Landlord Products / ServicesI’ve just had to dig deep into my pockets to repair a broken fence for my tenant, but apparently Princess isn’t happy with the standard of repair.
Nightmare!
So now what? What’s my responsibility as a landlord? Do I need to revisit the repair, or can I simply advise my tenant to shut her pie-hole?
Let’s go through the details…
PEOPLE! It’s been way too long, ain’t it?
No excuses; the dog didn’t jizz all over my homework, and I haven’t been in recovery after donating a kidney to an orphan, but I have been invested in a few ongoing projects, which I recklessly committed myself to (and now massively living to regret).
However, right now, I’ve managed to cash in on some spare time due to a sloppy miscalculation on my behalf, which resulted in an early arrival for an appointment *slaps forehead with massive penis*
But perhaps it was fate, because now I have the opportunity to make practical use of my blunder by reconnecting with the troops. To be precise, I have approximately 2 hours to get this to print, which means there’s a high probability this will result in a painfully clumsy piece of shit. Fair warning.
I’ve hidden myself away in the corner of the local StarBucks with my laptop, hoping that the shot of caffeine I’ve just catapulted down my gullet will have a devastatingly productive effect.
On a side note, I’m finding it increasingly difficult to do anything without caffeine these days, which means I’m officially one of those assholes that reeks of stale coffee. Yet another sign of old age swiftly encroaching! I can toss my caffeine addiction onto the growing list, on top of increasingly saggy ears, rapid nasal hair growth, and my blossoming intolerance for ‘the youth of today’. I don’t even want to know what comes next. Don’t tell me!
Anyways, since time is of the essence and my ears aren’t getting any smaller, I’m going to cut short the dance and start discussing the nonsense situation I recently found myself in.
When a tenant ain’t happy with repairs
It’s finally happened to me. I don’t think it’s happened before. Or maybe it has and I’m just blissfully unaware of it.
I imagine it’s a common occurrence, when a tenant is displeased by the standard of repair(s) orchestrated by their landlord, especially when he/she is a cheapskate, which so many of us notoriously are.
My guess is it happens more often than we realise, because in most cases the dissatisfaction goes by unreported; complaining generally isn’t an easy thing to do for most people, especially for tenants, who have to be wary of that trendy new thing called ‘revenge evictions‘ Apparently it’s the latest craze.
In any case, my luck has finally run out, because I recently had a fully-fledged Prima Donna metaphorically send a meal back to the kitchen because one of my pubes’ allegedly found its way in her salad. Lovely.
My tenant’s complaint…
Some of you may remember back in March 2016, when I busted the ‘boring shit’ scales by blogging about the landlord’s responsibility to repair garden fences. That was fun. You should read it. But to cut a long and riveting story short, I paid for the costs to repair a broken communal fence because it was legally my responsibility, according to the deed of the property.
Ok, well, this blog post has nothing to do with that particular fence, but it does have to do with another fence that I recently had repaired. Coincidentally, the damage and circumstances were almost identical (I have no idea what the odds of that happening are, but presumably pretty damn slim). Essentially, two fence panels in the garden had become unstable because of a rotting post that fell victim to the wrath of mother-nature, so it needed to be stabilised.
In terms of the actual repair, I was given the same options as last time, by the same local reputable landscaping company.
- Option 1: Replace the rotting post, while retaining the current fence panels (which were in perfectly reasonable condition). However, the only drawback with this solution is that a couple of metal brackets would be required to hold the new post and panels together, which weren’t there previously. Total cost: £120
- Option 2: Take down the entire row of fences (4 panels in total) and rebuild it, in which case the metal brackets wouldn’t be required. Total cost: £375
What would YOU have done?
To give you some perspective: this is for a 2-bedroom mid-terrace, situated on the outskirts of London, which achieves £850 PCM. Respectfully, it won’t get featured in any glossy showroom magazines. Don’t get me wrong, it ain’t no donkey sanctuary either, but it is just an exceptionally average house, in an average neighbourhood, with an average everything, apart from the Landlord. Yeah, that’s right.
With that in mind, I went for option 1, because it made the most sense, and not just because it was the cheapest solution, but in the practical sense, too.
A couple of metal brackets on a garden fence never hurt anyone, right? They’re not going to burn your eyes out, right?
WRONG!
Based on my tenant’s reaction, I clearly underestimated the threat a couple of metal brackets on a wooden post can pose.
After the repair was complete I received a phone call from a very concerned tenant. She abruptly said the brackets didn’t look aesthetically pleasing, and then she made it clear that she would have preferred for me to stump up the cash for Option 2!
Yeah, I bloody bet Princess would have preferred that. It’s always amazing how easily we can spend other people’s money, innit?
