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What you are suffering with the carpet is called "wick back" and every time you self clean the carpets and make them wet, the underlying issue will come back. In fact making the carpet wet with home shampooing is the worst thing that you can do. If you call a professional carpet cleaner (not the cheapest in the book) they will be able to deal with it, but I fear that after this amount of time and the fact that the "underlay" is in fact another carpet, the best way is to cut out the under carpet and patch it with some "new underlay" that is the same thickness.

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A landlord can only impose a rent increase either by insisting on a new AST or by issuing a Section 13 notice. However this does not stop a tenant accepting a rise that is requested using a non-formal method.

 

The Section 13 notice lists all your rights with respect to getting the rent assessed - you could probably find this out if you used the services of a UK tax-paying search engine. However, if you have improved the property you may find that the rent is assessed as not being unreasonable!

 

Other than simply agreeing to the rise, your alternative option is perhaps to write to the LL stating why you don't think the rent rise is justified (ie. you're a good tenant who has improved the place, you intend to stay which means no empty months or a risk of the next tenant being bad etc.) and in the meantime, ignore the request.

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I didnt get any section 13 or a new AST.

 

All I got a was a letter stating:

 

'This letter gives you four weeks notice of a rental increase...'. NO reference to the AST was made. However I did notice that it increased exactly 1 year after I signe dmy last AST (not the start date of the AST but the date which I signed it).

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  • 1 month later...

Hi,

 

Having been in the property for the last 3 years, I started paying the averagerate of rent per month for a bedsit apartment (£425). Over the past 3 years, this ratehas moved up to £450 then the lastest one £495 which I've disputed and the landlord refuses the change the rent.

 

Despite outlining, with evidence, that the averageONE bedroom flatsrent out at £450-500and also showing that bedsits rent out for £400-450, they won't budge.

 

The landlady got wind through my letting agent that I was looking around for a new property. This won't be easy as:

 

1) I'm on LHA which only pays £450 and 1 bedroom flats are very hard to find

2) My deposit and bond are arranged through the councils 'Rent Bond Scheme' where no money exchanges hands, but it's an agreement between the council and myself that if there are any outstanding repairs, that I would owe the council this money.

----Given that bond is done like this, my letting agent and landlady know it's EXTREMELY hard ot find properties which

i) Take DSS

ii) Take rend deposit bond schemes from the countil.

 

Because she thought I was going to move out and find elsewhere, she called me up immedately and said 'We will change the carpets in the flat if you are going to stay in the property for longer'.

 

I agreed to this as the state of the carpets is TRUELY shocking. Whatever is under them, won't wash away despite hiring industrial carpet shampoo services on a regular basis. As soon as the weather gets damp, ominous stains appear :-/

 

This was all agreed on 20th Dec 2012, and we agreed that we would leave it until January to get the carpets changed.

 

It's now February,I have a brand new lounge suite waiting for me (Christmas Gift) which I can't use due to the fact that the old furniture has to be removed first,and I'm not bringing a £1200 oak set into a house in this state.

 

I contacted the letting agent, and all they said was 'we can complain on your behalf to the landlady, but she doesnt HAVE to change the carpets, and a complaint might cause her to change hermind or question your tenancy'.

 

Can they use tactics like this???

 

Everything appears to be on their terms, despite me having done the majority of the repairs in the flat.. i.e. BADLY painted house, =badly cracked and huge gashes out of the walls... I've done all of this and still I get issues like this.

 

Any advice?

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Just to add. A good example of disrepairs wihch Ihave put up and stilldo is toxic black mould forming in the various damp rooms. Despite the landlady refurbishing thebathroom, I still get it all over the place...

 

Aren't there health implications at risk? I thought that the Environmental Health had to approve houses before they're rented out? If so, can I take that as a form of action?

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I contacted the letting agent, and all they said was 'we can complain on your behalf to the landlady, but she doesnt HAVE to change the carpets, and a complaint might cause her to change hermind or question your tenancy'.

 

Can they use tactics like this???

 

 

 

Ultimately, LL appears to be reneging on a deal that was agreed orally - so would be hard to prove. Really you should get such agreement in writing.

