We’ve been renting from our landlord for a little over a year, and they aren’t the best - house hasn’t been kept in very good condition and they take ages for fix anything. We have a young family, although we are planning to leave within the next 2 months as we are completing a house purchase - this place was only meant to be a temporary solution.
Suddenly today a roofer turns up saying that they will be replacing the roof over Christmas. First we’ve heard of it (and the letting agent who manages maintenance also has no idea) and no prior notification that anyone is coming to the house. The roof doesn’t leak or have any issues.
Given that we’re vacating the house soon after Christmas, and we don’t want to have that kind of disruption over the holiday, can we refuse, as this is non-essential work?
Not the first time the landlord has just sent people around to work on the house without any notification to us - we’ve found workmen in the house before and/or people have just let themselves in.
Replacing a roof is not non essential work >Roofs slowly fail and this is a good idea to forstall that… However it does seem odd that he would not wait till you are out and winter is not the best time to strip a roof. Does he know you are moving?
The Landlord knows that we are moving, not sure if they have forgotten or just don’t care.
As I said, the roof isn’t leaking and although a bit old, in pretty good shape. Really not sure why they are rushing it.
Also I understand that they need to give reasonable notice for any non-emergency maintenance - which for something so disruptive as a roof replacement (again, with young kids in the house full time during the Christmas holiday), would mean to me at least 30 days…
Just write a letter to the landlord and agent stating that you will not allow workmen to replace the roof during your tenure and this will have to wait until you have left. You can state that any attempt by the roofers to force access will be deemed harassment and the police will be called.
Thanks for the replies and advice. We’ll try and reach out to the landlord and remind them that we are moving, and about our family situation and hope that they will be reasonable. And if that doesn’t get any traction will just flat out say we don’t give permission to have access. Is there also a health and safety concern, with scaffolding and young children around?
Just adding stress to us over Christmas, and while we’re already stressed about our impending house purchase is not helping matters!
all scaffolding has to comply with regs and have safety features such as complete boarding over a doorway( and others which are numerous) . Saying you have young children will not be a valid reason for saying dont do it