do I ring to sort out broadband?" and of course the quite wonderful "Do you know which bus I can get to take me to ..."!

Monthly check would be very OTT if you ask me. You say you don't want to be mammy to people yet going in ever month to check the place is coming across as doing just that. Only time I ever had monthly checks of a porperty was when living in college dorms in the states and I quickly moved out. Anything more then ever 3 months is considered too much and you won't find many people who will put up with monthly checks, I certainly wouldn't.

ztoical

Graces7 wrote: »

If they have lived at home, then they will not have learned to do these jobs, any more than many have been taught to cook, clean, sew, knit etc.

Not their fault; the age we live in.

Eh not the LL fault either if people aren't able to look after themsevles.

I've shared with some people over the years who hadn't a clue about basic maintence but have never called a LL to fix their own ignorance. I once came home after a two day trip to find the power out and my flatmate sitting in the dark. Power had been out for over a day but flatemate hadn't a clue what to do, thankfully they hadn't called the LL and I just walked out and flipped the switch. There are some basic household things you really should be able to do yourself no excuses. I've moved into properties and had no clue how to turn the boiler on but a 5 min search of the internet and woohoo boiler on.

Again I ask do you expect LL to come change lightbulbs if they go? I find changing lightbulbs alot more off putting then fliping a trip switch, your very close to actual eletricity and often times can't remeber if the power is on or off cus you flipped the light switch a couple of times when you came home. No one ever showed me how to changed a lightbulb but it needed changing so I figured it out, certainly wasn't going to be ringing the LL to deal with something like that.

Renting for nearly 14 years and can count on one hand the amount of times I've had to call a LL [main one being when the flat above ours flooded]

mikemac

A monthly check is way too much, I'd be handing you my notice if I had to see you every month.
But then I think I've talked to my landlord about four times in the last two years.
We don't talk to each other, it's the perfect relationship

The_Morrigan wrote: »

Because I didn't harrass them everything a lightbulb needed changing or the radiators needed to be bled they were quite amicable.

Good for you, I wouldn't have a clue how to do that with radiators.
I'd need someone to talk me through it and realy, if you don't know how it's not unreasonable to call the landlord over this.

The_Morrigan

feelingstressed wrote: »

Good for you, I wouldn't have a clue how to do that with radiators.
I'd need someone to talk me through it and realy, if you don't know how it's not unreasonable to call the landlord over this.

Well I learnt when I didn't get any heat out of a rad in a house I was renting years ago - and I rang my Dad. He sent me off to the local hardware store to buy a key, with an instruction to ring him back when I got it...and so the learning curve began.

D3PO

feelingstressed wrote: »

, I wouldn't have a clue how to do that with radiators.
I'd need someone to talk me through it and realy, if you don't know how it's not unreasonable to call the landlord over this.

Its not unreasonable but equally its something you could easily google. Personally speaking I think this thread shows that a lot of people expect a lot off landlords more I suggest than they should.

case in point. I had a flashing amber light on my alarm control box. Im no electrician but instead of calling one guess what I googled the problem and found out how to see the error log on the alarm and found the error.

a further seach showed it was due to the power cut we had during the recent lighting storm it was jsut an error to indicate battery power had been initited. and voila a third search showed me how to clear the error.

And in 5 mins I had sorted it. Now i could have been lazy and rang an alarm company or an electrician but I chose to take the responsible rather than lazy route.

Graces7

D3PO wrote: »

Its not unreasonable but equally its something you could easily google. Personally speaking I think this thread shows that a lot of people expect a lot off landlords more I suggest than they should.

case in point. I had a flashing amber light on my alarm control box. Im no electrician but instead of calling one guess what I googled the problem and found out how to see the error log on the alarm and found the error.

a further seach showed it was due to the power cut we had during the recent lighting storm it was jsut an error to indicate battery power had been initited. and voila a third search showed me how to clear the error.

And in 5 mins I had sorted it. Now i could have been lazy and rang an alarm company or an electrician but I chose to take the responsible rather than lazy route.

Great; but not everyone has that kind of ability.

And not everyone has the internet either.

And not every LL would want an amateur messing around.

When I owned my own house, there was a leak in the kitchen and I could not get a plumber it being Saturday evening.

