Want to move out after 3 weeks!!

e00c

Hey guys,

As the title says: "I want to move out 3 weeks after starting my tenancy".

The reasons being (in short!):

Had no hot water + heating for 2 weeks.
We believe this has secondary flooding!

The boiler DID get replaced - however... we had to fork out cost's for heaters just so our son could sleep in a warm room. (7 months old).

The secondary flooding..... Our walls are dry one day (with the heating on)... the next, the walls are soaking wet. On the top of the skirting boards are small ammounts of water. We took up the floor board - the joists are soaking wet... dripping (40+ % moisture). The under side of the floor boards have lots of drops of water. (we used a mirror! )


We've had contractors in to 'confirm' this... but they both said different things! (still bad and along the lines of what we thought).

There's also 9 other houses down this same street having work carried out regarding this! They've had to move out.

The LL (landlord) has also DEMANDED we decorate within 2 months.

If we ignore his so called demand... would he let us leave.....?

We really want out of this house, for our own health... our sons.. plus we can't just have the heating on full whack just to take the chill from the walls off. This really isn't economical!

Any help would be excellent... thanks!!

ceebeeby

... stop paying rent, he'll soon move you out!

e00c

ceebeeby wrote: »

... stop paying rent, he'll soon move you out!

Made me laugh... however - they can then take us to court etc...

Also - if possible would like our bond back... it's only been 3 weeks

DCFC79

Surely the house isnt suitable to live in no, so demand your money ofor it not being suitable to live in, can he demand you decorate the place, would he pay for the paint, anyway you shouldnt have to paint it, im not clued up on being a tennant so do forgive me if ive got something wrong

Planner

There are three issues here (as far as I can see), the heating/hotwater, the damp/flooding and the decorating demand;

1) Heating/Hotwater - I assume this problems is now resolved and your main issue is what it as cost you to heat the house in the intervening period? I think it would be appropriate to ask you landlord for a contribution towards the energy costs and a suitable deduction in rent to cover the inconvenience of no hot water (how did you cope?!)

2) Damp/Flooding - This is obviously an unacceptable situation. If the landlord is unwilling to do anything about it then you must contact environmental health immediatley who can make a decision on the habitability of the property and force the landlord to carry out required repairs.

3) Decoration - I dont quite understand the decorating demand? can you elebarate? - I cant see any reason why you would be obliged to decorate, especialy only three weeks into a tenancy!

Unfortunatley you cannot just leave without your landlords agreement without then been responsible for a host of costs, you have obligations to pay the rent, just as the landlord has obligations to address the issues you have raised, if he wont, you must force him to via environmental health.

sarahs999

Was the decorating part of your tenancy agreement? If not, he has no right to ask you to do that. Can't imagine you'd sign up to doing a load of decorating wiht a seven month old son...

e00c

Thanks.

The decorating, we said "we'll decorate it to our liking. We'll replace the living room carpet".

Didn't sign any time scale on this. My thoughts at the moment are: "I'm not wasting my time, effort and money decorating - if it has to be ripped up due to damp damage".


Environmental health have come round - however, he was only a trainee! Not even an expert in "secondary flooding".

I know for a fact - once this has been confirmed, the agents have already said we can move out. it's unsafe. however - as we only LET the house... some experts wont even come and look at it. (they after money from LL).

The LL won't get people to inspect it due to not wanting to pay the so called "free quote" price.

Think it's best to send them a written letter hoping they agree? (we did try this last week... ignored it - then fixed the boiler...)


Btw... for those who aren't aware - secondary flooding takes months almost a year to repair.


It's not actual flooding - it's water soaked up through the groud... up the walls.. and along the joists... then the floor boards. see google results: The Guardian and Hull Daily Mail

Errata

Get onto Environmental Health again - you deserve better treatment. If they won't budge, get your local councillor and MP on the case. Clearly the house is not yet fit for habitation.

e00c

We'll give environmental health another call and get someone else round.

We're also gona drag one of the contractors in off the streets who are doing another house..... although his advice will prob be biased! (his eyes will light green $$$!).... maybe this is a good thing?

SouthCoast

Errata wrote: »

Get onto Environmental Health again - you deserve better treatment. If they won't budge, get your local councillor and MP on the case. Clearly the house is not yet fit for habitation.

Agreed..........

Errata

Look North on BBC telly might be interested in the story - clearly lots of gruesome pictures for them to film.