low water pressure in showers,should landlord fix this?

[jillyb]

sorry if repeating myself but got no response in Home and garden forum.

Just moved into a new place.There are two showers, one off the bath and one not.The pressure from both are like someone weeing on you!!I thought maybe I could replace the shower hose and head and that might help but it didn't and in the other shower we can't do that.

Called letting agent and the plumber came out and said that he'd check if we'd a pump but we didn't. He said here's nothing you can do unless you get a pump or an instant shower installed.. expensive though and landlord might not do it.

Emailed the property agent explaining the very low pressure etc and how it was so bad we had been showering elsewhere etc. So she said she's get onto the Plumber and the Landlord.

She emailed me then saying; "I had a discussion with Plumber about the shower & he said that the pressure is normal for those showers. At present alot of properties are requesting to have the more powerful showers removed from properties as the water meters will be installed in all properties in the near future.
Let me know your thoughts."

When the plumber was out he did mention this but surely a decent showers outweighs any additional water charges when it comes in??A lot of people have electric showers aswell and they'll hardly remove them.

I reiterated this to her and said your welcome to test them out- which they did by just turning up today without calling ahead. Basically she said her showers the same and you'll just have to get used to it.She said previous tenants never complained before

The previous tenant happened to call this evening to collect post and I asked them about it. He said yes the pressure was awful and he complained but nothing was done about it. Does this give us more of a chance something should be done?We haven't signed the lease yet.

what do people think??

 

[Speedwell]

I would not sign the lease until the shower is sorted. However, I assume you have paid a deposit? TBH it does not appear that it will be sorted if the other tenants had the same problem.

I would tell the landlord that you are giving your notice if it is not sorted as there are plenty other properties with better water pressure out there.

Having bad water pressure will (I know) really get annoying.

 

[oldnick]

Why are you even arguing with the landlady?
Do as Speedwell says, put it in writing - though thats just to cover yourself - and be prepared to move out. Dont pay any more rent -stay during the time your deposit covers the period.

I installed proper jet showerrs in each of my properties , plus for one building with three apts I installed an extra pump and reserve water tank in the basement during times of low water pressure.

i did not do this purely out of kindness,( though i couldn't give anyone accommodation with no decent showers) but out of commercial common sense.
I give good accommodation and am always full, tenants dont leave or complain.
Bad landlords/ladies give good ones a bad name and I hate them. Leave !!

 

[ajapale]

I suggest you move and check the water pressure in the showers in the new place before you move in.

Is there a check list of items that tenants should check before they move in?

 

[jillyb]

thanks for the replies

We're dealing with the letting agent on behalf of the landlord. They haven't even asked the landlord bout it yet. trying to discourage us by telling us its normal pressure and costly to fix.doubt he'd be happy losing tenants over this. We love the place and want to stay long term but not with the showers the way they are.

Being this close to christmas i'd say we'd be here til mid Jan. We paid a deposit and first months rent. She also took my bank details as we're paying the letting agent monthly and then they are paying the landlord.
Jan's rent is due to come out of my account end of this month.. so guess we'll have to pay for jan? but we're def not signing lease til its fixed.

 

[oldnick]

there are several aspects about low pressure :-

- if owner does not want to buy a proper power-jet shower unit then, if the shower is really a dribble, a small power pump can be attached to most showers (or,rather the piping behind). With labour, 200-300 euros and should last for years.

Sometimes, this task can be more difficult and thus more expensive if access to pipes behind shower unit is difficult. In which case it's back to buying a proper new jetwash shower.

However, neither installing a power jet unit or fixing a small pump are of much use if there is little water pressure from the mains to the property. You may find the tanks empty half way thru your power-shower

This is often the case with higher-floor apartments, or properties on hills, more so with older buildings. This may be especially true at present with water pressure being low in much of the country.
Mind you, you say the previous tenant always had lousy pressure.

As I said in my previous post i installed a large reservoir tank with an additional pump to shoot water up to three apartment in a building I own. However, if the owner has just one apt in a complex then that would be difficult.

I hadn't realised that the agent hadn't contacted the owner ,in which case my ire should have been directed to that silly person in the agency....


However, still put your comments in writing and state that you expect there should be a proper working shower within xyz period. It's a reasonable expectation.