Hi, I posted this yesterday but think it is better suited to this forum - apologies, I am new to using forums! I am hoping someone can give me some advice today in relation to this situation we have found ourselves in.
We have rented a property and have paid our full years rent upfront, a very substantial sum. However within a week of moving in building work began on the site at the bottom of our back garden ( there is a six foot hedge on our side that is the only boundary between the site and our garden). It is a regeneration program and essentially began with the knocking down of two properties and the foundations are now being laid of four properties, quite a big project.
When we viewed the property neither the agent nor the landlord mentioned this, we viewed a second time, nothing said. Contracts were signed, full deposit paid and approx a week before our move in date the landlord invited us over to explain a few fiddly bits around the house. We sat in the back garden and suddenly a bulldozer started up, knocking down the existing property. Obviously shocked we asked what was going on and the landlords basically said new houses were being built as part of a regeneration program, that they didnt know when they would start, but that they knew obviously that it would start at some point but denied knowing dates etc!
At this point we had given notice to our current landlord of finishing up there at end of tenancy, had removals guys booked, cleaners etc etc. We have two small kids which the landlords knew about and they were well aware that the garden was a big selling point for us. Now we are literally living on a construction site, the noise is deafening, my kids cant play in the garden and our dog is going nuts! Certainly not the quiet enjoyment of the property we were led to believe we would have.
I have spoken to the agent, they deny knowing about it, saying that flyers came in their door a long time ago when the initial plans for this development were going through but that they had received nothing since. They are the leading agency in the area and have told me that they now are telling other people looking at houses in the area about the construction.They have had a meeting with the site manager who has told them this will be going on for at least another 8 months of our 12 month tenancy! The agent has said they want us to know that they are taking this very seriously and will speak to the landlord on our behalf and have left it with us to think of what way we want to go with this.
Obviously we are so annoyed and feel tricked into taking a property that was marketed dishonestly and the only reason we were told anything prior to moving in was because we happened to come along on the day they started bulldozing! We have paid a huge amount of money for the property and the garden is part of that. Also the noise level is ridiculous, beginning before 8am with the lads arriving on site shouting at each other and continuing until 5pm with heavy machinery etc etc.
My question is what should we ask for in relation to compensation/money back etc. We don't want to move again, our kids need stability but had we known at the first viewing that we would be living on a building site we would not have taken this property. We feel really let down by the agency and landlord, as we feel that both had a duty of care to fully inform us.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
We have rented a property and have paid our full years rent upfront, a very substantial sum. However within a week of moving in building work began on the site at the bottom of our back garden ( there is a six foot hedge on our side that is the only boundary between the site and our garden). It is a regeneration program and essentially began with the knocking down of two properties and the foundations are now being laid of four properties, quite a big project.
When we viewed the property neither the agent nor the landlord mentioned this, we viewed a second time, nothing said. Contracts were signed, full deposit paid and approx a week before our move in date the landlord invited us over to explain a few fiddly bits around the house. We sat in the back garden and suddenly a bulldozer started up, knocking down the existing property. Obviously shocked we asked what was going on and the landlords basically said new houses were being built as part of a regeneration program, that they didnt know when they would start, but that they knew obviously that it would start at some point but denied knowing dates etc!
At this point we had given notice to our current landlord of finishing up there at end of tenancy, had removals guys booked, cleaners etc etc. We have two small kids which the landlords knew about and they were well aware that the garden was a big selling point for us. Now we are literally living on a construction site, the noise is deafening, my kids cant play in the garden and our dog is going nuts! Certainly not the quiet enjoyment of the property we were led to believe we would have.
I have spoken to the agent, they deny knowing about it, saying that flyers came in their door a long time ago when the initial plans for this development were going through but that they had received nothing since. They are the leading agency in the area and have told me that they now are telling other people looking at houses in the area about the construction.They have had a meeting with the site manager who has told them this will be going on for at least another 8 months of our 12 month tenancy! The agent has said they want us to know that they are taking this very seriously and will speak to the landlord on our behalf and have left it with us to think of what way we want to go with this.
Obviously we are so annoyed and feel tricked into taking a property that was marketed dishonestly and the only reason we were told anything prior to moving in was because we happened to come along on the day they started bulldozing! We have paid a huge amount of money for the property and the garden is part of that. Also the noise level is ridiculous, beginning before 8am with the lads arriving on site shouting at each other and continuing until 5pm with heavy machinery etc etc.
My question is what should we ask for in relation to compensation/money back etc. We don't want to move again, our kids need stability but had we known at the first viewing that we would be living on a building site we would not have taken this property. We feel really let down by the agency and landlord, as we feel that both had a duty of care to fully inform us.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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