Do I have to do it???

[Simonphipps]

I have rented a property (4 bed 2 bath) to a tennant for £2100 a month.
He advises me that the water pressure to both updstairs baths is poor.
He has had it checked at it is 4l per minute. He tells me that the British Standard is 12l per minute and that it is unacceptable for it to take 20 mins to fill the bath.
He advises me that I am obligated under the Landlords and Tennants Act to make sure my property is properly maintained / working.
I have had the water pressure checked. He is right that it is poor.
I am considering having the works done (£1500) but my question is:
DO I HAVE TO?????
Would I be in breach of our Tennancy if I said no?
All advice very gratefully received.

[quarterday]

twenty minutes to fill the bath

Just a thought.....have a look at the taps on the bath. Its just possible someone in an ill conceived economy measure fitted sink taps which look similar to bath taps but have a much smaller bore.

I am not sure whether such a flow rate could properly be called disrepair certainly some brands of combi boilers are notorious in this respect. Whilst as owner occupiers we can easily get used to such a phenomena as this, a tenant paying you £25000 a year has expectations as to the standard of installations, and in the interests of keeping them happy (and hopefully coughing up for a good while to come) I am inclined to say do the work. If for example you combine a megaflow with a combi you will have the best of both worlds; and good back up if either fails...

Incidentally at base rate of half of one percent you would have to deposit £5,000,000 in the bank to earn £25,000 in interest; and thats paid (usually nett) in arrears, whereas your tenant pays you gross in advance!

[bry123]

Bear in mind that although the cost of upgrading the water pressure might seem a lot, it is tax deductible and will help add value to your property. if you don't upgrade it, you risk losing the tenant and having similar complaints from future tenants.

Given that the tenant is paying £2,100 a month, I personally would be inclined to see his request as reasonable and do the improvement.

Not sure from a legal point of view (I expect it would depend upon just how poor the water pressure was) but I'm sure someone else can advise.

[Simonphipps]

Many thanks for the reply. I am inclined to agree but want to be sure that I am not in breach if I decide not to act.
The tennant is advising that he will seek to leave the property if I fail to fix the problem and will want to recover his moving costs (he's only been in the property for 7 months of a 12 month lease and, to be fair, advised of the problem within weeks of moving in.

[Simonphipps]

I believe, from the plumbers report, that the problem is:
22MM Pipes are reduced to 6 mm pipes just before the taps to each bath. This gives 40% of the required design flow.
Apparently the system could be pressurised which would sort the proble but cause issues with the 3 showers in the properties. If I wanted the pipe sizes increased I would have to rip out the baths as they are fitted with the taps against the wall and the pipe work can't be reached. (would be additional cost for decoration).
So I'm hessitant and want to know if legally he is correct.
If I fail to bring these baths up to an acceptable recognised standard / performance, am I in breach of the Landlords and Tennants act that is quoted wuithin the Contract?
By the way - He is also stating that the delay in dealing with this issue is causing a reduced enjoyment of the property (?)

[quarterday]

tenant been complaining for months about bath taking twenty minutes to fill

In the end, you have answered your own question, the strict legal answer, if there is one, is probably irrelevant, the goose who lays the golden egg will fly away; if the house sits empty for a month or two while you are conducting viewings and waiting for potential tenants to be ready you will be far worse off, and the new tenants will no doubt be similarly disgruntled at the time it takes to fill the bath.

The best investment performance from let property is where the tenants get prompt attention to concerns that they might raise. Treat 'em as customers!

[Springfields]

No he has hot running water and can use the facility.

If its not faulty, its just slow.

[Lawcruncher]

I too am having difficulty seeing this as a disrepair.

[quarterday]

twenty minutes to fill the bath

Your problem is that 22MM Pipes are reduced to 6 mm pipes just before the taps to each bath. As you say, this gives 40% of the required design flow.

Cant you pipe right up to the taps with 15mm piping? I think that this would be a better solution than pressurisation for the reasons you mention

[Simonphipps]

The waterflow / pressure to the house has been checked and is fine. The water authority stated that there was obviously internal plumbing issues.
Apparently there is a British Standard called BS6700 and this is an approved code of practice for the installation and maintenance of baths / water etc.
The waterflow to the baths doesn't meet 50% of the waterflow requirement.
The tennant is asking that the plumbing and waterflow be brought up to an acceptable objective standard.
He states that I have an obligation to maintain the property to acceptable standard and, in this case, the acceptable standard is BS6700.

[HairyLandlord]

The waterflow / pressure to the house has been checked and is fine. The water authority stated that there was obviously internal plumbing issues.
Apparently there is a British Standard called BS6700 and this is an approved code of practice for the installation and maintenance of baths / water etc.
The waterflow to the baths doesn't meet 50% of the waterflow requirement.
The tennant is asking that the plumbing and waterflow be brought up to an acceptable objective standard.
He states that I have an obligation to maintain the property to acceptable standard and, in this case, the acceptable standard is BS6700.

I don't believe there are any standards or obligations on the LL about water flow.
And to be honest, its the tenant's responsibility to check that things like this are acceptable to them.

I would get the work done, but not because there is any legal duty etc, but because the tenants would be happier and will stay longer all other things being equal and that you are happy with them.
If one tenant finds this a problem, another well do so too, and therefore, in the interests of making your home more marketable and minimise voids, it makes sense to do the work, whichever is the best approach.
I think correcting the piping issue is the most preferable solution, especially since that physical problem won't go away.

Unless you are in a rare position where there is a paucity of available rented property in your area and it is a desirable place to live, you most likely are in competition from a lot of other landlords and tenants know they have the pick of the market these days.

As much as possible, don't let you or the property be the reason(s) why potential tenants turn away from your home. Put all the odds in your favour.

[worzelgummage]

Could just be the tap washers - I had this on my old house, got the washers changed and it was all fine.

[property mongrel]

6mm tails are usually fitted to kitchen sink mixer taps. Are you sure this is what you have in your bathrooms and not 15mm to basins and 22mm to tubs?

Have you considered and ruled out the possibility that there are any blockages in the pipework or the tanks supplying the taps? Hard water furring? Taps not fitted correctly or not opening fully?

Water companies can increase the pressure to a property in certain circumstances, depending on where the supply starts and how many properties would be affected and in what way. I had a problem with my mains water pressure and had it tested by the water company who found it to be within limits but weaker at peak demand times.

pm