boiler and cooker broken landlord nowhere to be found - help !!

[Deleted User]

anyone have any advice as i am worried sick
i've posted before about my awful landlord who is hard to get hold of and is in massive arearrs on this property
anyway long story short:
my cooker went this week
today my boiler decided it wasn't going to produce hot water any more
my landlord cannot be contacted at all i phone his mobile and it will not take my call

phoned the letting agent who introduced us - all they can do is rent me another one as long as i have a guarantor who earns £26000 a yr (i don't)
they also told me the address they have for him is up for sale with a reposession company

what the hell am i supposed to do?
i have no savings , 5 kids , no hot water and just a grill and hob to cook with (i know it could be worse)

i just don't know what to do any advice pls?
and for those who replied before and wanted to be funny about my situation - i don't need it at the mo - only helpful advice please :A

theartfullodger

Very sorry to hear your story. Sounds like the Landlord will not be sorting things out.

Suggest you contact your ;local CaB
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
or 'phone Shelter (be patient, they are a charity) on 0808 800 4444
http://england.shelter.org.uk/

Cheers! Very sorry.

Lodger

PS probably time to look for a new place...

poppysarah

As above. Plus go to the papers.

Slum landlords need a kick in the pants.

G_M

Do you have an address for the landlord? If not, he's breaking the law (he has to give you one - probobly on your contract).

Put everything in writing.

You have to give hime 'reasonable time' to put things right, but cooker, boiler - these are essential so 'reasonable' is a few days. That is, days from when you informed him. In writing.

If he does NOT repair/replace the boiler/cooker in a reasonable period after being informed, write again saying you are doing it yourself and will deduct the cost from your rent.

You can then get a Gas Safe (used to be Corgi) guy to repair the boiler, and get a new cooker. Keep the receipts and send a copy to the landlord.

Deduct the cost from future rent.

tbs624

mummyof 5 - did you follow up any of the suggestions we all made in your previous thread, such as this? Get on the phone tomorrow to your local private sector rentals team and tell them that it is urgent that you get an appointment.

pawpurrs

In the meantime do you have an imersion heater? Cooking you can do plenty with a grill and hob, but failing that do you know any one with a Remoska, or a mini ven, or convection microwave? If you dont try Freecycle.

princeofpounds

Don't worry - tenants have a right to make repairs in certain circumstances.

G_M is correct. The exact procedure (and you must follow it - G_M left out important things like getting three quotes) is on the shelter website. Reasonable for heating and cooking facilities is of course shorter than general disrepair, so get reporting today by letter. It doesn't matter if he receives the letter as long as it was sent to the correct place. You might wish to use recorded delivery (but not anything that requires a signature as if they don't get one it can be returned to post office).

You might wish to point out to the LL that not maintaining heating and hot water is an offence under the housing act once you write the second letter.

If you time your repair correctly, you can have the work done & invoiced just before rent is due and then withold rent to pay it just a few days later, which should help with cashflow. But you will need to give the LL advance notice of rent reduction in writing.

Unfortunately if your LL is in financial trouble you might have to prepare yourself to move somewhere down the line.

[Deleted User]

thankyou all for your advice
i have an appointment next weds with housing advice at my local council
there is no known address for him now as his own home is up for sale

also housing benefit have been paying him rent direct so witholding rent isn't really an option as the rent i have been putting by will not cover even the cost of the cooker never mind the boiler

the letting agent who introduced us says they can't do a thing
the local council said they'd usually send environmental health out then issue him a notice to enforce the repairs , but if they can't find hi they can't do this either

i have a feeling the ll may be in spain as it was his wife's wish before she died that he continue with plans to move there

is the shelter number a freephone from a bt landline ??
had to cut my call package as it was so expensive :mad:

thankyou again to all of you who replied

poppysarah

the shelter number is free phone
ontact Shelter's free housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444

How much do callers pay to ring an 0800 or 0808 number?
Callers will be charged nothing when calling from a BT landline (Mobiles may vary between mobile phone operato

lemonjelly

Contact housing benefit & request it is paid directly to you, as is your right.

[Deleted User]

lemonjelly wrote: »

Contact housing benefit & request it is paid directly to you, as is your right.

my ll insisted it was paid direct to him at the start of the tenancy 26/03/08
hb have suspended my claim as they can't contact the ll
this also means they are not paying my council tax benefit
can i still ask them to pay me if they are not paying him ???
sooo confused