private rent in a right mess

[afoolonce]

hi, i am private renting via an estate agents. i have been in property about 5 years. i had to get my local council involved last year due to the landlord evicting me last september (that was date estate agents letter said my 2 months notice was up) i was advised by council not to move out until it goes to court.

 

since then i had the mother of landlord come round and try to force her way into house with a neighbour/friend. the council warned the landlord of actions and i have not seen them since. it took the council to get landlord to fix a leak under the sink (about 4 months) due to the damp and damage caused by the leak i have now discovered there is a rat in the cuboard under sink, i see it come up from ground after looking as heard a noise and the toilet in bathroom that i have been trying to get fixed for a year is almost falling over and leaking and tiles falling of the walls. not had an inspection for over a year from estate agents. the house is very dated and worn but clean as i keep it clean.

 

i tried to call the estate agents and have discovered they have vanished and left landlords and tenents all over the town in the lurch. phone line is dead, website no more, premises is a furniture shop. lots of people chasing them and writing about them on other sites. i have emailed the council about this as i am on housing benifit which the council pay direct to the estate agents due to being sick.

 

i only came out of hospital 2 weeks ago after being in hospital for 3 weeks due to having planned open heart surgery that has been planned for past year. i have not heard back after emailing the council lady who deals with me (have not spoke to her for about 6 months) i am not sure what to do and i have a daughter. i cant risk my daughter or me getting any disease or infection from a rat in the kitchen and the house is falling apart and i am still getting evicted i think? and i cant get a hold of estate agents and the landlords address on tenency agreemant is incorrect and has no contact number.

 

the area i live in does not having a housing list but my boyfriend of 4 years who lives in the next town is on a waiting list and added me to his application about 9 months ago but we are only on a band 3? so we may have a wait as we plan to live together but would require affordable housing as he works full time and has commitments to his 2 children as he pays towards his children direct to his ex. we dont want to rent private as we just wouldnt be able to survive with me being off sick still for some time.

 

any help would be great as not sure what to do. i have given as much info as i can in the hope someone may have an idea.

 

thanks

Edited May 11, 2014 by afoolonce

[mariner51]

Contact EHO or private residential Tenancy officer.

How is rat entering property?

LL is resp for repairing gaps in faulty building fabric, to prevent ingress, but Ts resp to get rid of rat. Boyfriend or pest controller should be able to place & bait a rat trap.