gas condemmed, damp, list goes on

[jona111]

first of all hello, i know this is my 1st post but we need some help.


since moving into our rented house in feb 08 we have always felt tired, odour in the air etc this always when gas fire on...

other probs, damp in all rooms, big hole in bedroom floor, very cold and the list goes on..

we called transco who capped the gas instalation, since then enviromental health has visited and given the LL a 7 day notice to check gas and also a list of other works...

today LL arrived with a enviromental health officer, then the gas man arrived.

he checked the gas fires ( one in living room, and each bedroom, also central heating with back boiler.

to cut a long story short the gas fitter has condemmed the whole house saying there were fumes entering the rooms and the fires in the bedrooms were not sealed..
the house needs a complete gas instalation, ( last safety check was 11 years ago, back boiler 60 years old!!!!!)
they are going to do the work in a week or so, my question is how do we stand becouse we will have no hot water and heating for approx 2 weeks also do we have to live here when the work is being carried out???

the house is a 2 bed bungalow were 2 months into a 6 month ast..

3 weeks on and they are starting the work( gas, hole in floor) env health said the damp is a big problem, but landlord will prob sell house when we leave! env health say the house is fit for human habitation, and i keep asking for a list of works, he always says " its in the post" i feel like im the criminal and the landlord is the victim!!!

[tiglet]

Is there someone senior you can speak to in the environmental health department?

The landlord should have a safety certificate issued each year after having a check

[waterbottle]

Try to ask for things in writing. Write a letter and send it recorded delivery if possible.

Remember to keep records of everything.

If you have no hot water you should be able to claim some rent back for disrepair and other problems.

In my opinion the best way to do this is to say nothing until everything is fixed. Then work out when you are going to leave. Then work out how much you think is fair. Only when you are ready to negotiate should you mention it to the Landlord. Maybe he will agree. Maybe not. You can perhaps check what is reasonable on this site.

Lastly, if he won't agree, I think (and people may disagree with me on this) that the most effective way to deal with this would be to withhold what you think the court would award to you from the rent. Call it offsetting.

Watch out for your deposit on this one as he sounds potentially dodgy, but then I'm paranoid.