Stay or move?

Nicky321

My daughter moved into an end terrace 2 up 2 down privately rented accomodation in September 2008. The property was in fair condition and any minor niggles where put right by the landlord. However as Winter 2008 moved in my daughters heating bills started to rise, so she contacted her landlord to ask for permission to contact the "Warm Front Team" for advise on insulation & draftproofing measures.
The warm front team came before Dec 08 and told her they would get intouch with her landlord as they would be able to carry out loft insulation and draftproofing. A few months later she received a letter from the Warm Front team notifying her that the landlord had not replied to 2 letters asking if they could carry out the work and therefore they had cancelled her application.
Prior to this letter from the warm front team she renewed her contract until March 2010.
Since this happening she has had no contact with the landlord, he does not call in person or telephone. Today she decided to move her wardrobe in her bedroom and the wall is damp and covered in mould. My daughter is asthmatic and has a young son so these conditions are not good for either of them. Do you think she would be able to "give notice" on this property and look for something else? Also she is panicking about the £500+ bond she had to pay, would she get this back? she is thinking she wont because of this damp problem.

Cheers for advice in advance
Nicky x

whowants2brich

In my opinion, the landlord must sort out the damp problem, even if he doesn't sort out anything else. The contract should state that any problems with the property will be repaired by the landlord, obviously unless they are caused deliberately by the tenants...

As for the proper insulation, etc, I am pretty sure that you do not really have any way of forcing the landlord to pay for the extras. You can only explain the benefits etc, and hope for the best. Of course, if there is an energy performance certificate thing done, then it should show up that the property is poorly insulated, which will definitely dissuade others from moving in. Other than that, there isn't much you can do.

However, as for the health and safety aspect, you could call the landlord and discuss this, and see what he does. If he doesn't respond, write to the landlord and give him 14 days to reply, and say that if he doesn't come in to fix it (or get someone else to), then suggest that you will look into terminating the contract early and move out. Of course, speak to the CAB or some other independent advice centre, and they will talk you through the legal steps to take.

Either way, doing nothing probably isn't an option here, so talk to the landlord and the CAB and good luck...

benjo

I too had a landlord that refused to accept Warmfront putting in loft insulation and cavity wall insulation completely free of charge to him - his words 'they are all bloody cowboys these government bods'!!