Landlord building work - Compensation?

[Bald-Eagle22]

Sounds like he’s had a change of lifestyle during covid and wants you to suffer his change of circumstances.

Are your still In contact or in on a periodic agreement ?

Read your tenancy agreement , if it says you must give access for any remedial work then your probably buggered . If your periodic then move .

What a tool , I’d never have a tenant in situ in any of my properties and do this sort of work. I’d always wait until they had moved out or definitely give them some kind of bigger discount or a free rent period .

I’ve a 1 bedroom coming up for lease at the end of `January if your interested?

The other thing you also now have to consider is do you want to live with anew building at the end of your garden that was originally an extension of your garden ? If it changes the whole dynamic of your property to live in ( sunlight ect or privacy ) does the rent now reflect your change of circumstances, building work going on or not ?

 

[FMF]

I wouldn't say a new building classes as remedial work

 

[Gav_r26]

...

5% is considerably more profit than you would get with it sat in the bank so that maybe that is all the landlord is making, who knows. The truth is none of us do. I think the fact they've warned them in advanced and offered a rent reduction, would show that they have some consideration for the tennant. I think the issue is the different perceptions of what is a reasonable amount of compensation. The landlord is always going to think its lower than the tennant. As I said before you could be in the same position if you owned the property, but then you wouldn't get a mortgage discount if your neighbour was doing alterations so from that point of view I'd say 4.5% is better than nothing. The alternative is he could serve notice on the tennants so he could complete the work in peace, however there would then be uproar that the tennant had been evicted for no reason. I suspect its a no win situation!

 

[Diddums]

5% is considerably more profit than you would get with it sat in the bank so that maybe that is all the landlord is making, who knows. The truth is none of us do. I think the fact they've warned them in advanced and offered a rent reduction, would show that they have some consideration for the tennant. I think the issue is the different perceptions of what is a reasonable amount of compensation. The landlord is always going to think its lower than the tennant. As I said before you could be in the same position if you owned the property, but then you wouldn't get a mortgage discount if your neighbour was doing alterations so from that point of view I'd say 4.5% is better than nothing. The alternative is he could serve notice on the tennants so he could complete the work in peace, however there would then be uproar that the tennant had been evicted for no reason. I suspect its a no win situation!

Again, you seem to be thinking that this is somehow the tenant's problem and that he should be grateful to receive anything. This is 100% the landlord's doing and the 4.5% isn't "generous", it's an insult. I'd hit the roof if I was in the OP's position.

Landlord's property, landlord's renovation, landlord's problem. If he/she's incapable of factoring in these costs when making major alterations to his/her house then that's their problem, not the tenant's.

I'm not a difficult tenant by any stretch of the imagination, in fact I deal with 90% of all the problems in our block myself as I'm a building manager with a strong career history in building maintenance so I have contacts and a ton of knowledge. I have a fantastic relationship with my landlord and any time something has gone wrong, I've dealt with it no questions asked. I am however still a paying customer and expect to be treated as such and my landlord knows it, so offered us a 50% reduction in rent when she wanted to carry out some renovations to the block. This is a good tenant / landlord relationship, not "oh sorry you poor landlord, let me live in discomfort for 6 months so you can improve your wealth portfolio with zero benefit to me whilst I still continue to pay off your mortgage".

If you were my landlord with that attitude I'd be dragging you over the coals.

 

[adam cool dude]

If you were my landlord with that attitude I'd be dragging you over the coals.

Then you would be looking for a new place as he would be kicking you out.

 

[Gav_r26]

Again, you seem to be thinking that this is somehow the tenant's problem and that he should be grateful to receive anything. This is 100% the landlord's doing and the 4.5% isn't "generous", it's an insult. I'd hit the roof if I was in the OP's position.

Landlord's property, landlord's renovation, landlord's problem. If he/she's incapable of factoring in these costs when making major alterations to his/her house then that's their problem, not the tenant's.

