Tenants right - Please help

shelby67

Hi all,

We have been renting an apartment for the last 18 months. We have just been told that the entire apartment block needs work done on it and builders will need access to our apartment from 8am - 5.30pm everyday for a minimum of 14 working days.

They will be taking all the windows out and window sills off, stripping all the plasterboard around every window.

They will need to cut out parts of each ceiling to inspect pipes.

They will be taking all the frames off every door.

installing smoke alarms into each bedroom and running wiring through the apartment.

Sealing areas and painting

There is other works and they have said there will possibly be more as they go along.

They have moved all the residents that are in all the penthouses into a new property while the work is being done.

They have not done this for the rest of us on the other 4 floors.

Both myself and my wife suffer with migrane and I have asthma. We are unhappy that we have to live through all this for a minimum of 3 weeks and I also work from home which will be an issue as builders will be in and out all day.

What rights do we have does anyone know? we are in South Dublin and paying through the nose for our apartment.

Any advice would be great as we have a meeting on Monday with the directors, property management company and all parties carrying out the work.

foggy_lad

shelby67 wrote: »

Hi all,

We have been renting an apartment for the last 18 months. We have just been told that the entire apartment block needs work done on it and builders will need access to our apartment from 8am - 5.30pm everyday for a minimum of 14 working days.

They will be taking all the windows out and window sills off, stripping all the plasterboard around every window.

They will need to cut out parts of each ceiling to inspect pipes.

They will be taking all the frames off every door.

installing smoke alarms into each bedroom and running wiring through the apartment.

Sealing areas and painting

There is other works and they have said there will possibly be more as they go along.

They have moved all the residents that are in all the penthouses into a new property while the work is being done.

They have not done this for the rest of us on the other 4 floors.

Both myself and my wife suffer with migrane and I have asthma. We are unhappy that we have to live through all this for a minimum of 3 weeks and I also work from home which will be an issue as builders will be in and out all day.

What rights do we have does anyone know? we are in South Dublin and paying through the nose for our apartment.

Any advice would be great as we have a meeting on Monday with the directors, property management company and all parties carrying out the work.

You would be entitled to the same alternative accommodation as the others but it is up to your landlord to fight your corner. Basically your landlord should supply the accommodation for you and claim from their management company. You have limited rights with the management of the apartments because you are not the owner of the apartment.

shelby67

Thanks for your reply Foggy its much appreciated, do you know if there is anywhere that I can read up about rights as I don't want to have to stay here and I know my landlord is pretty tight with money so I am just trying to protect myself and my wife

jcd5971

I wouldn't say too much landlord could evict you, as refurbishing is one of the ways to end a lease if I'm not mistaken, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

On other hand just be calm about it and try to get specific times when they will be in your apartment and make arrangements to be elsewhere to avoid the noise.

Tldr
Try to be more conciliatory than ornery on this one

shelby67

jcd5971 wrote: »

Tldr
Try to be more conciliatory than ornery on this one

Thanks for your reply, they need access to every apartment and need access each day a various times so they cant even narrow it down.

What does the last part of your message mean ?

athtrasna

Duplicate threads merged

Mod

jcd5971

shelby67 wrote:

What does the last part of your message mean ?

Just meant try to meet them in the middle don't go in shouting and such,

foggy_lad

jcd5971 wrote: »

I wouldn't say too much landlord could evict you, as refurbishing is one of the ways to end a lease if I'm not mistaken, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong

On other hand just be calm about it and try to get specific times when they will be in your apartment and make arrangements to be elsewhere to avoid the noise.

Tldr
Try to be more conciliatory than ornery on this one

Landlord can only end a part 4 tenancy if renovations or other remedial work is required and notice must be given as well as th stipulation that the tenant is offered the property again after the renovations, if the OP has a signed lease covering their tenancy the landlord must provide alternative accommodation if the property is unsafe to live in during the works.

It sounds like the fire safety features were not up to standard in the apartments and remedial work is required by law, the management company should really be rehousing everyone during this time but have decided to only look after the highest paying owners.

The_Conductor

What Foggy is saying- is correct- however, in an apartment scenario where the management company are conducting the works- the landlord may not have been given this notice- so its not quite as simple as Foggy is suggesting.

That said- I would be contacting the landlord- pointing out that the other floors have been provided with alternate accommodation- and requesting (politely) similar treatment.

Lantus

Management companies through block insurance don't typically rehouse third parties that have entered into private contracts with unit owners. It only applies to unit owners living in their units.

It would be landlords responsibility to arrange alternative accommodation as the tenants contract is with him.

foggy_lad

Lantus wrote: »

Management companies through block insurance don't typically rehouse third parties that have entered into private contracts with unit owners. It only applies to unit owners living in their units.

It would be landlords responsibility to arrange alternative accommodation as the tenants contract is with him.

The management company would surely have to provide alternative accommodation for the apartment owners regardless of whether they lived in the apartments or not? this would then be passed onto the tenants of those renting out their apartments.

thecommander

shelby67 wrote: »

They have moved all the residents that are in all the penthouses into a new property while the work is being done.

There is possibly work going on on the roof that requires the people in the penthouses to be moved. If live on lower floors it mightn't affect you to the same extent.

TheChizler

And the owners are the management company anyway, so they're paying to move themselves one way or another. It's possible the penthouses need a greater amount of work done and it would be unfair to get them to pay to move out if they have no option of staying.