how do i deal with a landlord who doesnt respond? [Hatfield, UK]
Posted by Rare_Vast4076@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 25 comments
hey people! im a student renting a flat in UK but lately my landlord has become absolutely non responsive. the boiler for hot water has not been working for a whole month now and ive dropped him multiple texts and even tried calling him but he never responded. i had to struggle through that while having a flu. now even the wifi isnt working and he still isnt responding to my texts or complaints.
how do i deal witht this? is there anything i can even do? cux ive already signed a 6 month renting contract...i feel helpless
Rare_Vast4076@reddit (OP)
Update: it got sorted. The wife helped us out! Thanks yall!
Sad-Nectarine-7855@reddit
Have you checked if the boiler needs topping up? 9 times out of 10 boilers 'don't work' because the system pressure has dropped and can be easily topped up by you.
wardyms@reddit
Don’t let this continue, no hot water for a few days and no response is mental - don’t let it go on for month. I’d be phoning constantly every 15 minutes every day until I got an answer.
Texts aren’t enough to enforce anything legally, so send an email explaining everything. The date you first reported it via text etc. and that if it’s not fixed within 48 hours what you will do.
Which is contact your local councils environmental health team. They will come round your house and can enforce your landlord to fix it.
Don’t withhold rent.
Rare_Vast4076@reddit (OP)
I dont really have his email or any other official contact details apart from his number as the whole renting was mediated by an agent. How do i send that official statement? I kinda think its a good suggestion and maybe cud work but how if I dont have his email?
Haunting_Side_3102@reddit
You’re being a little inconsistent here. In another response you say you’ve been round to their address, so you can post a letter or hand one to his wife.
Rare_Vast4076@reddit (OP)
That's not being inconsistent. I did go to their house and i did talk to his wife - who as i said is not really aware or informed abt these stuff which is why i didnt consider posting a letter to their place yet or handing it over to his wife cuz hes barely at home and i didnt think this wud help in any way.
Haunting_Side_3102@reddit
You’re being a little inconsistent here. In another response you say you’ve been round to their address, so you can post a letter or hand one to his wife.
odysseusnz@reddit
Royal Mail is still a thing 😊 Just send it signed for, one to the agent, and one to the landlords home.
Also give Shelter a call/chatbot, their legal advice will be far better than what you get here.
DrHydeous@reddit
Then you deal with the agent. Dealing with tenants is the agent’s job.
Plenty-Stranger3513@reddit
This isn’t normal at all, especially no hot water for a month. That can actually be something the council takes seriously.
Since you went through an agent, you should contact them directly as they’re responsible for managing the property. If they don’t act, report it to your local council’s environmental health team, they can force the landlord to fix essential issues like heating and hot water.
Also make sure you document everything (dates, messages, photos if needed). Even if it feels annoying now, it helps a lot if things escalate.
Honestly situations like this happen way too often because tenants go in blind and only find out after moving in. I’ve seen people start leaving reviews by postcode and mentioning agencies/landlords as well, which puts a bit of pressure on them and helps others avoid the same situation in future. Would’ve probably saved you this situation.
cgknight1@reddit
>cux ive already signed a 6 month renting contract
When? because this will turn into a rolling tenancy on 1st May with two months notice...
poopolisher@reddit
Stop paying rent, they’ll soon be in touch.
coffeewalnut08@reddit
Firstly, tell the council's housing or environmental health team. They can enforce against a landlord. Secondly, the Renters Rights Act becomes enforceable from 1 May which means that 6 and 12 month contracts will be abolished, and your tenancy will roll on indefinitely. You can leave but have to give 2 months' notice.
hauntedathiest@reddit
Don't pay the rent you'll soon hear from him.
OnlymyOP@reddit
OP is still contractually required to pay the rent. Not paying it will only land them in another world of hurt and could affect future renting opportunities.
Evening-Tomatillo-47@reddit
But ops landlord is contractually required to fix the stated problems in a timely manner. I know I'd have a very hard time paying for something that's actively not what I'm paying for.
OnlymyOP@reddit
Not paying your Bills for anything just weakens your case, especially if you want to pursue a complaint against a shifty Landlord.
This also gives the Landlord an excuse to pursue things like CCJ's which would make OP's life very difficult .
Renters also need references to rent, so a Landlord either refusing to give a reference or providing a bad reference is a red flag to future Landlords.
snavej1@reddit
Get out when you can. Hope that the next one will be better.
heyitsed2@reddit
Have you contacted the letting agency?
Contact your councils Private sector housing department. After ~18 months of my landlord and agent not sorting an issue they soon got her ass into gear.
CranberryCheese1997@reddit
Have you sent formal letters/emails requesting for the repairs to be made? You need to formally request it, and allow reasonable time.
You can complain to an ombudsman if they've joined a redress scheme.
You may be able to get help through the cancel.
Last resort is you either just move out which is the less stressful option, or the extremely risky option of using the rent to pay for the repairs yourself, which you do not automatically have the legal right to do, and when he inevitably complains about the rent, having to explain to a court that withholding the rent was reasonable, but there's no guarantees that the court will take your side so it's very risky.
Rare_Vast4076@reddit (OP)
I dont actually have his email because the whole interaction before signing the contract was mediated by an agent.
Whats an ombudsman that you mentioned?
CranberryCheese1997@reddit
The fact you don't know what it is tells me that they're probably voluntarily on the scheme as they likely would've used that as a selling point when renting the property to you.
hellothereitsonlyme@reddit
Don't you have your landlord's address on your tenancy agreement? Go knock on his door and/or drop him a paper note?
Rare_Vast4076@reddit (OP)
Tried. Hes never at home...its usually his wife and she barely understands anything that I say.
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