I have moved into this property with my child in April 2011. A few months later, the builders working on minor repairs have discovered a major structural fault that runs throughout the building and affects 3 flats, including mine.
After further investigative probing into the wall structure, which has left 6 plastered-over but unpainted holes on the walls of my living room and 2 bedrooms, and lifting of the floorboards in the same rooms, the builders are now back and about to start the real work next week.
Putting aside the sheer annoyance with things not being put back properly in the first place, I now face a couple of months of major disturbance (wall underpinning, rotten joist replacement in between floors, and so on). This is the comment I made at the local authority's planning consultation page:
As the tenant of the maisonette on the top floors of the building subject to this application, I am immediately affected by it together with my young daughter. I fully appreciate that the work needs to be done. However, I would feel more comfortable if there was some better indication as to the timescale (other than just the start dates). The work is likely to be intrusive and extremely noisy at times. We live on the inside of the flank wall, and my job requires me to work from home. I would therefore like to know what thought has been given to mitigating the noise and inconvenience that must inevitably be involved to all of us who will continue to be living in the building for the duration of the works.
This was before I learnt that the builders will need to dig out the corners of my front room and one of my child's bedroom, after all, in order to do the repairs - this after being reassured that no internal work will be necessary to undertake in my flat.
When I inquired with the letting agent about a rent reduction in lieu of compensating for all the inconvenience, past, present (i.e., the temporary sheeting around the scaffolding is making the most unbelievable noise) and future, he just laughed, saying, 'You can try.'
I tried to consult with the tenants of the other two flats that are be affected, and although they seemed reasonably put out, they also seemed unwilling to make any noise. Both parties have lived here for decades, and I suspect are sitting tenants with protected rent - unlike myself.
I would like to know whether the letting agent is right in flatly dismissing my compensation question, or is there more to this than meets the (untrained and uninformed) eye. I would only be interested in making a claim based on a solid case, of course, for I am no lover of conflict. Oh, and: I heard from the guy downstairs (who lived here for 30 years) that the actual landlord is only a "front" - or perhaps the correct term would be a representative of a much bigger freehold company. Honestly. Think I'm gonna have to call Ghostbusters!
... but until they arrive, I'd really appreciate any input, suggestions and advice you might have...
Thanks,
Grace
After further investigative probing into the wall structure, which has left 6 plastered-over but unpainted holes on the walls of my living room and 2 bedrooms, and lifting of the floorboards in the same rooms, the builders are now back and about to start the real work next week.
Putting aside the sheer annoyance with things not being put back properly in the first place, I now face a couple of months of major disturbance (wall underpinning, rotten joist replacement in between floors, and so on). This is the comment I made at the local authority's planning consultation page:
As the tenant of the maisonette on the top floors of the building subject to this application, I am immediately affected by it together with my young daughter. I fully appreciate that the work needs to be done. However, I would feel more comfortable if there was some better indication as to the timescale (other than just the start dates). The work is likely to be intrusive and extremely noisy at times. We live on the inside of the flank wall, and my job requires me to work from home. I would therefore like to know what thought has been given to mitigating the noise and inconvenience that must inevitably be involved to all of us who will continue to be living in the building for the duration of the works.
This was before I learnt that the builders will need to dig out the corners of my front room and one of my child's bedroom, after all, in order to do the repairs - this after being reassured that no internal work will be necessary to undertake in my flat.
When I inquired with the letting agent about a rent reduction in lieu of compensating for all the inconvenience, past, present (i.e., the temporary sheeting around the scaffolding is making the most unbelievable noise) and future, he just laughed, saying, 'You can try.'
I tried to consult with the tenants of the other two flats that are be affected, and although they seemed reasonably put out, they also seemed unwilling to make any noise. Both parties have lived here for decades, and I suspect are sitting tenants with protected rent - unlike myself.
I would like to know whether the letting agent is right in flatly dismissing my compensation question, or is there more to this than meets the (untrained and uninformed) eye. I would only be interested in making a claim based on a solid case, of course, for I am no lover of conflict. Oh, and: I heard from the guy downstairs (who lived here for 30 years) that the actual landlord is only a "front" - or perhaps the correct term would be a representative of a much bigger freehold company. Honestly. Think I'm gonna have to call Ghostbusters!
... but until they arrive, I'd really appreciate any input, suggestions and advice you might have...
Thanks,
Grace