Landlord complaints: What to do if you want to complain to your landlord
If tenants have a problem with their landlord, they should not feel afraid about making a complaint. Tenants have rights, and there is a complaints procedure that tenants can follow. Support is also available for tenants from other organisations.
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Equally, landlords have the right to complain about problematic tenants. Find out more about the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords, and what to do if you want to make a complaint while you are renting a property.
Your rights as a tenant
As a tenant you have some fundamental rights. These are legally documented in a tenancy agreement. If a tenant feels that any of these have been breached by the landlord, you have the right to complain to them, and ask for the issue to be resolved to your satisfaction.
Understanding your tenancy agreement
Tenants will be provided with an assured shorthold tenancy agreement, which specifies what rights a tenant has. These include the right to live in ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property, for the property to be safe and well maintained, to be protected from unfair eviction and for your deposit to be secured by the landlord in a deposit protection scheme.
As well as rights, you will also have some legal responsibilities as a tenant, such as paying rent and bills on time, and keeping the property in a good condition. If any of these obligations are not upheld, the landlord will have the right to take legal action against you, which could in some circumstances lead to eviction.
Common tenant complaints
Maintenance and repair issues
Tenants have the right to report anything about the property to the landlord that needs repairing, within reason. A faulty boiler would be a good example. Landlords should arrange for tradesmen to have access to the property to make the repairs at a time that is convenient with the tenant. Tenants also have the right to have regulation safety checks of gas and electric appliances conducted by their landlord.
Health and safety concerns
If you feel unsafe living in your property, or that your health is being affected by conditions inside your home, you have the right to complain to your landlord, and ask for the issue within the property to be investigated and resolved.
Entering a tenant’s home without permission
One of the basic rights of a tenant is to live undisturbed in the property. If a landlord is trying to gain access to the property when there is no reason for them to do so, this is a breach of the tenancy agreement and provides grounds for complaint.
Common landlord complaints
Rent arrears and late payments
Failure to pay on time, or at all, is one of the most common reasons for a landlord to take action against a tenant. Dealing with rent arrears can be a long drawn out process for landlords, and could involve a Section 8 eviction notice.
Noise and disturbance issues
Landlords sometimes have to deal with tenants who misbehave and cause problems for neighbours, through playing loud music, having parties or acting in ways that abuses their right of ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property. Landlords should first make tenants aware of the problems they are causing, and what actions will be taken. If there is no change in the behaviour, landlords have the right to issue eviction notices.
How to raise a complaint with your landlord
Making an informal complaint
In the first instance tenants can make an informal enquiry to their landlord, perhaps by email or a telephone call. If tenants do not get a response, or feel their concerns are not being attended to or taken seriously, they can go further and make a formal complaint.
Making a formal complaint
Writing to your landlord is the next step. Include full details of the nature of your complaint, any photographs of the issue, damage or disrepair, and evidence of previous correspondence with your landlord. If a letter still does not produce any action, tenants can ask for guidance as to what to do next, perhaps from their local Citizens Advice Bureau.
To escalate a complaint tenants can write to their local council. Most councils have a tenancy relations officer, who can look into your case and contact your landlord. If the problem relates to damp, mould, structural defects or anything that puts a tenant’s health or safety at risk, the council’s environmental health team can inspect the property.
As a last resort, you could take legal action against your landlord – this could be expensive, however, so make sure you have exhausted all other options first and get legal advice.
When to seek help
Tenants should seek help as soon as they feel that their rights, as set out in the tenancy agreement, are being infringed by their landlord.
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