 

When did the rent go up to £495? And how was it done (new contract, letter or Section 13 notice?). Are you within a fixed term and if so, when does it end.

 

Suggestions of tactics would depend on your answers to the above.

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1) The LL told the letting agent that she would put carpet in only fi I were to stay longer

2) She said this not even a month after the rent went up and she got wind that I was looking about for a new place

3) The rent went up exactly 1 year and 1 day after the AST was given to me. THe fixed term was 6 months. AST was given on 17th October 2011, I was notified on 18th october 2012 that rent was going up on 19th November 2012. THe AST fixed term ended on 16th April 2012 and converted to monthly rolling.

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It looks like it may be too late to do anything about the rent rise, assuming you have accepted it and paid it since November.

 

Ultimately, LL has offered a deal and seems now to either be slow or to be reneging. You may be back to square 1, I'm afraid.

 

Other than leaving, options would seem to be to ignore the agents warning and push for what you were promised. Another potential option would be to push for what you were promised on the basis that you will sign a new contract - as LL requested, so cannot be regarded as confrontational surely. Depends on how you read the situation.

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Just to add. A good example of disrepairs wihch Ihave put up and stilldo is toxic black mould forming in the various damp rooms. Despite the landlady refurbishing thebathroom, I still get it all over the place...

 

Mould spores can and will affect your respiratory system and the landlord is oblige to get it sorted out or face severe penalties. See here.

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Surfer01-Black mould spores are not normaly toxic (OED def) to healthy adults. They may exacerbate a pre-existing resp condition, but LL does not have access to Ts medical records. Black mould occurs due to high humidity ie penetrating damp (LL) or condensation (T). Mould hotspots tend to occur due to lack of local air circulatiion rather than room ventilation

T tends to be resp for cleaning black mould caused by condensation.

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@mariner: I constantly have black mould as I'm in an old building made in 1902. They turned the outhouse into an attached bathroom, which was a single skined brick wall so I often had frost buildup and bad condensation after bathing. The LL tried to rectify that by stripping the plaster, black-jack sealing the wall, cladding the wall with insulated dryboard and painting it with moisture and mould resistant paint. They also installed a small radiator and a small automatic moisuter activated extractor in there but...

 

1) The extractor never comes on because it's got a constant draught frpm outside keeping the unit dry (as there's no sprung outside vent outlet, it's a standard veined outlet which is constantly open)

2) The radiator is rated for a 120 cf/ft room, but the bathroom is 430 cu/f so it's actually doing nothing

 

The kitchen is the worst issue. Because there is no through ventilation i.e. window on either side or at least an extractor fan somewhere, the room fills up like a sauna when I have a few pots on the go (literally I can't see further than a foot infront of me!). Iv'e tried putting the large storage heater on but this has no effect as it's old and inefficient (Swale Heating confirmed this, as they've never been serviced in 15 years, but HAVE had safety checks). I've tried to also leave the window wide open and still no joy.

 

On top of this, I noticed when I moved the couch the other week that the ominous stains which appear every winter / wet season despite cleaning them, grew a white fur coat! That really concerned me as nothing's ever been spilled on the couch. I do know that there is a cellar underneath the building. Furthermore, there are wooden floorboards (it was supposed to be a wooden floor), but the LL just shoved an old carpet down as under veld and threw another old one on top and thought that was sufficient.

 

What concerns me the most, is if I approach the evironmental health and get them involved that the LL might just find it easier to serve me notice for no apparent reason (due to being an AST tenant). What concerns me even more is IF the LL does put down a new carper and doesn't treat the root cause of the stains, that I'll get the blame and wind up paying for the carpet installation amongst other things!

