So, last month, we accidentally broke the bathroom sink in the property just a couple of days after we gave over a month’s notice to the landlord via agent of us leaving the property after living there for over a year. The landlord said that since the damage was caused by us, we would need to pay which fully agree on. Asked some plumbers for a quotes and measurement and soon discovered a problem. The sink and the unit has been discontinued and the plumbers were taking more than two weeks to get back to us. Eventually, we got a reply from the plumber with a quote (around 750.00) but they are unable to give us a start date until their supplier gets back in touch with them. There was no point in us looking for other plumbers as we had three others say the sink has been discontinued and we won’t be able to find a replacement soon. Relayed all this to the landlord and he said that until the sink is fixed, we would need to continue paying the full month’s rent despite the property being vacant when we leave I. E. If it will take 2 months until the sink gets fixed, we would need to pay 2 months worth of rent for this property while adding on rent to the other property we are already moving into. Question is, do you guys think that the landlord is fair to do that when we have already agreed to pay the full price for the repair? It’s not our fault that the sink and unit has been discontinued and that it’s taking ages for the plumbers to get it sorted. True, he isn’t getting tenants because of the broken sink but I can’t see how that all comes down to us.
Opinions please. And no, we can’t reject the the house we are moving into as it is a council house and we desperately need it and have been waiting to get this one for over 2 years.
It’s a breach of contract for your landlord to ask for additional rent, there is no way your tenancy agreement contains this kind of requirement. It is quite normal that damage gets sorted out upon ending a tenancy and leaving the property, but sorting out does not mean the work has to have been completed, it just means that arrangements have to be agreed. Don’t forget the landlord has your security deposit (although a bit weird you didn’t mention this, did you make a deposit?), the whole point of the deposit is to cover this kind of situation. Do not pay any additional rent under any circumstances.
Your landlord is trying it on. Most household items are quickly discontinued. You just have to find a suitable alternative and neither a deposit scheme nor a court would support the position the landlord is taking
Agree with above comments. Landlord is either trying it on or is clueless about the law and the purpose and how to claim against tenant’s deposits. Move out on agreed date. You are only obliged to replace items on a like for like basis and this includes wear and tear. Its very unlikely that any deposit scheme (if your deposit is held with one?) will award the landlord £750 if you contested the claim - unless the sink is basically new (less than a year old). I’d offer the landlord a reasonable fraction of the estimated cost and if the landlord has any sense, it will be accepted.
Yes, we have given him the deposit and no, we won’t be getting it until the sink is fixed.
If you have given the deposit to the landlord, he needs to have placed it with a deposit scheme as a legal requirement. You should receive your deposit within 10 days of requesting the return of deposit. The landlord needs to make a reasonable estimate for the cost of repair/replacement and return the rest of the deposit to you within 10 days of your request, regardless of when the sink will be fixed.
Hi graham, sorry if this is a bit of, but we are going to homeless to no fault of our own our landlord is selling the property, we did find a house my my husband has 1 CCJ that he is paying of but the agent said that landlord has declined us to move in as he will lose his landlord Insurance this is right can he lose it,
It may be true, but he doesnt need a reason to reject your application. Your best bet is to pay off the CCJ asap.