I rent out a flat in a block of 110. Fit several years now all the properties suffer low water pressure or no water at all for up to 7 hours in a day, mostly at weekends.
The freeholder isn’t engaging and the issue is ongoing. Apparently they needed to install water boosters after building a sixth floor to the block.
However my tenant is asking for a reduction in rent and/or compensation for this inconvenience. I’m in agreement to their grievances but it’s not in my control.
Should I cave in to their demands or stand on the principle that it isn’t something I can fix and await some action from the freeholder.
Normally, no. However, as it stands, this property doesnt sound suitable for letting, so if you let it in the full knowledge of this problem and without telling them, then I think the tenants could sue you under consumer law.
We let the property out in good faith as the issue with the water supply was intermittent and the previous tenants never raised this as an issue for them. Perhaps other residents in the block suffered more.
Then in November 2022 the tenants left and we marketed the property in December for a move in date first week in January 2023. At this point we could not have anticipated that things would get so bad for ALL the residents in the block from mid January. It was still intermittent mind you but certainly I too would have be annoyed.
We and other leaseholders are liaising constantly with the management company to get this resolved but it’s taking time and the freeholder is based overseas.