Hello ..I am new to this forum and would appreciate some advice. I will try to keep it simple.
On 1st March I let out my second home (unfurnished) to a young couple with one baby and another due in May . One week before they officially took up the tenancy they requested access to the house in order to lay laminated flooring ( over existing carpets ) in the lounge , kitchen diner and utility room aswell as move some of their possesions in. As they assured me they were looking for a long let , and seeming to be quite amiable people I agreed to let then have the key .
A few days later a panicky phone call from Mr. soon to be Tenant said the electrics kept tripping when their 'electrician ' friend wired it in. This surprised me cos in the 4 tears ive rented the house out Ive had no problems with electrics. That night a friend of mine kindly offered his services to investigate the problem .He is a qualified electronics engineer and teacher (retired ) . He found some water in the box where the cooker is wired into.
How that came to be is a mystery. ( the house had been vacant for 4 months ) .So after drying out box he wired in cooker and all seemed well.
On Saturday evening 28th March an irate phonecall from Mrs 'Tenant ' said cooker trip switch had gone again ( apparently this had happened a number of times within that first month but that was the first I knew of it since water was discovered in the box. ) Not only was she exasperated at me about the electrics but was quite insulting in other ways .
On the following Monday I went over to check out the socket box thinking water had mystiriously tripped cooker out again but it was dry.
I said I needed to call an electrician . ( Someone who came highly recommended ) She said if he dousnt come out today she will call out an electrician from yellow pages and deduct the charge from Aprils rent. I said no you wont. Leave it to me. I sensed an arguement brewing so I left .
I called the electrician and thankfully he would be there within a couple of hours. About 4pm that afternoon he phoned me to say the electrics were fine , the tripswitch box & the cooker wiring-in box needed replacing . Apart from that all was well. There was a fault with their newly purchased 2nd hand cooker. I was relieved that not only had he found the problem but the problem had nothing to do with the electrics.
However a few days later on the Friday I saw my bank account & Aprils rent was 1/3rd short. I phoned them only to be told they had to buy a NEW cooker in replacement of the 'damaged ' 2nd hand cooker which they claim was the fault of the electrics.
The electrician told them there was a fault with the cooker . He told me they seemed to find it difficult to accept that fact.
It really is quite ridiculous . This couple especially Mrs tenant also has issues with me concerning some non emergency repairs that for reasons I wont go into have not been done to their time schedule.
Twice I offered her the use of my minioven/hob as temporary solution till problem was solved..twice she refused my help.
I did not charge them for the early access to the house when laying their laminated flooring . They showed their appreciation by giving me a gas bill
( addressed to the occupier )for £17.00 ( 11 units of gas ) used during that time . The gas board had a reading from me before I gave them the key. It was the same reading the previous tenants gave last Oct 08 when they left.
I called the gas board explaining the situation and they have amended the reading to the one I gave them. ( The tenants dont know this yet .)
To top it all the shorthold tenancy aggreement is for 7 months not 6 .
I mistakenly put the wrong month on the aggreement. Idont know if they have noticed this ...either way as far as i know its binding unless they want out and agree to have the contract amended.
I have written them a letter stating the facts concerning the electricians findings , enclosed a copy of his invoice/report that came to £118.28 .
I said I am expecting the outstanding rent of £220.00 to be paid within 5 days of their recieving the letter ( sent recorded delivery ).
I realise now ive been too easy going with them , too trusting , and I think somewhat naive . Though I have their deposit with the DPS....I want to pursue this £220.00 through the small claims court if I must .
Any trust & goodwill on my part has gone. I would like them out at end of 6 or 7 months .
Can anyone advice me . thanks .
On 1st March I let out my second home (unfurnished) to a young couple with one baby and another due in May . One week before they officially took up the tenancy they requested access to the house in order to lay laminated flooring ( over existing carpets ) in the lounge , kitchen diner and utility room aswell as move some of their possesions in. As they assured me they were looking for a long let , and seeming to be quite amiable people I agreed to let then have the key .
A few days later a panicky phone call from Mr. soon to be Tenant said the electrics kept tripping when their 'electrician ' friend wired it in. This surprised me cos in the 4 tears ive rented the house out Ive had no problems with electrics. That night a friend of mine kindly offered his services to investigate the problem .He is a qualified electronics engineer and teacher (retired ) . He found some water in the box where the cooker is wired into.
How that came to be is a mystery. ( the house had been vacant for 4 months ) .So after drying out box he wired in cooker and all seemed well.
On Saturday evening 28th March an irate phonecall from Mrs 'Tenant ' said cooker trip switch had gone again ( apparently this had happened a number of times within that first month but that was the first I knew of it since water was discovered in the box. ) Not only was she exasperated at me about the electrics but was quite insulting in other ways .
On the following Monday I went over to check out the socket box thinking water had mystiriously tripped cooker out again but it was dry.
I said I needed to call an electrician . ( Someone who came highly recommended ) She said if he dousnt come out today she will call out an electrician from yellow pages and deduct the charge from Aprils rent. I said no you wont. Leave it to me. I sensed an arguement brewing so I left .
I called the electrician and thankfully he would be there within a couple of hours. About 4pm that afternoon he phoned me to say the electrics were fine , the tripswitch box & the cooker wiring-in box needed replacing . Apart from that all was well. There was a fault with their newly purchased 2nd hand cooker. I was relieved that not only had he found the problem but the problem had nothing to do with the electrics.
However a few days later on the Friday I saw my bank account & Aprils rent was 1/3rd short. I phoned them only to be told they had to buy a NEW cooker in replacement of the 'damaged ' 2nd hand cooker which they claim was the fault of the electrics.
The electrician told them there was a fault with the cooker . He told me they seemed to find it difficult to accept that fact.
It really is quite ridiculous . This couple especially Mrs tenant also has issues with me concerning some non emergency repairs that for reasons I wont go into have not been done to their time schedule.
Twice I offered her the use of my minioven/hob as temporary solution till problem was solved..twice she refused my help.
I did not charge them for the early access to the house when laying their laminated flooring . They showed their appreciation by giving me a gas bill
( addressed to the occupier )for £17.00 ( 11 units of gas ) used during that time . The gas board had a reading from me before I gave them the key. It was the same reading the previous tenants gave last Oct 08 when they left.
I called the gas board explaining the situation and they have amended the reading to the one I gave them. ( The tenants dont know this yet .)
To top it all the shorthold tenancy aggreement is for 7 months not 6 .
I mistakenly put the wrong month on the aggreement. Idont know if they have noticed this ...either way as far as i know its binding unless they want out and agree to have the contract amended.
I have written them a letter stating the facts concerning the electricians findings , enclosed a copy of his invoice/report that came to £118.28 .
I said I am expecting the outstanding rent of £220.00 to be paid within 5 days of their recieving the letter ( sent recorded delivery ).
I realise now ive been too easy going with them , too trusting , and I think somewhat naive . Though I have their deposit with the DPS....I want to pursue this £220.00 through the small claims court if I must .
Any trust & goodwill on my part has gone. I would like them out at end of 6 or 7 months .
Can anyone advice me . thanks .
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