What Should I Do If I Can’t Contact My Landlord?
It can be a bit frustrating if you can’t get hold of your landlord, especially if you’re trying to get repairs done or you’re moving out and need to give notice. What should you do if you’ve tried calling, texting, emailing and still haven’t gotten a response?
Wait a few days
No one likes playing the waiting game, but you should give them a few days to respond. It may simply be a case of them having a lot on their plate and, while it’s not an ideal scenario, they will hopefully get back to you within two to three days. If you still haven’t heard from them, make sure that you record all efforts to get in touch, which will serve as evidence of your attempted attempts to make contact.
Check your tenancy agreement for contact details
You’ve probably tried the contact details that your landlord provided, but it’s always worth double checking your tenancy agreement for any alternative contact methods.
Ask the bank to pass on a message
You should know which bank you send your rent to every month, so it could be worth asking the bank to pass on a message, which would probably be in the form of sending a letter to postal addresses they have on record for your landlord, or their place of work.
Contact the property manager (if you have one)
If your property is professionally managed, chances are any major repairs or notice periods should be reported to the home’s manager and not your landlord. However, if you do still need to get into contact with your landlord, a managing agent should be able to help.
Continue paying your rent
You might think that stopping rental payments will get your landlord’s attention, but all it does is make you in breach of the terms of the tenancy agreement. Consequently, you could find yourself facing legal action when the landlord finally does get in touch.
Arrange repairs yourself
If you’re trying to reach your landlord to carry out repairs, you can get an external company or professional to handle your repair for you and arrange for the landlord to reimburse you for the costs later on. It’s recommended to only go down this route if you are able to bear the temporary costs and if the repair is essential.
Your landlord is responsible for maintaining their rental properties and are responsible for major repairs, unless otherwise stated in your tenancy agreement. You can report them to Citizens Advice if they don’t meet these duties, especially if this makes your home unfit for habitation.
Get everything in writing
This might not be the first time you’ve tried to reach your landlord, in which case it’s important to get any past discussions and future agreements recorded in writing and signed off.
Remember, landlords are people too
There can be a variety of personal problems your landlord is trying to balance right now, so try not to make your messaging increasingly angrier each time you attempt to contact them. If you do want to nudge them, include suggested dates and time for repairs or deadlines for moving out in future communications with them. This will hopefully prompt a response.
Finally, if you’ve tried everything and your landlord still isn’t responding, you can contact your council’s private renting team. They are typically able to escalate any repair issues with an absentee landlord, and will ask for proof that you’ve attempted to contact your landlord first so they can try and resolve the issue.
