Nuisance landlord!!!

[laura25andrew]

Hello everyone just after a bit of general advice really!

I have lived in my property for 2years now and my landlord is a nightmare!!

He turns up out of the blue without letting me know which really bugs me and in general we just do not get on he makes me feel really nervous!!

Anyway ok I'm a single mum it's just me and my son I currently get housing benefit in which he gets £650 PCM which is the going rate for my area under the local housing allowance! Anyway he gave me a letter stating that he wants to put the rent up to 700 pounds PCM I went to the housing and they said they could not review my rent until June 2011 but from January he would be getting £683 PCM! Anyway he wants me to pay the difference but I'm not happy with the way he house is he had double glazing fitted which have no safety catches they just fly wide open and around he windows the Walls are cracking and coming away, the boiler keeps breaking down where it is so old, there is a garage attached tO the house and I asked if I am going to be paying more rent then I would like use of the garage he said no as his stuff is in there but if I have things I need to store k have to put them in my garden with sheeting over it to protect it but he hen moans about stuff being in the garden my garden is open as it backs onto another street and people have often cut through my back garden to get to my side of the road but he does not see this as a problem!!! Grrrrr sorry but I really cannot stand him or this house I just don't know what to do I just don't feel this property is worth £700 per month? What would you do! Any advice or help would be Appreciated

[Ell-enn]

Hi, give Shelter a ring (they're not just for homeless) they advise on rented housing problems.

[NewSAHD]

Sorry to come in late to a thread

 

Saw your post and started drafting a reply for you, as - hope this is OK - it was as easy to draft a suggested email/letter from you to your Landlord instead, to try and provide a way through this.

 

Perhaps you could let us all know the problems you've experienced with the boiler though, before anything is sent, but this was the draft initially done, which may help...

 

With regards a) and c) too, below, can you post a picture of the window/wall here so we can all comment as to the likely problems - and the type of catch/lock that could, perhaps, be fitted. Make sure you remove anything from the photo that could easily identify you in anyway

 

Same as with d), the boiler, WE NEED TO KNOW MORE HERE, BEFORE CAN SAY ANYTHING, SO - WHAT's THE HISTORY HERE and WHEN WAS IT LAST SAFETY TESTED?

 

THERE'S A LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO TEST THE GAS APPLIANCES ETC EVERY YEAR, PLUS, A DUTY OF CARE TO SERVICE TOO. HAS THIS BEEN DONE? PLEASE ADVISE SO CAN AMEND THE SUGGESTED DRAFT EMAIL FOR YOUR LANDLORD ACCORDINGLY

 

(EDIT - CAPS LOCKS IN ERROR!)

 

The suggested draft is in my 'voice', so you may want to amend it a bit too - on the other hand it may do no harm to send pretty much as it - once we have answers to the two queries, above:

 

 

"Dear Mr Bob,

 

I've been giving some thought to your recent request to increase my current rent of £650 to £700 pcm.

 

As you know I am on Housing Benefit and, as such, I am not in a position to pay a great deal anyway. I have already spoken with the Housing Benefit Department though. They advise that whilst they cannot review my case until June 2011, they have increased my monthly Housing Benefit claim to @£683 pcm. You should see this increase come through shortly, if you haven't already done so, which I hope is acceptable.

 

Whilst writing I should also be grateful if you could

 

a) Let me know if you are agreeable to my fixing safety catches to the double glazed windows. The windows are not secure and fly open, which is a concern for me, in part, as I have my son with me too.

 

I have yet to find a suitable lock, but once I have done so I will send you the details. I am not in a position to pay for these, of couse, and there is no rent from which I may deduct the cost, so perhaps you could confirm that, in principle, you are agreeable to meeting this cost.

 

I will obviously let you know the likely cost before commiting you to this.

 

b) With regards security, I should also be grateful if you could let me know beforehand when you are to inspect, giving reasonable notice whereever possible, as I need to consider my son. A call, or email, giving 48 hours notice should be fine. If it is not convenient for any reason I will let you know, so that we can arrange an alternative time.

 

c) Around the windows the walls are cracking and coming away, I am uncertain as to why. It may be due to ****, so I should be grateful if you could arrange to attend to this, before any further damage is done to the building. If you do not believe this to be a problem, then fine, but as we are in to the New Year I thought it sensible to bring this to your attention.

 

d) The boiler keeps breaking down ....

 

e) With regards the garage I am not really in a position to pay any additional rent at present. That said, should you have no further need for the garage for the storage of your own effects please let me know - and let me know the likely rental - so that I may consider matters at that time.

 

I do need somewhere to store some of my stuff though, which is why it is in the garden under sheeting. I do try to keep the area tidy, extra costs is an issue too, so should the garage become available at little or no cost please do let me know.

 

f) As you know my garden is 'open', as it backs onto another street and people often cut through my back garden. This really is a problem for me, especially as I have my son with me.

 

Is there any way a fence of some sort could be erected, to stop this from happening? I intend to put a 'wanted' ad on FreeCycle and to speak with friends and family too to see if there are any fencing panels that could be used.

 

If I can find some for free, or at little cost to you, do you foresee any problems in fitting them? It is a long shot, I know, but I should like to get this sorted.

 

Although I do not check my emails that regularly I hope that you can look favourably upon my requests.

 

Yours sincerely,"

 

The formality of this is deliberate, but hope it gives some food for thought for you

 

Good luck too

Edited January 5, 2011 by NewSAHD
typos etc

[NewSAHD]

Do consider too that some landlords would rather serve notice on tenants than actually deal with the issues raised...