To be honest, I was left quite bewildered by her reaction. It’s not like I replaced a fence panel with an off-coloured variation, so it stood out like a stoinker in a pair of Speedos. There was nothing alarming about the finished product, in my opinion. But my tenant genuinely seemed mortified by it. The sudden appearance of two metal brackets in the garden was evidently too much change, too soon. Maybe I should have added one bracket per month, to ease her into the formidable transition.
I suppose I could look at the situation in one of two ways:
- my tenant is extremely house proud (or at least garden proud), and that’s usually always a good thing. When she appears through the kitchen window on a blistering Summer’s day, she wants to admire nature, not half a car attached to her fence. I get it.
- my tenant is being catastrophically anal, house proud or not, and she needs to be taken down a peg or twenty.
Either way, I genuinely did appreciate her passion for ‘perfection’ (not quite sure that’s the right word to use, but let’s go with it), but that didn’t derail my mind from skirting around the idea of hitting her over the head with one of those brackets for being such a difficult little tit. That would teach her. Unfortunately, I fought against my urges and tried to be empathetic by suggesting tactical ways to mask the hideous and offensive brackets.
I came up with three possible solutions: 1) to paint the brackets the same colour as the fence panels (at my expense) 2) to strategically cover the brackets with hanging baskets/wildlife (also at my expense) 3) to avoid direct eye-contact with the brackets and to ignore their existence forever.
Admittedly, she didn’t seem very excited by my suggestions, but she did discretely mumble, “yeah, I could try painting over them”
There’s a good girl.
In hindsight, the situation was rather more ridiculous than I initially remember it being at the time- because it wasn’t just one quick conversation. She really dragged out her misery; there were follow-up phone calls, picture messages (of the ‘eyesore’), and a few text messages, all of which emphasised her utter displeasure. I actually think she thought she could eventually break me down and swindle me out of a new fence.
Woman, please! YOU WILL LEARN TO LOVE THOSE FUCKING BRACKETS EVEN IF IT KILLS YOU!
The most she got out of me was a tin of paint. And she’s lucky she got that much :)
I’m pretty sure I wasn’t liable for any wrong-doing, nor obligated to take any further actions. At the end of the day, the garden fence was stabilised… and it was just a garden fence.
Maybe I’m being biased. Maybe I undervalue a good, clean, bracket-free fence. I actually think both parties had valid points in this situation (of course, her point wasn’t as valid. Agreed?), but I know I didn’t fall short of my responsibilities. One thing is for sure though, in the grand scheme of ‘unsatisfactory repairs’, my first taste of it was rather fabulous because it was so minuscule.
BRING ON THE NEXT UPPITY DOUCHE-BAG! I’ll fix your leaking roof with Pritt Stick!
No, I’m joking. Dealing with repairs is soul-destroying. I want no part of it.
Landlord’s responsibility to repair & maintain
In the haste of throwing this blog post together, I realised that the issue of BTL repairs and maintenance is an extremely undesirable topic to craft as an ‘informative’ blog post, even while tanked up on caffeine- not just because it’s boring as all-shit, unless it involves something outrageously comical and psychotic, like patching together a broken front door with cellotape and twigs- but also because there are so many unique circumstances and permutations of every freaking scenario that it’s almost impossible to be profoundly helpful. However, I do want to drop a few general points, which are worth bearing in mind when dealing with repairs that fall short of expectations.
But first…
Under the ‘Repairs and Maintenance Act’ the landlord is responsible for the structure and exterior of the property; baths, sinks and other sanitary items; heating and hot water installations. However, this only applies if the tenant has a fixed tenancy contract for under 7 years, else these issues become the tenants responsibility. The landlord is not responsible for damages caused by the tenants. More details available on the Landlord’s Legal Obligations to repair & maintain blog post.
The landlord is also responsible for keeping any items provided with the property in good repair. For example, white goods such as fridge/freezers. Once again, the landlord is not responsible for damages caused by the tenant!
All pretty standard and straight forward, right? Perfect. Let’s move on…
Points to consider when dealing with unsatisfactory repairs
- Safety – this is the most crucial point to remember; any repairs or replaced items must be in safe condition, otherwise the landlord can most likely be held liable for any direct consequences.
Since the garden fence was repaired and left in a safe condition in a timely manner, I’m confident my tenant really didn’t have any legal grounds to cause a fuss. The intended practical function of the fence was maintained, albeit slightly less pretty than its former self. But evidently, as my tenant demonstrated, the lack of legal grounds doesn’t create a defense against someone having a moan about piffling little oddities. Fair play to her. She’s got some hefty balls on her.
Of course, if the mumbling little dick-weasal steps to me like that again, she’ll be on the streets faster than she can say Section 8! No, I kid. She’s actually a rather good tenant.