I'm not a difficult tenant by any stretch of the imagination, in fact I deal with 90% of all the problems in our block myself as I'm a building manager with a strong career history in building maintenance so I have contacts and a ton of knowledge. I have a fantastic relationship with my landlord and any time something has gone wrong, I've dealt with it no questions asked. I am however still a paying customer and expect to be treated as such and my landlord knows it, so offered us a 50% reduction in rent when she wanted to carry out some renovations to the block. This is a good tenant / landlord relationship, not "oh sorry you poor landlord, let me live in discomfort for 6 months so you can improve your wealth portfolio with zero benefit to me whilst I still continue to pay off your mortgage".

If you were my landlord with that attitude I'd be dragging you over the coals.

I don't get why there is this massive assumption that because the OP is renting they are entitled to compensation. As previously stated if they were a private owner and next door were making changes / improvements then the OP would get jack all so I don't see why this is different.

Yes its a massive pain for the OP but such is life. As the old saying goes, you buy a house not a view.

Its not like they are actually doing the building work in the property they are renting. If they were then I'd agree they were entitled to some sort of compensation especially if they hadn't asked for it but it's in the next door property. Admittedly very close, but if its that much of a problem then don't rent a property with a 2m garden! OP can't be that bothered about outside space.

Seems typical of modern society that everyone wants compo for anything!

 

[builder22]

Maybe I’m wrong but having a rent free or even 50% reduction period sounds mental
Only thing you’re really losing is the loss of use of the outside space?

 

[Gav_r26]

Maybe I’m wrong but having a rent free or even 50% reduction period sounds mental
Only thing you’re really losing is the loss of use of the outside space?

Agree, which sounds like its effectively nothing more than a light well anyway. Hardly the height of space and privacy!

 

[Semple]

Then you would be looking for a new place as he would be kicking you out.

Not in the immediate term.

Aren't S21's six months now, by the time the landlord gets a case through court to secure an eviction, that's more than likely to be end of 2021/early 2022.

The OP could easily just say that level of "compensation" isn't suitable for the breach of peace and enjoyment that he will be losing out on, and the landlord would have to delay his plans until he could evict the OP.

It would definitely sour the relationship.

Also as someone else posted earlier on, if the OP does move out ready for the landlord to start works, it's unlikely that someone else will move in whilst works are going on. If that takes 6 months then that's half a years rent that the landlord loses out on.

@OP it really depends on your future plans. Do you like living there? Is your intention to move in a couple of years, or do you intend to stay for significantly longer? - If the latter then trying to keep a good relationship with the landlord might be worthwhile long-term. He may well forgo any rent increases etc.

 

[Semple]

Maybe I’m wrong but having a rent free or even 50% reduction period sounds mental
Only thing you’re really losing is the loss of use of the outside space?

The OP may well use this outside space, it's not even a portion that you'd lose either, you'd lose the entire amount. It's not like you could sit out there and chill whilst you've got a builder 5 feet away digging foundations or something.

The noise will be a big issue as well. Especially as the OP has alluded to WFH now. I'm sure his employer wouldn't take too kindly to hearing construction works in the background of any conferences.

 

[Gav_r26]

Not in the immediate term.

Also as someone else posted earlier on, if the OP does move out ready for the landlord to start works, it's unlikely that someone else will move in whilst works are going on. If that takes 6 months then that's half a years rent that the landlord loses out on.

The OP doesn't need to move out for the works to start as the works are in a different property not his!

I think this is the bit that seems to keep getting lost in this thread. The work is not on the property the OP rents it is on the one next door.

 

[Semple]

The OP doesn't need to move out for the works to start as the works are in a different property not his!

I think this is the bit that seems to keep getting lost in this thread. The work is not on the property the OP rents it is on the one next door.

Yes i know that. My point was that if the OP doesn't accept the inconvenience and decides to vacate the property, the landlord is unlikely to secure another tenancy whilst construction works are going on. Which would mean losing out on full rent for 6 months as opposed to 50% rent for 6 months and not having to go through the faff of finding another tenant.

Edit: The works might be happening on the property next door, but the OP stated that part of these works will require some construction to happen within his garden boundary.

 

[teknokid]

The OP may well use this outside space, it's not even a portion that you'd lose either, you'd lose the entire amount. It's not like you could sit out there and chill whilst you've got a builder 5 feet away digging foundations or something.

The noise will be a big issue as well. Especially as the OP has alluded to WFH now. I'm sure his employer wouldn't take too kindly to hearing construction works in the background of any conferences.

