Advice needed ASAP Student Accommodation Landlord Breach Contract?

clarebethan

Hi Money Savers,

I have had a tough night tonight, woe is me.

Basically, I have been having problems with my housemates. I pay rent and bills to them yet they still moan at me for never being at the property.

I am basically subsidising their bill payments as my water bill (the only one I agree to pay as it is fixed) should not come to £40 a quater each between 7 of us. I am not bitter about this, however, I just want them off my back so I pay.

Tonight I went to my house to find that my electricity had been turned off in my room (we have seperate fuse boxes.) I had given my room key to a housemate as builder stuff had been going on and access to my room was needed. When I confronted my housemates about my fuse box being off, I was hurled so much abuse.

It was personal abuse (horrible stuff about my sadly dead sister and father, something I had told them in confidence), I was told that I have never amounted to anything and I should get the **** out of the house. I am in so much shock I cannot remember any of the other abuse I was given but I know that I said absolutly nothing violent back. My friend was with me and she was likewise in shock.

I cannot understand this personal abuse. I pay bills to them and pay rent on time. Why are they so angry with me? I have come to the conclusion that the girl is a vile human being.

During her ranting and raving at me she told me that it was the landlord who entered my room to turn off my fuse box and my radiator. I also have a text on my phone prooving that they had been snooping around my room as it says that I have plugs on in the room.

Obviously, I cannot live at my address any more. I want to terminate my contract but I am fixed into it. However, as the landlord entered my room without permission, is the contract null and void?

Please help me.

Clare x

tbs624

ts_aly2000 wrote: »

...given that you're female for starters, and given that the LL has been snooping about your room (Quiet Enjoyment of Your Dwelling) then I'd be tempted to just go. That of course depends if you're prepared to lose your deposit. You may get it back in time, but probably not in the immediate future.

Not such a good suggestion.

Firstly, Clare had left her key with one of the other tenants because there was "builder stuff going on & access to my room was needed":the LL/his builder going in to switch off a radiator or a fusebox doesn't amount to the LL "snooping about" .

Secondly, a T is responsible for meeting the rent until the end of their Fixed Term contract unless a new T , who is acceptable to the LL, can be found.The LL can also ask you to pay the advertising costs involved in finding the new tenant.

Aly is right though that you need to talk to the LL, but perhaps have a chat with the Uni accomms officer and/or the student welfare officer first.

Clare -are you on one contract with these other tenants or do you have individual "per room" contracts, given that you mention having a room key?

What does the contract say about utility bills/who decided who would pay what? Did you join the house later than the others?



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clarebethan

tbs624 wrote: »

Not such a good suggestion.

Firstly, Clare had left her key with one of the other tenants because there was "builder stuff going on & access to my room was needed":the LL/his builder going in to switch off a radiator or a fusebox doesn't amount to the LL "snooping about" .

Secondly, a T is responsible for meeting the rent until the end of their Fixed Term contract unless a new T , who is acceptable to the LL, can be found.The LL can also ask you to pay the advertising costs involved in finding the new tenant.

Aly is right though that you need to talk to the LL, but perhaps have a chat with the Uni accomms officer and/or the student welfare officer first.

Clare -are you on one contract with these other tenants or do you have individual "per room" contracts, given that you mention having a room key?

What does the contract say about utility bills/who decided who would pay what? Did you join the house later than the others?



.

Thank you both for your responses. x

The LL is required to give me 24hours notice if he wants to enter my house let alone my room.

We are in individual one room contracts.

Nothing in contract about utility bills...I pay them anyway so they cannot throw this in my face. Proof is in my bank transfers

I was not asked by the LL for access to my room, just bullied by my HM to come and open my door for the day which I did. Then I was told days later to open my door again, so I left a HM with my keys.

The fusebox/radiator was fiddled with after the builders had left. Effectively the LL has turned off my electricity supply making if impossible for me to live in the house.

Hope this helps with your questions. Thank you very much both.

silvercar

I am basically subsidising their bill payments as my water bill (the only one I agree to pay as it is fixed)

Tonight I went to my house to find that my electricity had been turned off in my room (we have seperate fuse boxes.)

