Landlord Troubles Ongoing (deposits, safety and madness oh my!)

[quailpower]

OK Background.

 

I rented a house off Gumtree from a private agent on 01.05.12

 

The rent is £450 pm and I paid £450 deposit.

 

The house is fully furnished.

 

 

Ive had problems with the landlord from day 1. I dont know how to deal with her, she is very nice but very passive agressive and I dont want to anger her but Ive got a feeling im going to get reamed when I leave (1 yr tenancy). So I am preparing myself now.

 

 

 

Upon moving in, I was never shown safety certificates. But managed to get her to pay for some electrical repairs. (the copper pipes have not been earthed which was advised when I last had an electrician in)

 

I also was not given an inventory which I was worried about. She came round one day and asked if she could have her pyrex, I told her there was no pyrex when I moved in, and she found mine and insisted it was hers. I told her where to stuff it because It was given to me by my grandmother and eventually she left pyrex-less. But she has done this numerous times.

 

(1). If there is no inventory there is no way for her to try and claim my stuff? the majority of things i have reciepts for but some heirlooms i dont and im worried.

(2). A few things (lamps) were broken when I moved in, she cant charge my deposit if there is no inventory?

 

 

The major thing for me is the deposit. I dont think she has protected my deposit in an approved scheme.

 

(3). When I have rented previously I have had letters from the scheme telling me they have recieved my deposit. I havent this time, is there anyway I can check?

 

 

This woman really is a nuisance, she used to let herself into the house whenever she felt like it, until my partner argued with her.

 

Even now she still lets herself in if she thinks no ones home (I have hidden upstairs once when I suspected this). And she has let herself in when my partner has been sleeping off nights.

 

I know she doesnt have a front door key (her son does but wont let her have it), so I started leaving the back door key in the lock at an angle so she couldnt open it and she even had the cheek to bollock me for doing that!

 

She comes round my house at 5am on bin days and puts my bin on the kerb because she is convinced I wont do it. Because one week i didnt put the bin out - it was empty.

 

 

Advice please?

[raydetinu]

A gas safety certificate is must, ( you could die ) and is illegal not to have one. Ask her to get checked and get one asap. if not report to council.

Pressume you have a contract ( AST )?

Deposit must be protected and she must give you details, if not you can go to court to get deposit refunded etc, under new legislation.

Suggest you cahange the locks, she has not right to enter property without proper notice and then only for valid reasons.

See landlord and tenant act; quiet enjoyment covenant.

[quailpower]

A gas safety certificate is must, ( you could die ) and is illegal not to have one. Ask her to get checked and get one asap. if not report to council.

 

I have asked her before, but Im really loathe to stir up trouble, I have had the spot checked by my friend who is a UU gas tech so I know im safe. She already has a negative impact on my life I dont need trouble. And I have very bad credit so the only way Im getting a new house when my contract is up is if she gives me a good reference.

Ive already threatened her with legal action once this month after my dad (electrician) inspected the house and said several of the sockets were unsafe and needed changed. She eventually gave in after hours of arguing "its been like that for years I dont see how its suddenly not safe"

 

Pressume you have a contract

 

I year shorthold tenancy. Ends 01.05.13

 

Deposit must be protected and she must give you details, if not you can go to court to get deposit refunded etc, under new legislation.

 

Im going to ask her if she has it in the scheme, and tell her its a legal requirement. But i know she will just insist I only want it in the scheme because I want to wreck the house and leave it a mess.

Part of me wants to wait until the end of the tenancy and challenge her then, I could have her wrong and she will just give it back no questions asked.

 

 

Suggest you cahange the locks, she has not right to enter property without proper notice and then only for valid reasons.

See landlord and tenant act; quiet enjoyment covenant

 

Im unemployed at the minute so finances are tight, plus im in the house all the time anyway. I dont think changing the locks would help, she cant get in at the minute with the back door jammed, she just comes down once a week (or more!) and walks round staring in every window, moving the outside furniture and bins...

If we're in and refuse to answer the door she bangs on the window, insisting she wants to mow the lawn, and that we let her in to plug the mower in (even if ive only mowed it a day or two ago!)

 

She just doesnt understand that its my house when I pay the rent! She thinks its appropriate to comment on my cleaning and housekeeping that she spies on through the windows. And moans if i have friends over - honestly its like living with my mother but worse

 

I dont want her to be even worse, i need to keep her happy to have a good reference, and I need to stay here until the end of tenancy so i can save up some advance rent on my next place!

 

Also I am a push over, if she was agressive or angry I could deal with her. I was brought up with psychos and I am very aggressive myself, I just dont know how to deal with passive agressive it totally de-rails me!

