Has any landlord tried a 'no claim discount' approach to frivilous costs?
Tenancy Types and Management

Phil the Plumb
Phil the Plumb
7 Thanks
38 Posts
3 years ago
0
Good afternoon wise and experienced ones.

I have recently started to expand my letting portfolio, and have employed the services of a very good maintenance man. He deals with just about all of the day-to-day problems that occur, and calls in the right trades for those jobs that need doing from time to time. I get the feeling that 2 of my new tenants are taking liberties with his willingness to help - and asking him to do jobs like hanging pictures and setting central heating programmers. I don't want him responding to those requests in isolation (if he's already there and it's a two minute job, then OK); that's a cost to him and a cost that will be passed on to me if it continues.

I have tried to curtail this behaviour by changing one current tenant's AST on renewal, essentially I have increased the rent by £35 pcm, and simultaneously given a No Claim Discount of £30. This all seemed well and good at the time, but I can foresee problems trying to enforce it! For instance, if the roof started to leak would the tenant simply ignore it until it got worse for fear of breeching the don't call me for unimportant stuff rules? Also who would determine that breech, and how would any reasonable tenant know what was expected of them?

Having written all this down I have convinced myself this approach isn't going to work - unless you (the wise and experienced ones) have tried and tested and approved an alternative plan.

P

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