Student Renting.

Marker_2

Enquiring about this on behalf of someone.

My friends daughter is a student and currently occupying a house with 3 others she doesnt know. The landlord she is renting off was I believe recommended by her university.

She 'got' the property in March 08 and paid half rent for the next few months to 'hold her room' in the house, until it was available in August. Come August the house is still not ready for her so she pays another half months rent and finally moves in September.

On moving in the house was in an awful state, y'know the sort, beer cans everywhere, oven not cleaned etc. The landlord had said he employed cleaners to clean the house and it should of been ready but wasnt. So my friend and his daughter cleaned the house themselves.

One of the lads that is staying in the house has now come out as a drug users and has started holding parties, inviting friends over for drinking, doping and pilling sessions. All this happening in the communal areas. He also has a friend sleeping on the sofa in a communal area at the moment. Plus the standard stuff of he doesnt wash his own dishes etc...

Also will my friends daughter be liable for any damage to the property made by these people?

The landlord is aware of all of this but typically is doing sod all about it.

Is there any legal obligation/regulation the landlord has to abide to when renting to multiple people. Have tried looking online but can only find things relating to correct appliances and fire doors etc.

Chris2685

If it was recommended by the uni, I would speak to the uni's student support department...

stevetodd

She needs to find somewhere else to live, now that she has been there a couple of months maybe she has met some people who she can share with?

tbs624

Is your friend's daughter signed up to one contract with the other tenants,on what is called "joint & several liability"? If she is then each of the tenants can be held responsible for the other tenants obligations under the contract, including unpaid rent & damage.The same generally applies if a parent acted as a guarantor unfortunately.

Generally, your friend's daughter would be obliged to comply with her obligations for the full term unless another tenant can be found to take her place. If she moved out would the "dosser on the sofa" be prepared to sign up in her place?

There should be a clause somewhere in the contract about tenants not causes nuisance to their fellow tenants and/or neighbours, nor committing illegal acts on or in the immediate vicinity of the property. The LL should be acting straight away and should be told in writing what is happening.What are the views of the other 2 tenants on all of this?

If there are now 5 permanent residents (albeit one of them off-TA) then the property is likely to fall into HMO category and require licensing.LLs are usually pretty quick to act if they are told that someone else has effectively moved in because the fines for having an unlicensed HMO are hefty ones.

The local council have a Private Sector Rentals Team (totally separate from social housing) and they will have a Tenancy Relations Officer who can help with all of this. Ring first thing on Monday and ask for an urgent appt, making sure that your friend's daughter has all her tenancy papers with her and a clear list of what has happened to date. Their advice & support will not cost her anything.

Usually for a LL to be listed by a Uni Accomms office, s/he will had to have signed up to a code of practice drawn up with input from the local LL association, the Uni and the local council. they should go back to the Uni and ask if this is the case - your friend's daughter should also make sure that student welfare know that she is having these difficulties as it may be affecting her studies.The Welfare Office should also be dealing with the drug taking student.

Where LLs are failing in their obligations in a couple of areas of the tenancy you should check that /she complies with everything else, for example :

Has the tenancy deposit been scheme-registered yet, & the "prescribed info" supplied to the tenants?
Is there a current gas safety cert at the property?
Did the tenants note the state of the property on the inventory if one was supplied?

Let us know how your friend gets on

TJ27

Marker wrote: »

Is there any legal obligation/regulation the landlord has to abide to when renting to multiple people. Have tried looking online but can only find things relating to correct appliances and fire doors etc.

This might help a little bit.

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20060372.htm

You would be amazed at the number of landlords and agents who know absolutely nothing about the management regs.

Premier_2

Perhaps a quiet word in the ear of PC Plod wouldn't go amiss if illicit drugs are being regularly used/kept on the premises.

The majority of the other issues are typical student behaviour I'm afraid.

Oldernotwiser

Premier wrote: »

Perhaps a quiet word in the ear of PC Plod wouldn't go amiss if illicit drugs are being regularly used/kept on the premises.

The majority of the other issues are typical student behaviour I'm afraid.

And the drug taking isn't? Must have changed since my day!

neas

true... that scene is rife as always... I'd say your daughter made a bad choice of housemates.... not much to do really... could try and find a replacement and move into halls of residence would be a good trick.

PC plodwould just alienate your daughter as the one whose 'snitched'.... wouldnt do any favours.

Im guessing tensions are high now lol.

huntersc

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

And the drug taking isn't? Must have changed since my day!

Same here, I think you probably would have been kicked out if you didn't have any drugs on you.

To the OP, unless we're talking needles and burnt tin foil I would advise against calling the police.

The best thing is for her to move out. Go into halls or speak to the SU and see if she can't get other accommodation. It really shouldn't be that difficult.

Incisor

Premier wrote: »

Perhaps a quiet word in the ear of PC Plod wouldn't go amiss if illicit drugs are being regularly used/kept on the premises.

The majority of the other issues are typical student behaviour I'm afraid.

Barmy. It could very well go amiss. Plod will not be too fussy about who they arrest and won't be too fussy about associating evidence with people or carelessly recording the location of evidence and getting the wrong people. This proposal puts the OP's friend's daughter in harm's way.