Flat inspection

[GlasweJen]

We have a flat inspection tomorrow and I have a few questions:

1. the man is here to check the electrical items that belong to the landlord, should this include the cooker?

2. Our oven (belongs to the landlord, is ancient - identical to the one we had at home in the 1980's) doesn't seem to seal properly, if we cook anything in it while the door is open (cooker is beside the door) it marks the fire door - we recon there may be a bit of wood damage there, if we bring that up what does the LL have to do about it? I mean can we be charged to replace cooker + fire door?

3. There's an area right inside the kitchen door where the flooring seems to have caved in or something so there's a hole but you can't see it for the lino. Now being a fainter and a bit unstable on my feet i've fallen over that hole a lot and I'm sure i'm tripping over an exposed pipe, it's definately a cylinder shape anyway. We brought the problem up but LL refuses to lift the lino to check because then he'd have to put down new lino and that's too expensive. Now the lino isn't anything special, it's the cheap variety and it's years old, so old that no amount of cleaner or bleach makes it look clean, it's got a sort of ingrained brown tint. Can we cite this as a danger? If you fall over it you invariably land on the cooker or your head gets smacked off a wall.

[Ed999]

Will you please remember to make it clear when you post messages on this forum that you are occupying a property situated outside England and Wales.

The laws of England do not apply in Scotland, particularly in the case of land law.

[rory32]

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Edinburgh, UK

Is that clear enough?

[GlasweJen]

I thought it was a given as, like rory pointed out, it's at the side under my username, hence you knowing that I'm scottish enough to get a telling off.

What I didn't mention that might be of actual importance is that this is HMO'd residence as the 3 of us aren't related in any way, just casual flatmates. I'm quite worried about that bit of flooring with the pipe under it.

[rory32]

TBH Scottish tenancy law is a lot more difficult to find. I'll have a look around though Jen. When is your flat inspection?

[GlasweJen]

It's been put back until January 5th

[GlasweJen]

The laws of England do not apply in Scotland.

I wish someone would remind the banks.

[MilkTrayMan]

Don't know whether there are any specific Scottish Laws, but in England, the Electrician will only check the electrical integrity of any electrical appliance...i.e. Does it work without either putting the user in danger, or blowing the mains fusebox etc.

Jenschnifer, U don't make it clear whether your cooker is electric or gas?!

If it is gas, a CORGI registered plumber should be able to certify the safety of your cooker.

The Landlord is entitled to certain Tax Breaks if he has to replace a cooker/flooring etc +/or install fire doors in a Multi-occupancy House.

This was certainly the case when I was a student less than a decade ago, cos I had cause to get on to the Rent bods at the Local Council re: Fair Rent etc + it frightened the Landlord to death, until he realised the long term advantages to himself...

[GlasweJen]

Sorry it's an all electric cooker. I think in our case the landlord is paying agents fees so tries to pay as little as possible towards the upkeep of the house.

[MilkTrayMan]

ALL Landlords try to pay as little as possible!!!

It's false long term economy on their part if U ask me...

A house is a bit like a car...It needs regular maintenance!
Would anyone advocate missing essential servicing on their car??

If your Landlord kept the property in tip-top condition annually, for the relatively little outlay it would cost him, he would be able to charge top dollar rent for a depreciating asset.

Besides which, he has a Duty of Care to his tenants re: Statutory Health & Safety Laws.
If the worse was to happen + something terrible happened to anyone, he would be up on a manslaughter charge, make NO mistake about THAT!!!...

[GlasweJen]

I think we're more concerned that:
1. the oven is erroding the fire door so if there was a fire then we'd be buggered and
2. if that's a pipe under there what happens if us standing on it makes it burst?

It's not like we stand on the pipe deliberately it's right inside the door but we try to avoid it but like I said I'm not steady on my feet due to a health condition. We've reported them both now but the agents just don't seem to give a monkeys.

[MilkTrayMan]

Different defects have different timescales for rectification attatched to them.
If U pop along to your local C.A.B. or Council Offices, they will probably have a leaflet telling U the definitive timescales etc (...U could possibly find them online, but I'm not sure where U would have to look tbh... )

The next step will be that U write to your Landlord, telling him of the 'alleged' defect + asking him to rectify it within the official timescale, of which U would remind him of.

Also in the letter, U inform him that if he DOESN'T, U will have the work done + charge him for it to be done.
...A lot of Landlords have their own builders/plumbers/electricians etc to do work for them, at a lesser rate than what it would cost U to employ a tradesman, to do the same job.
So if the Landlord baulks at getting the repair done, he will be even MORE out of pocket!...

[MilkTrayMan]

Hi Jenschnifer!

Have ONLY just noticed the 'Stickie' by Joa, that elaborates a bit more on what I have already said...

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...mmodation.html


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