Advice Needed

Drea

I'm very very angry just now! Will start at the start.

Furniture Fight

14th August - Due to move into my new flat, flat was unfurnished when I viewed it but was to be furnished by this point. Turned out I couldn't move in that day because it wasn't 'sufficiently furnished'.

15th August - Move into my flat. The LL say that I am still due a chest of drawers and an ironing board. I get to the flat, and notice that there a few other bits and bobs I need too, he told me let him know if there was anything needed.

18th August - I email LA with the following list of things I need:
-Grill pan
-TV unit (I would have used the coffee table if it wasn't glass)
-Curtain/blind for the bathroom
-Chest of drawers (I know your onto this already)
-Hoping for some lampshades too, the bathroom doesn't have one and one of the lights in the bedroom doesn't have one

19th August - I'm told the LL is back from holiday and he will endeavor to get those things for me.

Ever since then - Fight and fight to try and get something put in my house. I have my clothes in a black bag still and my TV just sitting on the floor.

Today - LL just wants to give me a chest of drawers and ONE lampshade.

Gas Safety Check Fight

15th August - Collect my key from LA then get a phonecall on my mobile 2 seconds after I have left the LA to say they are at my new flat to do gas safety checks, I explain that I haven't even moved in yet.

Today - I phone the gas people to get them to come out while I'm on holiday from work next week. I'm told that the LA had set up for them to come out twice, the 15th and the 22nd, both times them getting no access to the property. I didn't even know they were supposed to be coming out on the 22nd, I would have been at work! Anyway, have arranged that for Monday now since the LA are incapable.

Landlord Coming Into My House Fight

Okay, not really a fight yet but I'm a bit worried about this. Before when my heating wasn't working (well it was, I was just being stupid) the LL came into my flat when I wasn't there and I wasn't told until afterwards that he had been in to put the heating on. Now with the fight for furniture, I was told that the LL plans on going in tomorrow to give me the chest of drawers. He does have to ask my permission before going into my flat doesn't he? I don't like the thought that he can just go in and out whenever it suits him. I know it's to sort things out for me but it makes me uneasy.

And if you've read this far then you deserve a medal part of it is just a rant but any advice would be appreciated, it's beginning to give me a headache.

EDIT: I'm in Scotland, just in case the laws are different

lostinrates

Your landlord is not being terribly fair. In any other line of business as the very least you'd get an apology and things put right. For future reference don't take a furnished property without seeing it fully furnished, that's half the battle I suppose. Re the tv, quite frankly at this stage I'd either procure something inexpensive on which to put it (mine lived on a plastic storage box for sometime. and at other times has lived on a chair) or, shoukd it not be a huge tv I'd put a towel on the glass table and carefully put it on that.

Re the landlord coming in. This is a serious issue. I would suggest to LL that as a single person living in a new property alone you are even more edgey than you night otherwise be and therefore will need LL to adhere totally to the rules of not entering the property without you permission.

ClareEmily

I really can't comment on a furnished flat, as we have only rented unfurnished flats. Although I would put every request in writing.

The issue with the LL entering your property while you are out is NOT on, you have a right to enjoy your flat/house with no uninvited visits. What does your contract state? Ours is that the LL has to give us at least 48 hours written notice.

Drea

The TV is very big and heavy, I've been tempted to try to use the glass coffee table but I'm pretty sure it'd just go through it. Getting bored of fighting with them now, it's been one thing after the other.

I will look at my contract tonight and see what it says about LL coming into the property. I wouldn't mind so much if I was there but when I'm at work I don't really want him going in.

ClareEmily

[
I will look at my contract tonight and see what it says about LL coming into the property. I wouldn't mind so much if I was there but when I'm at work I don't really want him going in.[/quote]

It has happened to us once when the bloke fixing our cooker told the landlord that we had spoken to him and arranged a time to come into our property (we hadn't).
When we came home from work it was such a horrid feeling as he had moved things in our house and we actually thought we had been burgled, we were left fuming. He had copies of our keys all day and could very easily had made up a few more, he was a totally stranger to us arghhhhh.

There are some downloads for private tenants in this link, hope it helps.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/RentingAHome/DG_4001366

Access
The landlord, or landlord’s agent, has the legal right to enter the property at reasonable times of day to carry out the repairs for which he or she is responsible and to inspect the condition and state of repair of the property. 24 hours’ written notice of an inspection must be given. You should ask the landlord to set out in the tenancy agreement the arrangements for access and procedures for getting repairs done.
4.4 What rights does the tenant have?
Quiet enjoyment
You have the legal right to live in the property as your home. The landlord should ask your permission before he or she enters the premises.
The landlord cannot evict you without a possession order from the court.
If the landlord sells the freehold of the property, you will retain any rights you have to remain in the property, as the tenancy will be binding on any purchaser.
Matters such as whether you can keep pets and so on, should be negotiated and included in the terms of the tenancy agreement.

Drea

LA just called me again, the LL is going to have a look round shops tomorrow to see what he can find me, he will do his best aparantly. He is then going to the flat to put the things in. I mentioned about the LL going in without me being there and I said I didn't mind this time because he is helping me but just to mention for future reference. And all I got was 'well, he works late nights as a taxi driver so has no time'. I said that they could at least ask my permission before allowing him to go in whenever he wants to.

