UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi all!

We've had ongoing issues with our bathroom for the last 3 years in our rented flat, with leaks going into the shop below. Our landlord likes to get his contractors out to mastic the floor and seal around the bath (so much so that the mastic behind the taps is about 4 inches thick!) but that isn't the issue - the issue is that the leaks have been going on for so long now, the floor is rotten and the whole bathroom needs to be ripped out. The landlord from the shop below has helped us out massively, has got his own plumber to come and have a look at the situation and has given us the information that the floor needs to be replaced, the whole bath replaced and resealed and retiled too to stop this from reoccurring, meaning we could be without washing facilities for ages. So far, we've had three days without being able to use our shower/bath.

As tenants, what rights do we have regarding washing facilities, would asking our (pretty much useless) estate agents to help arrange somewhere to go where we can shower, such as a hotel, be out of line? We have no idea how long this is going to take, although knowing our landlord, it'll be a while!

Thank you for your help in advance! 

If this bathroom (and maybe toilet too?) is the only one then you are entitled to be given alternative accomodation,hotel, B&B whatever. The landlord should be able to claim this on his insurance,but even if he can't that's not your problem. You could get the council involved,but  if you do,be prepared to get notice served.However,before he could do that he would have to get the work done. 

I'm not sure the landlord has to provide alternative accommodation, although the tenancy agreement might make it clear.
But if the property is not habitable, they're in breach of contract and would have to compensate you for any direct loss (which would have to be kept to a minimum), so it might be cheaper for them to do that.

An example of minimum loss would be that it's cheaper to shower at a gym or public swimming bath than a hotel.
Although if there are several of you, one room might be cheaper than several visits to a gym.

But it sounds like the place is a real mess and the landlord would probably be best simply letting you move out.

I don't think you can just walk in to a gym and use the showers unless you are a member? Likewise,public swimming baths are few and far between.The damage described could take a week or more to repair.This could have been done quicker if the landlord had not kept  bodging to save money.At the very least I would be offering to waive the rent while the work is done.     

Quote from: heavykarma on October 07, 2022, 05:25:45 PM
I don't think you can just walk in to a gym and use the showers unless you are a member? Likewise,public swimming baths are few and far between.

Some allow use of showers for a fee.

No all though.

This may be olde skool... but - as a Landlord - I would probably try to stand by the following position.

In a property with a single bathroom, where that bathroom needs to be ripped out and replaced, I would ask the Tenants if they had any plans to go away on holiday in a suitable timescale - if so, then that's a great opportunity. If not, then I would ensure - as is perfectly normal - that the Contractor knew the Tenant would be at home for the work and clarify that they would make sure there was a working toilet at the end of every working day. This is how people do this job. There were many houses that only had a single bathroom in the olden days... it's only a recent trend where there's sometimes more bathrooms than bedrooms. I bought a 3 bedroom house built in 1990 and it had only a single bathroom and toilet.

People don't go around putting themselves up in hotels when they get a new bathroom. It just doesn't happen. Likewise Tenants should not have this luxury. Everyone has to be pragmatic. Now, I'm never against the idea of a modest rent reduction to soften things that affect life, or to make it better when things have gone wrong... I often like to get these measures in first, so the Tenant is placed onto the back foot instead of you. It's never unfair and always benefits them... but it's a lot better than being on the receiving-end of a request. I have no problem with being pro-active in this regard.

I don't see any need to put Tenants up elsewhere if a bathroom is being replaced and the Contractor commits to making sure there's a working toilet (note, not the whole suite) at the end of each day. It's a short term impact for long term benefit.

I would normally agree with this viewpoint.However,this landlord has already failed to properly address the problem for 3 years.I don't get the impression that he is going to be in any hurry to get the work carried out.Even if they have a second loo,people do need to bath/shower.
If you checked into a hotel to find the bathroom unuseable you would expect to be given another room . I am sure most of us will have had what the French describe as a "whore's bath",standing at the kitchen sink with a flannel.It's not something you would want to do for many days.







Normally I would share this viewpoint,but it does not sound as if this landlord is going to be in any hurry to get the work done properly. Nothing can be fitted until the floor is ripped up and replaced.Even if there is another loo,you can't expect people not to have a useable bath or shower for very long.Most of us will have resorted to what the French refer to as a "whore's bath" at some time,standing at the kitchen sink with a soapy flannel.I am also recalling an episode of Steptoe and Son,with Steptoe Snr.naked,crammed in the  kitchen sink scrubbing his armpits with a dishcloth.Now I am stuck with that image in my head.

Sure, but we only have the Tenant's view of what needed doing for over 3 years... they could be in cloud-cuckoo land. The bathroom could have been perfectly serviceable / usable until recently. Still could be for that matter. I'm saying that's unrelated to the position - if a bathroom is to be replaced, as long as there's a working toilet at the end of each day then there's no need to fund putting the Tenants up at a hotel / B&B... this is just how it'd be if you were an owner / occupier. Tenants should not expect superior treatment just because they're Tenants... and we don't equate a tenancy with a hotel stay, or do we do that now? News to me if we do.

Something odd happened with my post,I thought I had accidentally deleted the first one.I then thought better of the comment about the hotel.I have been a chambermaid in my time.When I first became a landlord I did not go so far as to put chocolates on the pillows,but I did a welcome basket,toiletries in the bathroom,beverages and milk in the kitchen.I soon got that knocked out of me.