New LL not interested

[Hopeful9]

Hi again

 

It's definately not my year for good landlords!

 

Whilst still having to deal with the situation with my previous LL (see post 'landlord's fault not mine' if interested), my current LL turns out to be similarly unco-operative. There are multiple repairs that need doing, including a leak dripping through the bathroom ceiling onto the floor from the roof whenever it rains, windows that don't close (extremely draughty and a security risk), flooding up to 18" in the garden because no drainage exists, an internal wall that has a serious damp problem (rising from the wet ground perhaps?) - mould, fungus, lifted plaster on both sides (and it's a stone wall about 18" thick).

 

Other things are that the boiler packs up every day or two, the toilet flush doesn't work, two panels of (rotten) fencing have blown down, the bedroom doors have no closing devices, woodburner door is stuck on wide open and logs fall out sometimes (fire risk).

 

I won't carry on, you get the gist.

 

Agent said, when I first viewed the property, that the internal wall would 'probably' get repaired in the summer, and that the previous tenant had not wanted the upheaval of having the work done while she was there. (I have spoken with the ex tenant and she said that was nonsense; like me, she complained ad nauseam to the agent and nothing was done)

 

I have made numerous complaints to the agent from a couple of days after I moved in, both face to face, over the phone, and by email. When the water was flooding the garden I took photos and asked the agent to send them to the LL. (No other gdn on the street floods because they all have adequate drainage). Once the agent came out to inspect and I gave her a list of everything that needed doing.

 

Apparently the LL has advised the agent that no repairs can be done that cost over £75. Is that legal????

 

Autumn and winter will be horrible, draughty, cold, damp. Ugh. I am looking for somewhere to move to..... again.

 

Any advice in the meantime?

[LaughingGirl]

I'd bet that the LL has advised the agent that no repairs over £75 can be done without his or her consent.

 

This is absolutely not legal advice and is just going from my own personal experience, but when a landlord won't shell out immediately for repairs that might have an effect on the structural integrity and/or future value of their property, they're probably quite happy to just sit there and take your rent and wait for it to fall down. Whether it's because they can't be bothered, (or like many private landlords now) they're feeling the pinch is probably irrelevant to you in your position.

 

You could always call environmental health regarding the fungus and mould (you can get some pretty awful health problems from both in some circumstances), and also the lack of a proper working toilet. As far as the log burner goes, they'll probably just tell you to stop using it and find an alternative heat source. Calling EH will probably cause a ruck with your LL.

 

How far into your contract are you?

[raydetinu]

Does the boiler have a current gas safe certificate, if not thats illegal and you can report to council!

Other than that, you can sue in court for problems that you were not aware of when you entered agreement and LL has not repaired when told in a satisfactory/reasonable time when contract ends.

Put all complaints in writing to LL and Agent.

[Hopeful9]

Laughing Girl, thanks for your thoughts. I am 4 months into the 6 month initial contract. I don't want to call EH, or make any more complaints to the agent, as I am but anxious about getting evicted before I have somewhere else to live.

 

Rayd, the boiler is fuelled by oil, not gas.

[LaughingGirl]

Laughing Girl, thanks for your thoughts. I am 4 months into the 6 month initial contract. I don't want to call EH, or make any more complaints to the agent, as I am but anxious about getting evicted before I have somewhere else to live.

 

Rayd, the boiler is fuelled by oil, not gas.

 

I have to be honest, if it was me (and I could afford to move again so soon), I'd give in my notice now and move at the end of the 6 month contract. The defects you mention are having a seriously detrimental effect on his property and don't sound like they've happened overnight. It could be that his previous tenant/s haven't hold him about the issues, and now they've gone so far they've become a major (and very expensive to fix) problem. You just have to decide if you are prepared to wait and fight it out for the repairs, or would prefer to move at the end of the six months and find something more suitable where you don't have to spend every evening emailing begging for windows that close.

 

You probably don't need me to tell you this, but if a LL or agent tell you something is "probably going to be repaired" after you move in, don't believe them. Sorry to all the LL's on the forum, but I've been stung by that one too many times. When you view the property, if it's not in a condition you're happy to live in, don't move in.

 

Other more knowledgeable members may be able to give you more advice on your legal rights (I see Raydetinu has suggested that you may have some recourse through the courts).

 

Whatever happens, don't worry about being evicted overnight - he'd have to give you two months notice to quit anyway.

[Hopeful9]

Laughing Girl: I am looking for a new place to live. I don't want to give in my notice till I have somewhere secured, and actually I don't think I am allowed to until the 6 months are up anyway, tho I may be wrongabout that.

 

Previous tenant did tell the agent about the problems, many times, but nothing was done except that a contractor came to look at the wall,and she never heard any more about it. The leaking roof was 'fixed'….. buto bviously not properly as the door frame the water seeps through is sodden, asis the ceiling above it, and I almost slipped on the floor last night because of puddles.

 

I am not prepared to fight for the repairs to get done. I willbe moving. There is no way I will subject myself to winter here.

[LaughingGirl]

I'm sorry I can't give you better news, or a way to stay in your home really. My gut feeling is that the LL probably doesn't have the money to sort out the problems, and if that's the case there's not much point in subjecting yourself to a long drawn out fight over it all. Better to save your sanity and move on.

 

Good luck with the house hunting. I hope the next place is far better, and even has really cool things like windows that close!

[Hopeful9]

He has plenty of money, trust me . Maybe more money than sense.

 

Thanks for your good wishes.