Pretty sure they didn't listen to a word of it though. I'm so tired of this.

Drea

ClareEmily wrote: »

It has happened to us once when the bloke fixing our cooker told the landlord that we had spoken to him and arranged a time to come into our property (we hadn't).
When we came home from work it was such a horrid feeling as he had moved things in our house and we actually thought we had been burgled, we were left fuming. He had copies of our keys all day and could very easily had made up a few more, he was a totally stranger to us arghhhhh.

There are some downloads for private tenants in this link, hope it helps.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/RentingAHome/DG_4001366

Access
The landlord, or landlord’s agent, has the legal right to enter the property at reasonable times of day to carry out the repairs for which he or she is responsible and to inspect the condition and state of repair of the property. 24 hours’ written notice of an inspection must be given. You should ask the landlord to set out in the tenancy agreement the arrangements for access and procedures for getting repairs done.
4.4 What rights does the tenant have?
Quiet enjoyment
You have the legal right to live in the property as your home. The landlord should ask your permission before he or she enters the premises.
The landlord cannot evict you without a possession order from the court.
If the landlord sells the freehold of the property, you will retain any rights you have to remain in the property, as the tenancy will be binding on any purchaser.
Matters such as whether you can keep pets and so on, should be negotiated and included in the terms of the tenancy agreement.

Thanks, will have a look. I know it's probably silly of me to be like that when the guy is trying to help, but a part of me thinks he could be up to anything... I'm so untrustworthy :rotfl: and I feel bad for my cat, he hates new people but usually he has me there to hide behind

ClareEmily

Drea wrote: »

And all I got was 'well, he works late nights as a taxi driver so has no time'. I said that they could at least ask my permission before allowing him to go in whenever he wants to.

Pretty sure they didn't listen to a word of it though. I'm so tired of this.

Oooo how rude, right this is what the CAB suggest, I would cut and paste from below and send them a strongly worded letter.

The landlord’s rights of entry



Your landlord has a right to reasonable access to carry out repairs. What ‘reasonable access’ means depends on why your landlord needs to get access. For example, in an emergency, your landlord is entitled to immediate access to carry out any necessary work.



Your landlord also has a right to enter the property to inspect the state of repair or to empty a fuel slot meter, but they should always ask for your permission and should give you at least 24 hours notice.



If you are staying in lodgings where it is agreed that your landlord provides a room-cleaning service or where you share a room with other lodgers, your landlord can enter without permission.



Your landlord does not have a right to enter in any other circumstances unless they have a court order.



If you are having problems with your landlord who is entering the accommodation without the tenant’s permission, you should consult an experienced adviser, for example, at a Citizens Advice Bureau. To search for details of your nearest CAB, including those that can give advice by email, click on nearest CAB.

ClareEmily

ooo also found this on the CAB website:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/housing/common_problems_with_tenancies.htm#The_landlords_rights_of_entry

Furnished accommodation



What furniture must be provided



If a property is let furnished as a tenant you could expect a level of furnishing that would be reasonable to allow you to live in the accommodation. This would include:-

• table and chairs in the kitchen/living room
• sofa and/or armchairs in the living room
• a bed and storage for clothes in each bedroom
• heating appliances
• curtains and floor coverings
• a cooker, fridge, kitchen utensils and crockery.

Any upholstered furniture must comply with fire safety regulations (see under Furniture fire safety, below).


If you think that the provision is not adequate, you can provide your own furniture, unless the tenancy agreement does not allow this.


If you are not happy with the condition of the furniture when you move in, you could consider discussing this with your landlord. Your landlord might agree to replace it. You could check what was listed in the inventory (if one exists) (see below), or tenancy agreement about the condition of the furniture.

Inventory



An inventory is a list of furniture and other contents which have been provided in the accommodation by your landlord.


Your landlord usually writes the inventory. It should list everything provided in the accommodation for use by you, with a description of the items, including their age and condition.


If you are visually impaired, you can ask your landlord to provide an inventory in a different format, for example on an audio tape or in Braille. Your landlord may be discriminating against you if they refuse to do this.


For more information about disability discrimination, see Disability discrimination.


You should check that you agree with the inventory, sign and date it.


If your landlord does not draw up and agree an inventory, you can draw one up as soon as you move into the accommodation and get it signed and dated by an independent witness, that is someone who is not a close relative or friend.


Furniture fire safety



Any furniture provided by your landlord must be fire resistant, unless the landlord is letting a room in their own home, or letting the whole home on a temporary basis.


All new and secondhand upholstered furniture sold after 1 September 1990 should meet the fire safety regulations, and carry a label to say so. The labels should be permanently attached to a hidden part of the item. If a piece of furniture does not carry a label saying that it meets the regulations, it is likely that the item does not meet the regulations and must be replaced.

ClareEmily

Drea wrote: »

Thanks, will have a look. I know it's probably silly of me to be like that when the guy is trying to help, but a part of me thinks he could be up to anything... I'm so untrustworthy :rotfl: and I feel bad for my cat, he hates new people but usually he has me there to hide behind

I have a house rabbit and I worry that they wouldn't shut door property etc and she is rather wimpy so any stranger would frighten her too :rotfl:

Drea

Thanks so much, have copy pasted a lot of it, plan on writing a letter with all the info I can find in it :rotfl: I'll get my point across somehow