So I did google the problem; and learned that the waste pipe had come loose after vigorous cleaning. I had to cut the hardboard at the back away with a bread knife ( most of us have no tools) to access it and replace it.

But that is how I work; others were incredulous.

Had I been in rented accommodation yes I would have called the LL. As I did later in my life when the boiler burst.

Maintenance is his job not mine.

iguana

syklops wrote: »

If the light is not wired up correctly, and it blowing causes the fusebox to trip, then I can understand why the tenant would be reluctant to touch the fusebox.

Flipping a trip switch isn't "touching the fuse box" anymore than flipping a light switch is moving the electric wires to create a circuit. It's the outcome of your action but all you are doing is moving a plastic, non-conducting switch. If there is a bigger problem the switch won't stay in place and then it would be reasonable to expect an electrician to be called out. Nobody is expecting the tenant to fix an electrical problem but flipping a trip switch is no more difficult or dangerous than switching on a light.

ztoical

Graces7 wrote: »

[/B]


Great; but not everyone has that kind of ability.

And not everyone has the internet either.

And not every LL would want an amateur messing around.

When I owned my own house, there was a leak in the kitchen and I could not get a plumber it being Saturday evening.

So I did google the problem; and learned that the waste pipe had come loose after vigorous cleaning. I had to cut the hardboard at the back away with a bread knife ( most of us have no tools) to access it and replace it.

But that is how I work; others were incredulous.

Had I been in rented accommodation yes I would have called the LL. As I did later in my life when the boiler burst.

Maintenance is his job not mine.

There is a massive difference between a roof leeking or a boiler busting and the trip switch going! For the former you should be getting proper professionals in to deal with the issue to have it done correctly and for insurance reasons. Someone calling a landlord because they don't know how to flip the trip switch and refusing to do it even when talked through it over the phone by the LL is frankly silly and I would have hung up on them. If they were without power it was their own fault, they'd been told how to fix it, they refused, though for them. A trip switch going is a very basic thing and not something any sane person would called an electrican for. Again do you expect a LL to come change lightbulbs or set the clock on the cooker? Seriously who the hell sees a trip switch going as a maintence issue? If it kept happening then yes there's a bigger issue that someone needs to look at but lots of things can cause a trip switch to go and it takes all of two mins to go flip it back.

iguana

ztoical wrote: »

Someone calling a landlord because they don't know how to flip the trip switch and refusing to do it even when talked through it over the phone by the LL is frankly silly and I would have hung up on them.

Calling the landlord is fair enough as not everyone will know about them. I grew up in an older house that didn't have trip switches and the first time I learned about them was when I was babysitting my cousin and the electricity went out downstairs. (When a bulb blew). I had to call my aunt and uncle who told me what to do. If I hadn't had that experience I wouldn't have known to check it the first time it happened to me once I moved out.

Advice for non-handy people. If the switch won't go back into place it's most likely a faulty electrical item rather than bad wiring which is causing the problem. Before you call for help unplug every electrical item in the area with no power then try the switch again. If the switch goes back into place this time then one of the items you've unplugged is causing the problem. Re-flip the switch and plug each item in one by one, testing the trip switch after each item. When you plug the faulty item back in the switch won't go back into place and you will know that the problem is either that item or that powerpoint. To test this you can plug the item in at another socket and test the trip switch again. If it switches for you the problem is the powerpoint, if it doesn't the problem is the item.

If it's the item it's worth checking that the plug is properly wired. If the live and neutral wires are touching that will be the cause of the shortage. You should also check the fuse in the plug. If that doesn't fix the item and it's yours you can choose to throw it out or get it repaired. If it's the landlord's item call him/her and let them know.

I know you might be thinking why should you do this but it's in your own best interests. It will take you no more than 15 minutes to identify the problem and have your electricity back. Much faster than even the most diligent landlord can possibly have an electrician around to you. You can also identify what the problem is and instead of calling the LL, waiting for an electrician having him/her identify that the problem is the fridge, for example. Then call the LL to say the fridge isn't working, then have to wait for someone to come and repair the fridge. You can identify that the fridge has a problem and tell the LL immediately so you only have to wait for one professional not two.

It's in your own best interests to be able to do routine maintenance.