Reading between the lines:

You have refused to pay anything towards the electricity bills, so your housemates have turned off your electricity.

True?

Premier_2

clarebethan wrote: »

...I had given my room key to a housemate as builder stuff had been going on and access to my room was needed...
...However, as the landlord entered my room without permission, is the contract null and void?

Please help me.

Clare x

You knew the LL or his agent required access to your room and you provided the key to allow that access.

Another tenant wanting to get out of a contract they willingly signed up to.
Welcome to the adult world! Do not sign contracts unless you wish to be bound by the terms of that contract.

Feeling depressed, in dispair or suicidal? Try the samaritans.

Samaritans provides confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which could lead to suicide.
Whatever you're going through, whether it's big or small, don't bottle it up. We are here for you if you're worried about something, feel upset or confused, or just want to talk to someone...

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tbs624

The LL can enter the communal areas of properties such as yours without 24 hours notice unless your contract says otherwise. If you knew there were builders coming in, had the LL asked one housemate to notify everyone else that access may be needed to theirindividual rooms? Think Silvercar is right in that we 're not getting a full picture here.

Clare - your best best is to talk to the Uni welfare people plus Shelter 080 800 4444 and the Council's Tenancy Relations Officer if you think that your LL is "effectively turning off" your electricity supply - if that's the case it can come under the heading of tenant harassment.

sooz

tbs624 wrote: »

The LL can enter the communal areas of properties such as yours without 24 hours notice unless your contract says otherwise. If you knew there were builders coming in, had the LL asked one housemate to notify everyone else that access may be needed to theirindividual rooms? Think Silvercar is right in that we 're not getting a full picture here.

Particularly if it was the mad raving flatmate he told. Speak to your LL. Are you sure it was he who switched the electricity off & fiddled with the radiators? Sounds more like something the mad flatmate would do.

Oldernotwiser

If your flatmates are having to divide electricity/heating bills 3 ways when they expected it to be 4 ways (figures as an example) then no wonder they are cross with you! I agree with Silvercar that there is more going on here than you're telling us about.

clarebethan

Wow, quite nasty responses coming now.

There is nothing going on here which I havent told you. All my electricity was turned off, nothing on. therefore I am not contributing any energy to the bills. Why should I be paying for bills I am not using or contributing to! I gave them £30 for my quarters fixed rates.

Basically, the abuse started being hurled at me as I was clearing my fridge and freezer space. I said to mad housemate that I was now not using any electricity. I paid £30 for my fixed rates knowing that this would be excessive to get them off my back. Im sure about £1.50 of that covers the quarters use of a tiny section of the fridge/freezer. Now for the next quarter there is absolutly nothing of mine using electric or the gas.

Have spoken to LL, he said he did not enter room...It was 'the mad housemate.' Speaking to Student Advice today to see what can be done now.

Silvercar: Yes i have refused to pay electricity however they had no right to enter my property to turn it off, neither would the LL have the right to if he had.

OMG just had a phone call. As I said above I paid £30 to contribute to my share of the fixed rate bills this quarter however, what I owed was just £8!! Although I refused to pay the bills, I have just found out I have given them well over what I was meant to.
So even though I refused verbally to pay electricity, I actually have with the extra £22 I gave them.

So to make it clear:

HM mad abuse at me = harassment
PAID a huge amount over my bills without knowing; even though I used no energy or water to contribute to the amount owing. No Use = no extra money on bill = No need to pay.
LL apparently not entered room = no further action taken
HM did enter room, text message to proove it = trespass.

What to do now?

I have been truthful in my statements...why would I lie when I am looking for advice????

silvercar

If you have refused to pay for electricity, as you are not using any, why are you objecting when your electricity is turned off?

clarebethan

clarebethan wrote: »

.

Nothing in contract about utility bills...I pay them anyway so they cannot throw this in my face. Proof is in my bank transfers

Just quoted myself to reiterate to silvercar and oldernotwiser that I have paid all bills. Perhaps I did not make myself clearer before, but the abuse was about not paying bills but I HAVE!!!