Building works - mid tenancy

[wuciwug]

Hi,

I have a property which has a number of tenets in (for arguments sake its a HMO) though unlicensed as its only 2 floors.

The bathroom was in a bad state of repair and a communal room had a large ammount of its space taken up with a large chimney breast. I got a builder in, got me a quote, gave the tenants a months notice set everything in motion.

Now I expected the work to take 2-3 weeks, we're now in week 4 and works are a good 5-10 days from completion. The tenants have suffered some dust, plus sharing the communal areas with the builders during the day, somewhat limited access to the services (one bathroom instead of two, there are four tenants) and the washing machine has broken.

I've done my best to mitigate their inconvenience, arranged for their rooms to be cleaned and offered to do their washing for them & pay for their washing while the washing machine is out of action.

However they're all a bit fed up and think I should do them some kind of rent discount.

Now from a legal prospective they've had access to kitchen / bathroom facilities, heating, washing etc etc. Everything I'm obliged to provide has been present and operational (I've checked every day after the builders have left)

I can see why they would be upset and I've tried to remedy it as best I can. In my mind they'll end up with better accommodation for a few weeks of dirt / builders.

What's the consensus, should I give them a rent discount or not?

[mind the gap]

Hi,

I have a property which has a number of tenets in (for arguments sake its a HMO) though unlicensed as its only 2 floors.

The bathroom was in a bad state of repair and a communal room had a large ammount of its space taken up with a large chimney breast. I got a builder in, got me a quote, gave the tenants a months notice set everything in motion.

Now I expected the work to take 2-3 weeks, we're now in week 4 and works are a good 5-10 days from completion. The tenants have suffered some dust, plus sharing the communal areas with the builders during the day, somewhat limited access to the services (one bathroom instead of two, there are four tenants) and the washing machine has broken.

I've done my best to mitigate their inconvenience, arranged for their rooms to be cleaned and offered to do their washing for them & pay for their washing while the washing machine is out of action.

However they're all a bit fed up and think I should do them some kind of rent discount.

Now from a legal prospective they've had access to kitchen / bathroom facilities, heating, washing etc etc. Everything I'm obliged to provide has been present and operational (I've checked every day after the builders have left)

I can see why they would be upset and I've tried to remedy it as best I can. In my mind they'll end up with better accommodation for a few weeks of dirt / builders.

What's the consensus, should I give them a rent discount or not?

Have they asked for one?

If not, I would make it a crate of whatever you think they would like (within reason) plus a jolly good clean of the whole house and cinema vouchers so they can go and watch a film while it's being cleaned!

You sound like a nice landlord.

[jta]

You are doing the work to improve their living conditions, You are already paying for that. Unless one of them makes a specific point of asking for a discount, I think you should just collect their rent as normal. You might like to give the builders a kick up their collective bums though.

[mind the gap]

You are doing the work to improve their living conditions, You are already paying for that. Unless one of them makes a specific point of asking for a discount, I think you should just collect their rent as normal. You might like to give the builders a kick up their collective bums though.

'Collective bums'? Sounds horrible! One builder's bum is bad enough.

What's the collective noun for builders' bums?:D

[jta]

What's the collective noun for builders' bums?:D

I think it's airybuttoxus

[wuciwug]

yes.. sorry forgot to say they have asked for one.

I don't really want to upset them by refusing their request, but I also don't think I should be out of pocket, cinema vouchers sounds like a much better idea!


I like to think I'm a nice landlord - I certainly try to be!

[mind the gap]

yes.. sorry forgot to say they have asked for one.

I don't really want to upset them by refusing their request, but I also don't think I should be out of pocket, cinema vouchers sounds like a much better idea!


I like to think I'm a nice landlord - I certainly try to be!

Yes, as jta says, you have actually improved their accommodation - it's just unfortunate it has been so disruptive. Presumably you asked their permission in advance for access to the property for the builders to do the improvements? Ts could have objected at that stage and insisted you did it after they moved out - but presumably they did not object?

I didn't say just cinema vouchers, though. Big Clean...crate of wine...cinema vouchers.

[jta]

Well you do sound like a nice LL, but don't let that be a handicap. You are improving their living conditions, it's not always possible to stick to timetables. Point out to them that they did agree to the work being done, offer them a slap-up meal at your local greasy spoon, and as MTG says, make sure the place is spic and span at the end of the job.

[mind the gap]

offer them a slap-up meal at your local greasy spoon.

Eeh 'eck luv, you know how to show someone a good time!