tenants witholding rent

bibacux2001 | 15:28 Fri 22nd Jun 2007 | Law

5 Answers

can a tenant withold rent for repairs that they deem as needed without prior consent of the landlord. I.E just off thier own bat.

money worries

Moped crash

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Ethel

Very risky - you could find yourself facing eviction for rent arrears.

What part of the UK are you living in and who is your landlord - council, housing asscociation, private?

What sort of tenancy do you have?

bibacux2001

Question Author

it is a shorterm tenancy (assured) that was undertaken a year ago for six months and is now on a month to month renewal. I live in west lancashire and it is a private landlord who has generally been ok but we have a sticking point of a repair to an outside wall. He wants us to remove our debris from yard to gain access but we cant organise it. Unfortunately we have no written agreement as regards the repair of this wall and also we are already in arrears for rent and we hvnt been very good in paying rent on time. Have we any chance!!!

Ethel

If he can't get to the wall because of your debris, you really don't have a leg to stand on. You are in effect obstructing him from doing the job.

And being in arrears already will not help your case of with holding rent.

His defence for not repairing the wall will be your refusal to aid access.

fred_smith

no you cannot make a repair on a rented property and then expect to have reimbursment with out first you give the landlord reasonable notice to repair it him/herself having said this i would advise you seek legal advice on it because i recently won a similar case against my landlord on repair and withholding rent under the 1922 properties act, however i had previously asked for the repairs to be carried out ! you can find information at gov.com websites just type in decent home standards

joko

What are you expecting him to do? move all your crap because you can't be bothered?
if you can't move it you must pay someone to move it for you.

the problem is with you here, you are obstructing him, yet you want him to do your dirty work for you!

if i was him i would remove all your crap, bin it, fix the wall, - then charge you for removal of your crap - and he would be allowed to do this...
unbelievable

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