 

I've just taken a few snaps and shoved em on photobucket for some basic examples:

 

1: Newly refurbished hallway and bathroom with cladding. Damp got through and white fluff/mould is breaking the paint. Black mould at the back in the corner: http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad346/adridude/CAG/IMG_0415_zps00de3770.jpg

 

2: Black mould forming constantly behind toilet in the newly 'treated' bathroom. Desipte using fungal spray weekly it keeps coming back: http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad346/adridude/CAG/IMG_0414_zps9bfd17f5.jpg

 

3: Black mould in hallway, another angle down the side of the fridge from pic 1 bove: http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad346/adridude/CAG/IMG_0413_zps913f0eb4.jpg

 

4: Above the fridge, more of that white mould/fluff breaking through. It almost appears like candy floss. This stuff appears a few days after every rainfall. THis one partiularly happened after my neighbour upstairs' toilet overflow was leaking onto my hallway roof for over a week: http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad346/adridude/CAG/IMG_0412_zps321b1497.jpg

 

5: Black mould in the kitched behind the cooker, also another weekly struggle which I can't seem to win: http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad346/adridude/CAG/IMG_0411_zps3a71035c.jpg

 

FYI the fungicide I'm using is: Mangers Fungicidal Spray. That was my LL's solution to the problem :-/ That and a generous bottle of bleach.

 

*edit* Just to add, the LL tried to blame the mould in the bathroom and hallway on me, as I have a paraffin heater which I drag into the bathroom to compliment the useless storage heater in there. THey said this gives off more moisture than a hot bath does. From what the fire service have told me. 1 gallon of paraffin gives off just under 1 gallon of water. Seeinga s I go through a gallon once every month, and mainly use it in the living room where I've got no issues.

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IMO the photos show minimal black mould in areas where there is inadequate air circulation due to tall fridge, TV stand etc.

White 'blooms' in plaster may be salt leaching from bricks etc, not mould.

Bleach/fungicide is not a cure, only a temp treatment. Black mould will return even after such treatment.

Without an inspection, it is difficult to judge scale from photos

There are a lot of similar pre-WW1 rented properties that don't have modern int dry wall insulation (Kingspan or similar.)

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@raydetinu: Easier said that done. As my busineeses aren't earning I'm relying on the council to help me out with rent etc... to move on is a bit of a whammy as most people don't take DSS. DEspite that I'm looking at a place on Tuesday, but on the other side it's not double glazed, from waht I can see on the outside it looks run down :-/

 

@mariner51: it's minimal as I'm a bit of a clean freak and pretty much keep it under control, but I don't remember seeing being on my knees in the bathroom, kitchen and hallway 3 times a week as part of the contract. In regards to minimal circulation behind the fridge, stove etc... I rarely see this in friends places, I do keep a keen eye out, but then again they have decent ventilation.

 

Ideally I'd LOVE to stay here, as it's a lovely building with ALOT of character. I even have the beautiful old welsh dresser which I've done up beautifully, the 1/2 acre garden (communal) is great too, despite the neighbour that attacks me frequently unprovoked). All in all, if I moved to another flat I'd be couped up and depressed stuck in a homely prison cell.

 

I was just wondering where I stood with the carpets which the LL promised me via the letting agent. Another thing I'd like to have looked at is the rent, I"m paying £495 for a bedsit, and in the area 2 or 3 bedroom houses are going for the same?

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  • 2 months later...

Just an update to the situation here.

 

1) THe LL is finally replacing these carpets.

 

2) It's come to my attention that a cupboard in the kitchen has had MAJOR seepage issues from water (not sure from where), but it's corroded a computer which I wasn't using to the point where it doesn't work and I had to throw it out. I've taken pics of the insides to show the damage and rust damage. Who is responsible for damp issues?

 

3) THe bathroom was recently refitted and the towel rail and the toilet-roll holder initially installed WEREN'T installed correctly. They used the correct through-plugs for the insulated walls but the screws they used didn't read right into the actual brickwork. THey came around, replaced them with £2.50 specials form wildonsom made of wood. AFter a few weeks I noticed that they were loose again, contacted the LL and she sent her 'pro's around which them HOTGLUED them to the wall despite changing the screws to something they should have :-/ SInce then, these have broken as they protruded about 1/2 foot (yes that much) out from the wall in an enclosed space. Despite repairing them and telling them on EVERY occasion, they ended up beyond all economical repair. FInally I went out, put £30 of my own to good use, got some decent chrome plated ones which wouldn't rust and installed them myself, fulled the old holes in, repaired the mess of hotglue they left everywhere (and took photos), painted over the mess...

