Dealing with a Dodgy Landlord
Landlord? (Photo credit: the justified sinner)
Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve had to deal with a dodgy landlord? A dodgy landlord can be responsible for everything from adding on unfair charges to contracts, to ignoring messages about repairs. Landlords can also be ruthless about stripping away your deposit at the end of your contract. What, then, are some of the ways in which you can try to deal with a dodgy landlord, especially when you’ve reached a point where you and other tenants are struggling with stress?
Know Your Rights
Primarily, you need to know what your rights are as a tenant; a landlord should have some sort of complaints procedure outlined in your tenancy agreement, which can include instructions to put information in writing. If you’re not getting anywhere with this method, you can contact your council’s Tenancy Relations Officer to see whether a landlord is breaking the law – for example, by not giving enough eviction notice, or by not carrying out essential repairs. Your local Environmental Health Office can also send someone out to inspect your property, which can result in landlords being fined or even prosecuted. In addition, you should expect to receive a detailed tenancy agreement document, as well as having your deposit secured by an approved tenancy deposit scheme.
Try to Be Reasonable
One of the most frustrating things about dealing with a bad landlord is when they refuse to respond to messages, and take a long time to get back to you over repairs and disputes. Always try to be as reasonable as you can be in this situation, and if nothing’s happening, go to your local council. In most cases, getting the council to contact the landlord about exceptional problems will scare them into taking action, and should protect you if they then try to force you out, or make life miserable for you.
Keep Records
It’s crucial that you keep detailed records when you move into a rented property; take photographs on the day that you move in, which can be saved and emailed to a landlord or letting agencies to confirm the state of rooms and gardens. This evidence can be valuable if a landlord tries to claim you have caused damage that was already there. Similarly, keep written letters, emails, and any other records that could support a legal case against a landlord.
Work with Other Tenants
If you’re living in a shared house, or in an apartment building owned by a single landlord, it’s much better if you get together to complain. After all, one person in a property may be replaceable, but if everyone agrees to move out at the same time, a landlord will be put under a much greater financial strain. Write letters signed by all of you, and take turns sending messages to get a response.
Picking Landlords in the Future
Try to reduce the danger of being stuck with a bad landlord in the future by always checking to see whether they’re registered with the Association of Residential Lettings Agency, and see if you can find any recommendations online. Similarly, going with a reputable estate agency can make it much easier to find a landlord that you won’t have significant problems with.
Author Bio
Cathy John has had some bad experiences with dodgy landlords in the past, and believes that you should always stick up for yourself as much as you can. To reduce your risk of getting a bad landlord, she recommends renting through Balgores Property
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Category: Family Finances, Housing
