Several issues with my flat/landlord

[looking4someadvice]

Right, I decided to start a thread about some other issues i am having with my landlord and my flat.

 

I moved into my property a year ago and i have an assured shorthold tenancy.

 

These are my issues:-

 

1.I have never been told that my deposit was protected after moving in so i presume it hasn't been protected.

 

2.I have never been given a Gas Certificate since i have been here.

 

3.I have issues with the cold in my flat and i made my landlord aware of this last winter, All she done was send her husband round to put some more sealers around the front door and nothing more, It is only August and it's starting to get extremely cold in here and i suffer from health problems such as Asthma.

 

Last winter i had to have my heating on literally all day and night because as soon as it was turned off it went very cold within half an hour and i ended up with a massive gas bill that was almost £1,000 which i am still paying off weekly.

 

Also right now i won't have the heating on because there's no proof that the gas in this flat is actually safe because i haven't got a certficate.

 

My landlord isn't very good at all, she seems very demanding like if there's work being done outside the flat she tries to order me to be out of the property that day until the work is done and she doesn't seem to do much when i complain about something like when i complained about the cold and very little was done.

[wheelergeezer]

Start with the gas certificate. Ask her for a copy of the original one and why it hasn't been checked within the 12 months required by law. I would also be looking for somewhere else to live as this usually starts the eviction process off too.

 

You can contact the 3 schemes to see if your deposit is protected. If not, you can sue your LL for 3 x the deposit.

[looking4someadvice]

Start with the gas certificate. Ask her for a copy of the original one and why it hasn't been checked within the 12 months required by law. I would also be looking for somewhere else to live as this usually starts the eviction process off too.

 

You can contact the 3 schemes to see if your deposit is protected. If not, you can sue your LL for 3 x the deposit.

 

Ok i will ask for a copy of the original one and why it hasn't been checked within the 12 months as required by law, Why does this usually start the eviction process off?

Edited August 30, 2010 by looking4someadvice

[MrShed]

Because when you ask difficult questions, you tend to get a straightforward answer - i.e. eviction.

 

to add to the above....the landlord has no requirement to ensure the property retains a certain amount of heat etc I'm afraid.

[looking4someadvice]

Because when you ask difficult questions, you tend to get a straightforward answer - i.e. eviction.

 

to add to the above....the landlord has no requirement to ensure the property retains a certain amount of heat etc I'm afraid.

 

That's not good is it that as soon as you ask a difficult question it leads to eviction?

 

The landlord has no requirement to ensure the property retains a certain amount of heat? That's terrible, I have bad asthma and i have kids here sometimes who have heatlh problems too which means they need to be warm all the time as well as myself.

[MrShed]

Not good but allowable. Using Section 21 of the housing act you can be evicted (outside of a fixed term) with 2 months notice for no reason.

 

However, that is secondary to the critical health issues surrounding gas safety certs. You MUST get a gas safety certificate. If you dont get one then eviction is the least of your worries - you shouldnt live there if one isnt provided.

[looking4someadvice]

I understand that my Landlord wouldn't be able to evict me under section 21? Because as far as aware my deposit was not protected, this is another issue i need sorting out.

[MrShed]

True, but then its only a matter of time - all she then has to do is protect the deposit and re-issue the notice.

[looking4someadvice]

True, but then its only a matter of time - all she then has to do is protect the deposit and re-issue the notice.

 

Ok, I don't have close family here and if i was evicted i hope i may be re-housed but i wouldn't bank on it.

Edited August 30, 2010 by looking4someadvice

[MrShed]

It really is secondary concern.

 

Without a gas safety certificate, not to put too fine a point on it, your lives, and those of anyone in the property, are at risk.

 

Yes it is rare, but carbon monoxide poisoning DOES happen and it DOES kill.

 

You have to ignore the prospect of eviction at this stage as it is wholly secondary to the concern of potentially having an unsafe gas installation.

[looking4someadvice]

It really is secondary concern.

 

Without a gas safety certificate, not to put too fine a point on it, your lives, and those of anyone in the property, are at risk.

 

Yes it is rare, but carbon monoxide poisoning DOES happen and it DOES kill.

 

You have to ignore the prospect of eviction at this stage as it is wholly secondary to the concern of potentially having an unsafe gas installation.

 

Yes, your right, it is very important and i refuse to use the gas again until it has been checked and i hope my landlord will do the right thing and get it sorted but how long do i give them to sort it? I'm just thinking about how i should word my email.

[MrShed]

At this stage, I would give them 7 days.

 

Thats probably a bit overly fair, but it does take some time to arrange an engineer.

 

But certainly no MORE than that.

[looking4someadvice]

At this stage, I would give them 7 days.

 

Thats probably a bit overly fair, but it does take some time to arrange an engineer.

 

But certainly no MORE than that.

 

Ok i will be getting onto it straight away, I presume i report the landlord to Environmental Health if it isn't done within 7 days?

[MrShed]

Absolutely.