Damp Issues Agent & Landlord Not Repairing

[rippedoff15]

Hi All,

 

We have been renting a 4 Bedroom detached property via a local letting company based in Chester, We have always paid our rent on time and looked after the property. In August 2009 we had a bust pipe in the kitchen which was fixed by British Gas, however the kitchen has never been redecorated we informed the agent that the work has not been finished but they have done nothing.

 

On 2nd December 2009 we noticed damp starting to appare in the main bedroom running inside all the fitted wardrobes and the window reveals also have damp showing, on a full inspecton damp has started the show in the following:

 

main bedroom, front bedroom ( which my 5 yr old sleeps in ) the damp starts from the ceiling and now is even on the skirting boards. We have email the lettng agent attaching photos detailing the damp issue, it took 3 weeks for the company to attend the house but again nothing has been done. We have written again clearly stating the issues from the damp, and even broken tap in the kitchen.

 

The letting agent told us that due to the owner living abroad they have to email all issues regarding the house, we have herd that the landlord will be returning to the UK, and the letting agent have not had a contract renewed as yet, the landlord is under contract until the 23rd August 2010.

 

We are paying £750.00 pcm for a property which is clearly not in a good repair and both agent and the landlord are refusing to get the work completed, We have requested a meeting at the property with the agent and someone representing the landlord and our request has been refused.

What action can we do as we feel the landlord just wants the rent now and we will have to leave anyway, can we refuse to pay the full amount of rent until the issue are sorted, and can they refuse to repay our deposit if we leave.

 

Pleeeease help :x:x:x:x:x

[ashmk]

Contact your local council Enviromental Health Department. They have big teeth and can make them sort it.

 

And sadly you must keep paying the rent. By not paying will just cause more problems you could do without.

[blitz]

You can withhold rent, however this would need to be paid when the property is returned to a fit state. Its best to keep this in a separate account.

 

Also you can only be evicted with a valid S21 form, and then only with a court order, so they would have to issue one of these in June anyway. The contract does not need to be renewed as if it isn't it will go into what is called a periodic AST.

 

Note withholding rent will most likely annoy the other parties, however may be the only way to get there attention. They cannot proceed with eviction until you are two months in arrears, so no need to worry about that either.