Rent increase to pay for new windows?

Rent increase to pay for new windows?

10:46 AM, 25th April 2016, About 8 years ago 7

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After 7 years of damp mouldy windows the landlord has finally replaced them, but then wants to put rent up to pay for them. I sought advice and found lots of legal things he hadn’t done correctly. new windows

He had missed 4 gas checks, no electric certificate, no energy performance certificate and hadn’t protected my bond.

We agreed that once all was in place and he served a section 13 I would pay an extra £10 per week fixed for 3 years. He is working on them, but today 22/04/2016 issued a new tenancy with the increased rent nothing in it to say fixed for 3 yrs.

I have become a statutory periodic tenant and I was under the impression he had to serve a section 13 first to increase the rent?

Many thanks

Michelle


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Comments

Gary Dully

16:25 PM, 25th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Michelle,
How should your landlord pay for the windows?

Tenants pay for everything that a landlord does, don't they?

You appear, on the face of it, not to have had a rent increase for seven years.

If that is true, what are the rents for your property type in the area that you live in?

Are they higher or lower?

As for the Gas Safety certificates, now that you know that they are required, have you asked for one?
if not - ask for one in writing, upon any refusal - tell the Environmental Health Officer.
EPC certificate - same again.
Deposit Protection - ask for deposit certificate, when your tenancy is renewed, if not available - report it to the council.

Electrical Certificates are not yet mandatory, but when they are, you can expect another rent rise as it won't be up to current standards, (they never are).

Your Landlord appears to be an amateur, bumbling along, but you have rights to an annual gas safety inspection and an EPC certificate Etc.

Is your intention to attack your landlord?

if so contact the Council, if not then simply ask for the missing items.
When your property has all the correct paperwork etc, I assume you won't mind paying for the rent increase.

Also bear in mind that your landlord may have increased his rent to offset the 'Tenant Tax', introduced by the Government, that many of us here are fighting through the courts.

If he is a bumbling amateur you might like to point him to this forum.

Sean Graveney

18:50 PM, 25th April 2016, About 8 years ago

If your landlord hasn't protected your deposit then he/she is in breach of their legal responsibility and you may well be entitled to 3 times your deposit as compensation.

http://m.england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/tenancy_deposits/tenancy_deposit_protection_schemes

Landlords like this give decent landlords a bad name so I'd encourage you to seek compensation in the hope that he learns his lesson. He may well be keen to come to an arrangement regarding the rent when you mention he has acted unlawfully.

Michelle Bailey

21:41 PM, 25th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Gary Dully" at "25/04/2016 - 16:25":

hi gary no i havn't had a rent increase for a number of years because of the damp and mouldy windows they were horrendous.. some of the properties in my area are less rent and better condition i appreciate that rent does have to go up but he was there within 15 mins of completion bullying me not on. i have fought him on this and now got all the legal paperwork in place and made him do a section 13 then i will agree landlords like this shouldn't get away with it,,, thankyou for your reply

Michelle Bailey

21:48 PM, 25th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Sean Graveney" at "25/04/2016 - 18:50":

hi sean i had already pointed this out to him he has now protected my deposit and put all legal paperwork in place.. thankyou for your comment

Fed Up Landlord

21:56 PM, 25th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Sean Graveney" at "25/04/2016 - 18:50":

And what do you think the landlord will do with the tenant now he has his paperwork in order? Ask for compensation. Ok. Here's a Section 21. Don't agree with it but the " bumbling amateur" landlord will not see it like that.

Gary Dully

0:43 AM, 26th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Sean Graveney" at "25/04/2016 - 18:50":

Crikey Sean,

How about flogging him to death in front of his kids as well?

The guy has slapped in a set of double glazed windows for a perceived damp problem, that is usually caused by a lack of ventilation.

What's a set of windows cost in your neck of the woods?

He might be better spending any penalty on installing a positive pressure system to alleviate the damp problem.

As for the EPC and gas certificate that's a no brainer and should be dealt with immediately.

Gary Dully

0:52 AM, 26th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Michelle Bailey" at "25/04/2016 - 21:41":

Michelle,

Damp and mould only grows with excessive humidity and is normally alleviated by good ventilation and heating.

If your home is ventilated like a lizard tank, i.e. It's all humid and steamy windows, you may find that your new glazing doesn't work and makes it worse.

If it doesn't cure it, the only cure will be to get the stale, damp air out of your home faster.

You can easily find out with a £10 hygrometer on eBay - if you get one you will probably find that the humidity is too high.

If that's the case and there is no structural damage to the property you should ask for the installation of a positive pressure system in the house, not suing your landlord might be a bit more helpful.

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