Double glazing failed in rented property

BoyBurning":k59xuknb said:

greenstiles":k59xuknb said:

Well the agent says there still under guarantee and that she has been in touch with the double glazing people (this was last year and on going) and keeps saying oh i'll phone them again and they should call us to come and inspect, but that sounds like BS as surely it would be the landlord having to do that or maybe not.

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No not necessarily.

It depends entirely on what sort of agreement the agent and landlord have.

Do you have proof that you first approached the agent 1 year ago about the problem?

How many times and with what frequency have you approached them about the same problem since? What proof do you have of this?


How does the agent know the windows are within warranty unless they have something to do with maintenance?



BB

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??

Lanlords that rely on agents to manage their properties often do so because they can't be arsed to deal with the day to day trivial details. They pay a small fortune for this service, so probably wouldn't be amused if the agent isn't dealing with it.
You may be able to find the owner's details at the land registry. Approach them directly. You are not obliged to go through their agent

I asked if you were on benefits because the landlord is paid by the council and if the landlord is being crappy then often the council can assist in "encouraging" landlords to play ball if they want to get paid.

another option is to get a price quote for a replacement unit..then inform the landlord you are going to get it done and deduct it out of rent? normally that kicks start them into some kind of communication

Sounds like the glazing part can be replaced, which should be reasonably cheap, rather than the whole UPVC.

Get a local double glazing comany or two, in, for a couple of quotes, then hand it to the agent (or directly to the landlord, if you'd prefer). Read thru your rent contract, if you have one, with regards to the upkeep of the property, and if they (or the agent) are liable, you might want to start making some demands about getting the job done.

You could always use the weight of TV's watchdog behind you, as I'm sure the agent wouldn't want bad publicity?

sylus":2xr4p7i7 said:

another option is to get a price quote for a replacement unit..then inform the landlord you are going to get it done and deduct it out of rent?

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No, that is never the advice, and you should not do that.

If you can answer my questions about proof then you have something to move on with. If you don't and you haven't kept records or have relied purely on phonecalls which you haven't logged, then the time lapsed is largely irrelevant.

You should not be undertaking anything by way of gathering quotes etc yourself at this stage.

You could do with establishing what form the contract exists between agent and landlord - ie. has the agent been given delegated powers to deal with repairs on behalf of landlord, or does obligation in first instance remain with the landlord?

As per usual, written records are always better than phonecalls...


BB

All food for thought thank you all.......i'm going to contact the agent 1 more time then ask for landlords address. I'm just trying to save the landlord more hassle in the future when all the windows get worse.

I speak, only from past experience..

I now have a private landlord that's very very good to me/my family..

I have only used email up till now, but with be keping them from now on. I will be taking pics of the windows and anything else from now on. I looks like the agent is responsible for carrying out /over seeing repairs.....like the blocked car park drain that took months to clear !

I found this.........

''What if I don't know who the landlord is?''

Reporting the problem to the landlord's agent will usually be sufficient at this stage. However, you do have a legal right to know the landlord's name and address. Ask the person who collects your rent (eg the letting agent) to provide the details. They must do so within 21 days. If they don't, they are committing a criminal offence and can be fined. Contact a local advice centre if you need help.

You can also find the name of the owner of your property from the Land Registry, but you will have to pay a £2 fee for this service.