Pretty much this. However, the landlord has already alluded to the fact that if we weren't WFH this wouldn't be much of a problem so he doesn't feel he should compensate. My view is we pay to use the property as and when we wish, so that shouldn't come into it.

As much as we don't want to sour the relationship, 4.5% seems very low to me. I'd agree with others that 50% is too much, but in the region of 10-20% sounds reasonable? At the end of the day, the office is of massive benefit to him, will sour our view long term (it's currently an extension of our garden, although technically belonging to upstairs we have full access etc currently) and the building works will stop us using any of the outdoor space and/or even having windows open. We're in central London, so whilst the garden may sound small to some it's a bloody luxury here and was a godsend throughout lockdown...

 

[Gav_r26]

The OP may well use this outside space, it's not even a portion that you'd lose either, you'd lose the entire amount. It's not like you could sit out there and chill whilst you've got a builder 5 feet away digging foundations or something.

The noise will be a big issue as well. Especially as the OP has alluded to WFH now. I'm sure his employer wouldn't take too kindly to hearing construction works in the background of any conferences.

Again this could happen with any privately owned property if planning is granted for building work nearby / next door. No one gets compo from the developers for noise of an estate etc being built. You just have to suck it up!

Therefore 4.5% is I think more than generous as I would suspect that legally they have to give nothing. The OP isn't being prevented from using the outside space, they are choosing not too.

 

[teknokid]

The OP doesn't need to move out for the works to start as the works are in a different property not his!

I think this is the bit that seems to keep getting lost in this thread. The work is not on the property the OP rents it is on the one next door.

For clarity - there is no partition, the new property is in the shared garden so absolutely no privacy between us and the works. The land is all part of one single property...

 

[teknokid]

Again this could happen with any privately owned property if planning is granted for building work nearby / next door. No one gets compo from the developers for noise of an estate etc being built. You just have to suck it up!

Therefore 4.5% is I think more than generous as I would suspect that legally they have to give nothing. The OP isn't being prevented from using the outside space, they are choosing not too.

The outside space will be literally less than a metre from the building site, and obviously will therefore be covered in dust/debris etc.. Surely that's very different to if it were next door where you'd still have some level of privacy? The builders will also be using the property above us as a base throughout, so will disturb us further in the process...

 

[Stumble Bum]

4.5% of rent is a pittance, the landlord is taking the mick. I would outright refuse and consider finding a better rental property to move to, or make an offer for half price rent for as long as the building works take. Noisy builders right outside and no real garden space to use is nowhere near worth 4.5% compensation.

Not sure why people keep saying if the neighbours next door were doing works you wouldn't receive anything as clearly that is completely different, This is building works happening outside your window at the back end of your own garden, whilst your half of the garden is essentially out of use.

As also stated, if you moved out, no-one is going to move in whilst all that building work is going on, that will cost the landlord far more, make him aware of this.

 

[Semple]

Again this could happen with any privately owned property if planning is granted for building work nearby / next door. No one gets compo from the developers for noise of an estate etc being built. You just have to suck it up!

Therefore 4.5% is I think more than generous as I would suspect that legally they have to give nothing. The OP isn't being prevented from using the outside space, they are choosing not too.

True and that is something you have to gamble with, and make your decision on whether it's still suitable to remain living there. Building works nearby/next door wouldn't infringe upon your living space though - apart from the noise/dust, in the OP's case he's said the builders will need to dig a big trench for laying pipes. So it is slightly different.

 

[Gav_r26]

For clarity - there is no partition, the new property is in the shared garden so absolutely no privacy between us and the works. The land is all part of one single property...

a pic would probably help but that just sounds a weird set up. Would expect at least a low fence to define who's is who's.

Maybe a solution is to get them to put a fence up for your privacy? Will also possibly reduce the noise a bit.

 

[Semple]

For reference, if the OP's rent is £1000 a month, he's getting a £45 a month discount for all the hassle, making his rent £955 a month. I know full well if i was paying £955 a month living next door to a building site i'd happily pay the extra £45 a month for absolute peace.

He's clearly taking the ****.

I would try with 20 and settle at 15.