Landlord and Faulty Washing Machine

WolfSong2000

Okay, here's the deal...

I live in student accommodation, but while I think it's technically owned by the university (as it's on campus), they let it to a construction company who sublet it to students...I just deal with the construction company re: rent/repairs, etc.

The accommodation consists of a small block of 6 flats and we all share communal washing facilities. They're not coin operated - instead we have to go see a "warden" in the next block of flats over to buy tokens...at the beginning of term (6 weeks ago) some smart a*se tried to use coins in the washing machine and broke it...to date it hasn't been fixed.

I've tried contacting the construction company on a number of occasions now, and at first kept getting fobbed off. After a month, I started to get annoyed as I have to walk over a mile to a friends house to get any washing done. I was told that the faulty part needed to be made specially, on a special run, and they weren't sure how long it would take, so they were sending someone in to see if they could fit a temporary replacement.

I've been trying to contact them via phone in the 2 weeks since, but no one is picking up (how very convenient). Have sent a hand-written note with my rent check reminding them that it's broken, but never heard anything...

Anyhow, was wondering if there was any legal recourse I could use to get them to either fix or replace the washing machine. I'm in my last year of uni, have a lot of work and it's a real pain trying to find time to go round to a friends for an entire evening (only time I've been on a "night out" this term has halloween...too much work, otherwise!).

Incidentally, the construction company are being sued by another flat for charging them £1000 extra for the year for electricity when they never gave us quarterly statements like they were supposed to (and have done in the past). My flat has been charged as well, but not as much...we were also charged for last year for missing cutlery? Seems as if they've been putting the same/similar charges on at least a few of the flats...never had this problem the first year I lived here (now 3rd year...in Scotland so 4 year course).

Anyhow, any help would be much appreciated.

Freddie_Snowbits

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
Student, washing machine. Thank gawd I have lost most of my hair!

olly300

Nope even people in private accommodation have difficulties getting their landlord to sort out repairs and many are threatened with or actually evicted as a result.

The suggest course of action is to first contact the student welfare officer in your university.

Then your university will normally have a paper or magazine, so you should contact them as well as all these stories about the company not fulfilling their contract properly should interest them.

elfen

Go to student welfare, then to your accomodation officer and raise complaints with both of them.

fozzeh

I fully sympathise...I was "charged" £30 for a matress protector (not the p*ss the bed kind =P to stop slipping) because it needed a wash.
As you're letting something from someone, do what olly and elf suggest!

WolfSong2000

I'll try student welfare (flatmate is actually Vice President for welfare committee...how convenient), but not sure how much they can do as they're not involved in the letting of the flats...they may be able to put some pressure on the construction company, though...