Advise on tenants rights/options - construction work disruption

RIALTO1

I am currently renting a house which has started to show dampness/moisture in the walls downstairs. The plumber has been called by the letting agency, and has just told me that it is a major job to fix, involving builders etc. He said he doesn't think we could live in the house during the work, as it would cause major disruption to us.

Would appreciate some advise on what my options are here (don't have access to my lease agreement at the moment and hoping to be prepared before speaking with the letting agency)

TIA

djimi

If the work required is substantial enough that you would not be able to live in the property then the landlord can issue notice and move to terminate the lease for this reason under the part 4 tenancy rights. However, I believe that they are obliged to offer you first refuasal to re-let once the work has been carried out.

How long would the work take to complete? The best course of action might be to talk to the landlord and try and reach a compromise regarding alternative accomodation for the duration (they might have another property that you could use, or they could come to an arrangement to allow you to use rent money to cover the cost of a hotel or whatever for the time of the work, provided it wasnt going to take weeks to complete).

RIALTO1

djimi wrote: »

If the work required is substantial enough that you would not be able to live in the property then the landlord can issue notice and move to terminate the lease for this reason under the part 4 tenancy rights. However, I believe that they are obliged to offer you first refuasal to re-let once the work has been carried out.

How long would the work take to complete? The best course of action might be to talk to the landlord and try and reach a compromise regarding alternative accomodation for the duration (they might have another property that you could use, or they could come to an arrangement to allow you to use rent money to cover the cost of a hotel or whatever for the time of the work, provided it wasnt going to take weeks to complete).

Thanks for that. I believe it is difficult for them to determine exactly how long it would take at this point. The plumber guesstimated 1-2 weeks. I had thought about the alternative accomodation alright. I don't believe that the landlord has any other property. If we go down the hotel route, do you think inconvience payment would be a possibility? For example additioanl costs due to no cooking/washing facilities?

djimi

I think if you are talking about a hotel for a number of weeks then there isnt really much of a chance of the landlord agreeing to it (considering a weeks worth of hotel bills could quite easily amount to close to a months rent).

RIALTO1

djimi wrote: »

I think if you are talking about a hotel for a number of weeks then there isnt really much of a chance of the landlord agreeing to it (considering a weeks worth of hotel bills could quite easily amount to close to a months rent).

Yeah fair point. Will see how we go. Thanks.

Pawwed Rig

You mentioned a letting agent. They may have properties that are idle where you could move in for a few weeks. Worth asking the question, alternatively if you are in a low demand rental area there may be the opportunity to approach another LL about short term lertting