Landlord woes

[Bearington]

Hi all

 

Got a bit of a problem landlord, he's about 10 years younger than me and a bit of a wide boy- we moved last May and it's been pretty hellish. He paid one mortgage payment in this time which nearly cost us our home - that has been resolved for now.

 

1)Since Christmas, he's been promising a Gas Safe engineer for the yearly CP12, so far nothing. We had one guy turn up, NO ID and strangely, was the same guy who came out a few months ago to fix a door. We were fobbed of with "he left his card at home". He also refutes he needs to give us a certificate as "that's his", and the company I work for will obviously pass me as "it's mates rates innit"

 

My problem : Ive worked with CORGI/Gas Safe for nearly 10 years, so I've had one of my Engineers give us the all clear/a new CP12. Landlord is refusing to accept this certificate until "his man" does the job. I've asked for an independent engineer to attend at the end of the month at a cost of £75 - would I be entitled to take this out of the rent as LL seems to be flat out refusing to acknowledge his responsibilities.

 

2)He keeps popping round usually when he's "in the area" with no notice to check if any mail has come for him - we've gotten everything from speeding fines to repossesion hearing dates to personal mail. I know this as he insists on trying to come in and open his mail one by one, very slowly.

 

My problem : I once told him enough and he wasn't coming in, and I'd post his mail to him from now. He flew off the handle ranting about how I'm not allowed to do that/ what a bad tenant I am and stormed off. Later that night, about 10:30pm the door was being hammered- waking our very young daughter. Some little flid was there asking for his brothers mail - as soon as I opened the door he put his foot through the threashold. I slammed it in his face and posted it in reverse through the letter box. He's even turned up at my workplace saying he'd give me a lift back so he can get his post.

 

Is it that unreasonable of me to post his mail to his registered address on a monthly basis?

 

I'm 33, work stupid hours to make sure my family has everything we need - and since 16, used to landlords being very much out of the picture unless there's a problem or inspection.

 

Am I just being an over sensitive ass?

[veganite]

Hello,

No - certainly you are not being an over sensitive ass!

 

Your landlord has no right to do the things you describe.

 

You say that his mail is delivered to you - including that of repossession hearings. My thoughts about this is that possibly his mortgage company has no idea that he is renting the property out to tenants. If this is true and your LL defaults further with the mortgage, further repossession notices will come - and since LLs bank has probably not given him permission to rent the property out, then you have far fewer rights than if you were renting a property where the bank has agreed it can be let to tenants.

 

You are entitled to enjoy your home, peace and quiet - this does not mean that your landlord or his flid of a brother can bother you as and when they fell like it. Ideally, you need to let them know this.

 

Gas safety is a priority as you know yourself. The £75 you ask about - I am not so sure about this (others will prob advise you). Personally, I would do it anyway - since that is around the cost of a gas safety certificate - something in which the landlord should be providing on a yearly basis

[Bearington]

Thank you for the brilliant reply.

 

One of the people who have popped round from the mortgage company has done so so often, we're on first name terms and he tries to give me a "heads up" over issues. A bit sad when it comes to that. I'm trying to keep an eye on that situation.

 

I'll await the whole Gas Safe thing, when we moved in he had disconnected a gas cooker by himself so I had to get that checked and caped off. (Yes, there was no cap at the end of the pipework)

 

He has also hinted at me not getting my deposit back due to "damage", we knew the previous tenant who wasn't too great - and she left the property in a poor way. He gave me permission to re-decorate, re carpet and so on. I've took plenty of photos when I got the keys, so hopefully that should be sufficient. His gripe was i removed some lino from the kitchen that had a massive split down it from the previous tenants dog - as it stuck up a couple of inches and we have a toddler - i've pulled it up - the floor is now tiled and I have a works order for it to be re-lino'd at the end of the month (so I've put right my 1 bit of damage)

 

Sorry for sidetracking, thanks all for the input so far

[veganite]

Do you know if your deposit is protected?

 

This link should help you in regards to the deposit: https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection/if-your-landlord-doesnt-protect-your-deposit

 

This LL does seem totally a wide boy as you say... Seeing as LL has not bothered with the gas safety than I am guessing that he has not bothered with the legal requirements of protecting your deposit.

 

It could go within your favour that the deposit is not protected. From the link above, it states:

 

The court may also order the landlord to pay you up to 3 times the deposit within 14 days of making the order.

[raydetinu]

As far as gas safe cert goes report it on the HSE website and they will contact LL.

Do not deduct anything from the rent without agreement in writing.

As for the post get him to redirect to his new address or you can do it.

he must give you that by law.

there is nothing wrong really with LL knocking on at a reasonable time, but if you don't want him to do that then make sure you do it writing.

