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[jpkeates]

From a 100% legal point of view, no you can't deduct it from the rent - there's no right to offset without the other parties agreement.

From a practical point of view, I'd be pretty tempted to take that pragmatic approach, but the landlord could deduct it from your deposit or get hacked...

[jpkeates]

You have to be sure your property is within the legal range of EPC scores.
I don't see how anyone can do that unless they have a current EPC - given that the scoring changes from time to time.

Not tested anywhere yet, obviously, so that's just an opinion.

[jpkeates]

While that's the practicality of it, that's the landlord's problem.
If he/she want's to let their flat, they need to make sure the communal access is functioning.

Don't let the agent, landlord or management company shuffle the issue between them.
You rent from the landlord,...

[jpkeates]

Almost as soon as I hit my late 50's it's more a question of how do I stop it happening?...

[jpkeates]

Register to monitor all land registry enquiries on your rental properties and put a restriction on the title https://www.gov.uk/government/public...egistration-rq

[jpkeates]

There do seem to be a number of issues with this form.

[jpkeates]

There's no law about locks specifically.

But you have a right to access your property and, if someone prevents that or allows it to happen, it can be a criminal offence, so your landlord should be making damn sure that the building is appropriately set up.
It's your landlord you should...

[jpkeates]

I think you'd better follow the protocol.

I think my reference is out of date.

[jpkeates]

1 - Yes it is legal, but see below.
2 - Yes if the tenancy began before 1st June 2019, no otherwise.

Your option is to (either threaten to or actually) let the tenancy go periodic at the end of the fixed term (decline to sign any renewal or "extension").
When the tenancy...

[jpkeates]

Chances are that the agents actually got the money.

[jpkeates]

Not on their own they don't.

I do all of those things, often simultaneously and my home has zero damp and no mould.
I do, however, keep the place well ventilated.

There isn't a single landlord reading this that doesn't think that 99.99999% of instances of mould are caused...

[jpkeates]

As long as they were incurred solely and exclusively for the rental property (i.e. that was the only property involved) yes they are allowable.

[jpkeates]

The first point is that you are correct that the lock isn't appropriate for a shared entrance and needed to be replaced anyway.
It's not stupid, it's negligent.

If the agent confirmed before you called the locksmith that you would get your money back, they've agreed that on behalf...

[jpkeates]

Depending on who the deposit is protected with, it's usually 14 days.

If the protection company hold the actual funds, there will be a way of making what's called a single claim to force the landlord to act.
If the landlord holds the funds, you may need to threaten to sue them....

[jpkeates]

You may have to take professional legal advice.

Personally, I don't think that there is a remedy,

You elected to sue the tenant, not the tenant and the guarantor.
I don't see any way of suing the guarantor now the case has been decided.

[jpkeates]

There is nothing in that document, or the act itself, that requires any facilities for drying clothes (or washing them) in a rental property.

And while "it's mentioned" on the shelter website, the actual text - which you quoted - says "It can also be caused by poor insulation,...

[jpkeates]

The landlord shouldn't be asking for the cost of replacements.
They are entitled to ask for compensation for the loss of value of their property beyond fair wear and tear.

The claim doesn't depend on correcting the loss - often it makes no sense to, because the claim for the loss...

[jpkeates]

Oh.

To be fair to the RLA, the "we have a good reason" fixes the problem in the OPs proposed text....

[jpkeates]

Where does that web page say that a landlord has to allow you to dry your clothes inside their property?...

[jpkeates]

Great, hooray for the RLA!!

Be interesting to see how the government one is amended, because it currently states that an additional deposit may be taken, which might no longer be possible....