Thank you in advance for reading my thread below.
In July, I viewed and agreed to rent a flat as a tenant where the previous tenant was still in contract but agreed to end theirs the same day mine started via a LA.
Verbally, I agreed with the LA that the flat would be given a deep clean, including curtains, and that the damp + mould issues with the bathroom would be taken care of before I moved in. Additionally, the previous tenant (who was abroad) was to return their set of keys to the LA.
The LA reassured me of all of the above again when signing the Holding Agreement and then the AST, but refused to put it in writing, even when pressed, basically saying "if you want me to revise the contract you won't be able to move when you originally planned and this has to be run past xyz" and to "trust me, this definitely will be done for you".
Additionally, I noticed on moving in that there was no toilet brush, no vacuum cleaner and the tumble drier was faulty.
1.5 months on now, the flat still was not cleaned and none of the maintenance or key issues were resolved.
I have been on the phone to the LA 2-3 times a day every business day since moving in and had to arrange myself to even get the inventory sorted via their contractor 2 weeks after moving in. Their inventory contractor confirmed that the vacuum cleaner and toilet brush were present during the previous tenant's tenancy based on their inventory and the LA at the time agreed that in this case they would provide them.
The unhelpful LA staff has since moved into their management company and new LA dealing with the case has tried to help me resolve the issues but to no avail. The previous LA now in management denies that they said any of it and claims that "it is the tenant's duty to get a toilet brush and vacuum cleaner, those are not routinely provided with let properties" and also that "it is at the landlord's discretion if the drier is replaced as it is an added appliance". Furthermore, they claim a rudimentary clean was done and no more is required on their part.
I disagree with that assessment as the missing items were removed by the previous tenant, so would normally come from their deposit rather than "stay missing" and me not having any. And the drier was part of my decision to rent the flat and now I am told that it is an added appliance which they don't deal with.
So I am still living in a flat with a mouldy, damp smelling bathroom (the shower cubicle's ceiling and parts of floor are visibly damaged from it) and the flat is essentially in the same state (and worse due to mould progression) since moving in, which I imagine would have health consequences as well.
As a LL for my own tenanted property, I feel that this cannot be right, as I am obliged to fix any issues that arise in my rental property within reasonable amounts of time.
What are my options here? I am in a bind because I had to pay 6 months rent up front.
Thanks
In July, I viewed and agreed to rent a flat as a tenant where the previous tenant was still in contract but agreed to end theirs the same day mine started via a LA.
Verbally, I agreed with the LA that the flat would be given a deep clean, including curtains, and that the damp + mould issues with the bathroom would be taken care of before I moved in. Additionally, the previous tenant (who was abroad) was to return their set of keys to the LA.
The LA reassured me of all of the above again when signing the Holding Agreement and then the AST, but refused to put it in writing, even when pressed, basically saying "if you want me to revise the contract you won't be able to move when you originally planned and this has to be run past xyz" and to "trust me, this definitely will be done for you".
Additionally, I noticed on moving in that there was no toilet brush, no vacuum cleaner and the tumble drier was faulty.
1.5 months on now, the flat still was not cleaned and none of the maintenance or key issues were resolved.
I have been on the phone to the LA 2-3 times a day every business day since moving in and had to arrange myself to even get the inventory sorted via their contractor 2 weeks after moving in. Their inventory contractor confirmed that the vacuum cleaner and toilet brush were present during the previous tenant's tenancy based on their inventory and the LA at the time agreed that in this case they would provide them.
The unhelpful LA staff has since moved into their management company and new LA dealing with the case has tried to help me resolve the issues but to no avail. The previous LA now in management denies that they said any of it and claims that "it is the tenant's duty to get a toilet brush and vacuum cleaner, those are not routinely provided with let properties" and also that "it is at the landlord's discretion if the drier is replaced as it is an added appliance". Furthermore, they claim a rudimentary clean was done and no more is required on their part.
I disagree with that assessment as the missing items were removed by the previous tenant, so would normally come from their deposit rather than "stay missing" and me not having any. And the drier was part of my decision to rent the flat and now I am told that it is an added appliance which they don't deal with.
So I am still living in a flat with a mouldy, damp smelling bathroom (the shower cubicle's ceiling and parts of floor are visibly damaged from it) and the flat is essentially in the same state (and worse due to mould progression) since moving in, which I imagine would have health consequences as well.
As a LL for my own tenanted property, I feel that this cannot be right, as I am obliged to fix any issues that arise in my rental property within reasonable amounts of time.
What are my options here? I am in a bind because I had to pay 6 months rent up front.
Thanks