Also he cannot expect to be let into the property without proper notice and then only if it is convenient to you.

Make sure any deposit is protected.

[Bearington]

Cheers both of you.

 

I've checked various deposit schemes on the Shelter website and gave it +/-30 days either way of our move day. All of them said there were no matches to my address, surname or any of the names I've known the LL to use.

 

I will look at getting his mail redirected to his registered address - he's meant to be coming round on Sunday to discuss the Gas Cert and renew our contract... so I'll see what happens then.

 

Again, thanks so far!

[stu007]

Hi

 

Have a read of this link for Gas Safety Register useful info their and you can also check if the engineer is gas safe registered (If they have NO Identification with them that you can check then refuse to let them near anything until they produce ID that you can verify).

 

http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/

 

Also go to this part: http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/learn_how_to_be_gas_safe/gas_safe_factsheets.aspx

 

and download the 2nd download - Requirements for Landlords: Information for tenants and landlords and print off 2 copies one to hand to landlord.

 

Please have a good read of this as you will find out you are entitled to a copy of the Gas Safety Record that must be provided to existing tenants within 28 days of the check being completed or to new tenants before they move in. Landlords must keep copies of the record for 2 years.

Edited June 5, 2014 by stu007

[*RainbowTears*]

Hi all

 

Got a bit of a problem landlord, he's about 10 years younger than me and a bit of a wide boy- we moved last May and it's been pretty hellish. He paid one mortgage payment in this time which nearly cost us our home - that has been resolved for now.

 

1)Since Christmas, he's been promising a Gas Safe engineer for the yearly CP12, so far nothing. We had one guy turn up, NO ID and strangely, was the same guy who came out a few months ago to fix a door. We were fobbed of with "he left his card at home". He also refutes he needs to give us a certificate as "that's his", and the company I work for will obviously pass me as "it's mates rates innit"

 

My problem : Ive worked with CORGI/Gas Safe for nearly 10 years, so I've had one of my Engineers give us the all clear/a new CP12. Landlord is refusing to accept this certificate until "his man" does the job. I've asked for an independent engineer to attend at the end of the month at a cost of £75 - would I be entitled to take this out of the rent as LL seems to be flat out refusing to acknowledge his responsibilities.

 

2)He keeps popping round usually when he's "in the area" with no notice to check if any mail has come for him - we've gotten everything from speeding fines to repossesion hearing dates to personal mail. I know this as he insists on trying to come in and open his mail one by one, very slowly.

 

My problem : I once told him enough and he wasn't coming in, and I'd post his mail to him from now. He flew off the handle ranting about how I'm not allowed to do that/ what a bad tenant I am and stormed off. Later that night, about 10:30pm the door was being hammered- waking our very young daughter. Some little flid was there asking for his brothers mail - as soon as I opened the door he put his foot through the threashold. I slammed it in his face and posted it in reverse through the letter box. He's even turned up at my workplace saying he'd give me a lift back so he can get his post.

 

Is it that unreasonable of me to post his mail to his registered address on a monthly basis?

 

I'm 33, work stupid hours to make sure my family has everything we need - and since 16, used to landlords being very much out of the picture unless there's a problem or inspection.

 

Am I just being an over sensitive ass?

 

 

No way are you being an over sensitive ass, in fact I think you have been extremely tolerant & patient with this Landlord!

 

Just because you rent his property it does NOT mean he can then do as he likes regardless (as it appears he is doing so).

 

This link will give you all the information you require.

 

http://m.england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/private_renting

 

I do feel you need to stand up to your Landlord & before you go signing any renewal, you need to really assess your current situation. As it does sound like your Landlord has not been honest with his Mortgage company & if he is missing his mortgage payments despite you paying your rent then that would raise a big red flag with me. As does not having the Gas safety inspection done by a registered Corgi engineer yearly!! Let alone the fact your LL personal mail is still going there as though he currently lives there!! And to have your LL & family come knocking at all hours, that's simply NOT on!!

 

You as a Tenant are legally allowed to enjoy the peaceful enjoyment of your home with being harassed by your LL etc. So please do read the link I've given you.

 

I've been in the private rented sector for approx 20 yrs & basically seen it all by now. From rogue Landlords/going through LL repossession to being illegally evicted etc etc....

 

Being honest with you, if this were my family & I in your situation we would be out of there. You also do need to find out if your deposit is actually protected & if it is, who it is with etc.

 

Since the changes were brought in about having deposits protected, I as a Tenant have always been given a certificate that tells me who my deposit is with & the account reference number & password so I can access the website to check it's there or if I needed to reclaim it back.

 

I do wish you & your family all the best & hope your situation is sorted very soon.