- Improving the property – the landlord is usually only responsible for carrying out repair work, and NOT for improving the property. Again, this is quite important to bear in mind.
I think many tenants get lost by this concept, or just don’t consider it at all.
- Like-for-like – usually, replacing and/or repairing items on a like-for-like basis is the best policy, unless the original item was complete bullshit and vastly under performing.
This point reminds me of the time I gave one of my dippy tenants’ the responsibility to replace a tired pair of £30 window curtains (a set provided with the property). Sounds like a simple enough task, right?
WRONG!
I initially gave her the green light to replace the curtains because I assumed she was capable of finding suitable replacements to match her ghastly furnishings, which I’d later reimburse her for.
Unfortunately, I quickly discovered there’s clearly faulty wiring in her melon, so even the most basic of tasks were challenging. She thought it would be appropriate to get quotes from luxury curtain retailers, one’s which send out ‘sales executives’ to the door for a ‘personal experience’. I don’t know if she was just stupid or incomprehensibly lazy, or a deadly combination of the both.
The psychopath came back to me with a preposterous £300 estimate to replace a set of £30 IKEA curtains, in a property achieving £700PCM. Fuck me sideways! I was almost flawed by her proposition. Thankfully I’m short, round and sturdy like a Rhino, so my low centre of gravity kept me upright so I could laugh hysterically in her face.
Seriously though, what a delusional nincompoop!
Just to clarify, when I say “like-for-like”, I don’t necessarily mean replacing faulty items with the exact same model. For example, if you’re in the process of replacing a 10yr old boiler, it probably shouldn’t be replaced with the exact same model, even though you could (assuming it’s in safe working order). Getting a modern equivalent which serves the same purpose will almost always make the most economical sense.
- Your tenant might be right – it just hit me, I might be coming across as one of those landlords that’s willing to fight tooth and nail to avoid digging into their pockets and taking responsibility for their obligations, or at least in favour of opting for the bodge-job solutions. That’s definitely not I.
I want to make two points abundantly clear:
- Landlords should spend the money when and where necessary, and that’s admittedly where landlords often fall short. I’ve written blog posts in the past emphasising how important it is to invest in good quality products/repairs, because they usually end up being the most cost-effective solutions in the long-run.
In my particular case, I think it made more sense to use metal brackets to stabilise the garden fence, and by no means was it a bodge-job.
- My primary point is this though, your tenant might be right. The reality is, tenants are often irritatingly right, whereby the repair work is completed to a totally unacceptable standard, and that’s when you should take another look at the problem. It happens, regardless of whose fault it is.
And while in some cases the repair might be “safe”, there’s still a possibility that the actual repair is inadequate. In those instances, I would personally recommend readdressing the issue, or at least compromising, particularly if you have a good tenant that pays rent on time and generally looks after your property.
- Landlords should spend the money when and where necessary, and that’s admittedly where landlords often fall short. I’ve written blog posts in the past emphasising how important it is to invest in good quality products/repairs, because they usually end up being the most cost-effective solutions in the long-run.
- Don’t be a pussy – while it’s important to be empathetic and fair, it’s equally as important to remain professional by staying firm if you’ve been reasonable and done enough. Some people try to milk the system every which way, especially with guilt and perseverance- don’t fall for it. Specifically, don’t unnecessarily overspend on repairs.
I know, it’s hilariously ironic when you talk about landlords overspending. When does that EVER happen? It happens. But maybe not in your lifetime.
Some people, including landlords, are natural born push-overs. I’m sure some landlords would have buckled under the pressure and splashed out on a new fence if they were in my position – the type of people that would rather lick their own dick than face confrontation.
But rolling over would have been the wrong move for two reasons 1) you set the wrong ‘weak’ precedence 2) it’s an unnecessary expense, and too many of those can be fatal to any business.
Stay strong, and rationally explain your decision if required. Most people are generally understanding.
- Communication is key – most issues, even issues which are positively irritating beyond belief (which all cases of disrepair are), can usually be quickly and painlessly resolved with good communication. I’m not even saying you NEED to buckle and repair-the-repair, I’m saying the situation can be resolved with communication alone… or a tin of paint.
Even if you believe your tenant is wrong, it’s still important to communicate. I listened to my tenant, despite how excruciatingly painful it was, and then tried to work with her to provide a solution.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s only ONE winner when you leave a frustrated tenant in your property. It’s NEVER the landlord.
- The small gestures make a difference – I kid and joke about the pesky tin of paint, but it’s those tiny gestures which make all the difference, especially when you have a dissatisfied customer. At least I proved I acknowledged the complaint by doing something about it.
Doing *something* is often better than doing sweet-F-all!