 

Now I'm being reprimanded fo r'drilling holes in the wall. Where does this end? I've spend 2 or 3days waiting for them to show up etc... during my working days taking time away form my businesses. I finally got sick and tired of them showing up, looking at it, ummming and ahhing, just to come back a week later and do it again until they come up with the brainiac idea of fecking gluing something to a wall rather than doing it properly.

 

Can the LL reprimand and warn me for this? I have a feeling she might go as far as making me pay for the reinstallation of the insulated dryboard :-/

 

Just to add, how many times does something need to be attended to i.e. a very very simple repair, before you (the resident) are allowed to lose your rag and have it done PROFESSIONALLY? Surely there's a limit?

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Hi,

 

I've been here for over 3 years now, and it appears that the LL has sold the MAJORITY of the garden WITHOUT agreeing this with me in the slightest.

 

The have already applied for planning permission, which I contested and cordoned off the garden, which I contested too.

 

Here is a pic of the garden:

 

Picture Of Garden Broken Up

 

1) Top section of the plus + is the part of the garden being sold

2) Right Half of the + is my side of the garden (as you can see there is a garden which needs help after winter).

 

Now in my contract, there is NO mention of the garden NOT being ours. it's a communal garden. What there is in the contract is the following parts:

 

This is the 'description of the property' as per the AST:

 

Property Description AST

 

Can someone help me as to what I can do? Since I've moved in the rent has increased by 25% and on top of that it now appears that the garden has decreased by 75% :-/ THis change in my AST was NEVER agreed!

 

Just to add, when the property was being shown, the garden was shown with it. I clearly remember having a discussion with the letting agent which attended the initial showing where I signed the initial AST.

 

Thanks

 

Adrian

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Then the new owner of the garden has you as a tenant. Stick with the plaaning bit although that will be slow. The development may never happen, especially as you have an interest in it, albeit an interest that can be negated by your landlord giving you notice to quit or just not renewing the tenancy when it expires. being upset is not the same as being in the right so beware what you wish for.

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So I now have 2 LL's? The one which owns the house, and the other which owns the garden? The garden isbeing walled off and a new side gate being knoked through for my property :-/ Which means I now have to leave the bins right outside my front door.

 

I've been told that ALL the work I've done in the garden (to even make the gardens) as it was all rubble before was pointless as it's a 'no go' zone for me now :-/ FIne it's looking tatty, but it's only been warm enough to go out there since TODAY and TODAY is when the bloody sign went up.

 

Also, because of this, do I have a right to get my rent dropped? Reason I ask is because it USED to include the garden.. Which is now gone :-/

 

Just to add, despite contesting the planning permission, it still went through?!

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Just to add... again, the Letting Agent now tells me that my contract does NOT mention the garden... I might be seeing things, but in order to get to the property, I need to pass through the garden to get here :p

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Just to add,

 

I found an email which dates to Just over a month AFTER me ever moving into the property.. Here is the thread below:

 

Catherine x (x@x) 27/04/2010

To: 'Adrian x'

 

Hi Adrian

 

 

 

The owner is more than happy for gardening to be done.

 

 

 

They do have someone who cuts the grass and does the hedge from time to time, but more than happy with your plans.

 

 

 

Cath

 

 

 

Catherine x

Lettings Co-ordinator Kent

x

 

0845 xx

x@x

http://x

 

 

 

x

 

From: Adrian x [mailto:x]

Sent: 23 April 2010 06:25

To: Catherine x

Subject: Garden

 

 

 

Hi Cath,

 

I'm rather concerned as I spoke to my nextdoor neighbour yesterday and was told that the landlord/lady wasn't happy with a previous tenant planting the garden?

 

Will this be an issue? I merely want to move the rubble, clean the flowerbeds up, plant a wealth of pretty flowers and de-weed the lawn.

 

My parents are helping me with seedlings and seeds to do this so there is absolutely no cost involved, nor do I expect you nor the landlord/lady to pay for anything. Gardening is my hobby. I merely want to turn this garden into a peaceful little haven.

 

Please let me know.

 

Kind regards,

 

Adrian

 

 

 

 

WOuld this have any punch as to the garden was part of the property?

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