Landlords and the building regulations

PatrickJ

Registered User
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Landlords, firstly in these times I wouldn't have your job for a million quid and luxury cruise around the Bahamas but that's beside the point!

Over the last couple of weeks friends of mine have been getting regular work from landlords regarding putting more ventilation into their properties and general updating the spec.

I went on three of these jobs labouring. Met with the landlords, who were all pretty much alike; worried, anxious and having very little access to their own properties.

On these three different jobs on three different days we were refused access by the tenant. All three landlords could do and refused to do very little about it. Of course they were left red faced and profusely apologetic. Their apologies were very little use to us as we were down money on diesel, materials, lunch etc.

I joked that I was bringing the lads bad luck but they told me that they would be wealthy if they received €1 for every time this has happened them since the X-mas holidays alone.

The landlords had been threatened by their tenants that all payments would cease if they didn't comply with the building regs. In all cases the authorities were involved and the landlords were working off a list that the council believed was essential to the safety and health of the tenant.

As all jobs had been priced at an earlier point - my friend was insistent that the properties were in excellent condition and this was merely an added expense on the owner.

Do you feel you are under unnecessary pressure to bring your properties up to the perceived high standard?
 
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On these three different jobs on three different days we were refused access by the tenant.
The time of any and all entries into a property by the landlord and/or any person going under his instructions MUST first be mutually agreed with the tenant. A tenant has the right to not permit entry at a time that is unsuitable or not prearranged. However, A tenant also has a legal obligation to permit a landlord to carry out repairs/works that are required (whether on a council list or not). Neither the landlord nor anyone appointed by him (i.e. repair men) has the right to just turn up at the tenant's door and request entry immediately.

The landlords had been threatened by their tenants that all payments would cease if they didn't comply with the building regs.
Any withholding of rent which was not previously agreed with the landlord is a breach of the tenants' obligations under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004 and the landlord could serve the required notices and evict the tenants for rent arrears.

As all jobs had been priced at an earlier point - my friend was insistent that the properties were in excellent condition and this was merely an added expense on the owner.

Sometimes the council's employees take a different interpretation of the building regulations and what is in fact legal, they say does not meet the regs. Regulations that have been poorly written or not anticipated certain innovations. My apartment only has ventilation through a slot at the top of each window which does not meet (I believe) the required area for ventilation. However, they are there from the original build which was ten years ago. I'm happy and there were no complaints from previous tenants, AFAIK.

Do you feel you are under unnecessary pressure to bring your properties up to the perceived high standard?

If the standard is not met, then the properties should be brought up to standard. Fortunately or unfortunately, the interpretation of the standards is sometimes suspect and a discussion about councils requiring an upgrade, when the landlord believes the property is up to standard, can be found on several forums, no least AAM.

http://www.askaboutmoney.com/threads/ventilation-in-rental-property.187512/
http://www.askaboutmoney.com/thread...ties-s-i-no-534-landlords-obligations.145531/
 
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Thank you very much Facetious. I agree that interpretation standards can be sometimes suspect indeed. Interesting threads.
 
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