- Value time – not enough people value their time, and it’s tragic. I value mine, and I also value my tenant’s.
I could write an entire blog post on why all landlords should resolve matters of disrepair as quickly as possible, whether it be through compromising, communication or throwing money at the problem. And maybe I’ll be bored enough to write it one day. But right now, I’m just going to quickly emphasise how crucial it is to work quickly, primarily for the following reasons:
- Happy tenants will boost your profits! I could end the list here, right?
- Even if you’re an inept hermit, I’m sure you can think of better things to do than prolonging disrepair disputes with your tenant.
- Unattended matters of disrepair (e.g. leaks) can quickly escalate into expensive and crippling dilemmas.
Minimising repairs
As always, the best cure is prevention.
The last thing a landlord wants is to get bogged down with repairs, or even worse, get bogged down with complaints regarding repairs. Dealing with the latter is literally slit-your-own-wrists territory. Equally, I imagine the last thing a tenant wants to do is complain about repairs, and then wait for their landlord to get off his fat lazy ass to make the arrangements. Landlords aren’t exactly notorious for being quick off the mark when it inevitably means spending money.
Now, there are four obvious ways of minimising repairs and eradicating the pain that comes with them:
- Use appropriate solutions – assess the damage and use the best solution- that doesn’t necessarily mean use the most expensive or cheapest solution. The best solution is usually somewhere in the middle, and the solution should ALWAYS be relative to the value of the property, quality of the tenant, and the rent achieved.
- Less is more – I want to revert back to another recent post, where I ramble on about minimizing repair costs by providing as fewer fittings and furnishings as humanly possible. The blatantly obvious point to remember is that the more you provide with your property, the more you’re making yourself responsible for; the more reasons you’re creating to be called upon when something falls on its knees and crumbles into disrepair. So cut the supply!
Just to clarify, I realised ‘less is more’ after the ludicrous curtain incident. But that’s a good example of why providing less is so important; you end up avoiding so many problems… and idiots wanting to replace a broken bath tap with a new state of the art steam-room.
These days, I literally provide the bear minimum. I focus my energy on providing a clean and practical property above anything else, because that’s typically what tenants look for. Anything beyond that is usually a massive waste of time and money. Generally speaking, you won’t live to see the returns on any frilly ‘extras’
- Think durability – the problem is, too many landlords pollute their properties with shiny, cheap flimsy shitty fittings, and also get possessed with keeping everything light and airy, while losing focus on the realities of buy-to-let and how people (especially tenants) live in the real world. The reality is, BTL’s naturally get a beating, much like any other habituated property, and that’s why landlords should always focus on ‘durability’ when decorating/renovating. Get this right from the offset and you’ll save bundles from the day your tenant moves in.
For example, don’t paint the walls white or magnolia, because you’ll be repainting the walls between every new tenancy, and believe me, that’s a very displeasing way of burning time and money, particularly if you have a high tenant turnover rate. Here’s a more in depth blog post covering tips on how to decorate a BTL. Enjoy.
- Fix shit quickly – there’s a vicious rumour that’s been circulating since the dawn of mankind, and that is to delay repairs for as long as possible, because it means more money in the pocket.
On the surface it sounds like a winning plan, and perhaps there’s some primitive logic to it, but that rumour has been screwing landlords over for generations. It’s a scam. Not a particularly sophisticated scam, because it’s typically only effective against cheap idiots. Not us. But it’s still worth mentioning.
Always keep your property in good repair and nip any problems in the bud early. Otherwise you could find that a small [neglected] leak has escalated into a tidal wave, or that small dark spot in the corner of the bathroom has blossomed into a deadly patch of mould, ready to take down every respiratory system that gets in its way.
So, there you have it.
Another blog post down!
So my question to you: have you ever had a tenant complain about repairs? If so, what happened? Let’s gossip!
P.s. I’m approximately 12mins late for my appointment because I didn’t want to abandon this blog post while it was ‘almost’ finished. Dedication!
See you in the comments section! xoxo
Disclaimer: I'm just a landlord blogger; I'm 100% not qualified to give legal or financial advice. I'm a doofus. Any information I share is my unqualified opinion, and should never be construed as professional legal or financial advice. You should definitely get advice from a qualified professional for any legal or financial matters. For more information, please read my full disclaimer.
Witty & useful as usual. I agree that small gestures like a tin of paint can smooth the way & help a tenant feel valued. My tenants get oven, hob, extractor, & that's it - no point opening yourself up to committing to repair/replace more than necessary
BTW, I presume you hope / pray your tenants never see this blog, or at least have a sense of humour, or I suspect your next blog will be written from a hospital bed after the removal of a (nicely painted) metal fence bracket?