[raydetinu]

Ok you had a moan, but dont want to do anything about your problems, so dont think I cann help anymore.

As said you should have quiet enjoyment, and she should not interfere or enter the property or grounds without due notice and agreement, however if things need fixing you have to speak to her about those.

So it is up to you what you do about it, its a balance really.

you can take legal action or call the police if she keeps harrassing you.

[quailpower]

Ok you had a moan, but dont want to do anything about your problems, so dont think I cann help anymore.

As said you should have quiet enjoyment, and she should not interfere or enter the property or grounds without due notice and agreement, however if things need fixing you have to speak to her about those.

So it is up to you what you do about it, its a balance really.

you can take legal action or call the police if she keeps harrassing you.

 

So far ive been advised to change the locks - which is strictly forbidden in my tenancy agreement, Or go to the police?

 

I think both of these options are a bit extreme, I was hoping for some sort of letter, or if there was some legal way of approaching her (cease and desist?) that wont blow up in my face?

 

The last thing I need is to do something drastic like call the police on her and escalate the situation, because she doesnt think shes in the wrong.

Im not in the best of health (still recovering) and I dont want to find myself evicted with no money to put down on a new place

[The Carpet Cleaners]

It may say in your Tenancy that changing the locks is strictly forbidden but it is not.....

As long as you put the original ones back in when you leave..

 

What Raydetinu is trying to say I think is that you should Talk to the LL and tell her that you are not happy with her intrusiveness and you would like to quiet enjoyment of your home...... As what she is doing could be construed as harassment if you were to complain to anyone...

 

Has she rented her house out before?? if not she is probably not aware that she is breaching the contract .....

[Bang!]

If changing the locks, just doing the Yale is far easier to do/swap back.

 

She just sounds like an old dear who misses her house and wants to mother someone.

 

But you need to draw the line before it reaches the breast feeding stage!!!!!! :wink:

[quailpower]

If changing the locks, just doing the Yale is far easier to do/swap back.

 

She just sounds like an old dear who misses her house and wants to mother someone.

 

But you need to draw the line before it reaches the breast feeding stage!!!!!! :wink:

 

But then when she tries to let herself in, and finds the locks have been changed she goes into psycho mode

 

Exactly, shes not being mean or cruel its just like living with my mum

[raydetinu]

Well you need to point out in the nicest possible way that this is your home and she needs to let you know when she wants to come around, for whatever reason.

Just ask her to look at the landlord and tennant act about yours and her rights.

[quailpower]

Well you need to point out in the nicest possible way that this is your home and she needs to let you know when she wants to come around, for whatever reason.

Just ask her to look at the landlord and tennant act about yours and her rights.

 

You make it sound so easy! Im sweating just thinking about that conversation.

 

Honestly dont know what is wrong with me, I can stand my ground and argue like the best of them to anyone - up until they get to about 60 then they terrify me!

[raydetinu]

Some things are never easy, but are usualy never quite as bad as you fear.

And it clears the air so you both come to an understanding and keep on good terms, if you stick to the rules and guidelines; which can be relaxed once they have been estblished if you wish.

good luck, just have to bite the bullet and say whats on your mind in a polite way.

[LaughingGirl]

You make it sound so easy! Im sweating just thinking about that conversation.

 

Honestly dont know what is wrong with me, I can stand my ground and argue like the best of them to anyone - up until they get to about 60 then they terrify me!

 

I completely understand how you feel - I used to find it really hard to put my point of view across to my landlords because I was scared to death that they'd evict me. I'd turn into a squeaky little mouse and almost tell them that it's fine to turn up unannounced and let their kids wreck my daughters toys in the back garden. :/

 

You mentioned that she has a son who won't give her the front door key - why is he hanging on to it? Would it be worth having a chat with him as a sort of go-between? Try to word it in a way that doesn't sound like "Your Mum's a nosy old baggage, tell her to butt out!" though.

[quailpower]

I completely understand how you feel - I used to find it really hard to put my point of view across to my landlords because I was scared to death that they'd evict me. I'd turn into a squeaky little mouse and almost tell them that it's fine to turn up unannounced and let their kids wreck my daughters toys in the back garden. :/

 

You mentioned that she has a son who won't give her the front door key - why is he hanging on to it? Would it be worth having a chat with him as a sort of go-between? Try to word it in a way that doesn't sound like "Your Mum's a nosy old baggage, tell her to butt out!" though.

 

Yeah I think her son knows the score!

 

I think im just going to have to try and grow myself a pair, politely and quietly

[LaughingGirl]

You'll feel better once you do, honest! Like I say, I've been there myself and it's quite a nice feeling when you finally force the lump in your throat down and make yourself heard.