Help - renting problems, can I lower rent?

freddie_2

I have live in current house for 2 1/2 years and the whole time we have had major problems with damp. Having to clean walls every few weeks etc. I ahve contacted the EA numerous times and nothing has ever been done despite many promises.
We had no curtains in the property and I ahve just got round to putting some up. The LL had promised money to allow so to do this and it never appeared.
The EA came last week to look at damp problem again and I gave him photos. I was promised them back within 2 days, that was 10 days ago and I have heard nothing. I am sick of having to chase him up nearly every day so have not bothered this time to see how long it takes him.

Basically I want to know what can I do? Nothing is getting fixed, the damp is not getting sorted and I have a DD and another ont he way so its important I finally get something done. EA just ignores us. House behind us is for rent at 100 pound less and its exactly the same size etc.
I have asked before for rent to be lowered and got no where. Can I just go ahead and pay less or what can I do. Really at the end of my teather.

We have no contract now as we just pay month by month.

MissMoneypenny

Have you put any of this in writing to your letting agent or landlord?

Contact your local council's Environmental Health Department. They will sort this for you.

Any repair problems, contact your local council's Private Lettings section. They will come and do an inspection of the house if you wish.

Both of the above departments have the power to deal with landlords who fail to carry our their legal obligations.

00ec25

freddie wrote: »

. Can I just go ahead and pay less or what can I do. .

absolutely not, you are still bound by the terms of your original agreement, that is the basis of the periodic tenancy which you are now on , ie the month by month bit.

freddie wrote: »

.We have no contract now as we just pay month by month.

if it was me I would tke the easy option, give your one month's notice as required by the periodic agreement and move into the house behind you

the more difficult option is to exercise your right to force the LL to make repairs, however, as it is damp related, and you will not like this, the vast majority of damp problems are caused by the lifestyle of the tenants not becuase of a problem with the house. Simplistically, damp is caused by either condensation (lifestyle), or penetration (LL problems due to leaks or no damp course)

Do you know what is causing the damp, have you reported this in writing to the LL - look at the shelter website for advice on how you can legally force the LL to do repairs, but be sure it's not you who has caused the damp before you do so.

MissMoneypenny

00ec25 wrote: »

the more difficult option is to exercise your right to force the LL to make repairs,

Not difficult now. As I put in my post above, the tenant can just contact the council. The council take over contacting the landlord and give them notice to do their repairs by a certain time. The council have the power to carry out the landlords reapirs and then they bill the landlord. They can take a landlord to court if they don't pay their bill. Every council tax payer is paying for the staff to sort out bad landlords.

00ec25 wrote: »

however, as it is damp related, and you will not like this, the vast majority of damp problems are caused by the lifestyle of the tenants not becuase of a problem with the house.

I often see this said on here, but the of all the many houses I have lived in, the only one that had damp was the one that I had to put a damp proof course in

00ec25 wrote: »

but be sure it's not you who has caused the damp before you do so.

Why does he have to "be sure"? If the landlord thinks it is the tenant, they will soon say or might even say it is the tenant to avoid carrying out their repairs. That is why the tenant should contact their Environmental Health Department as they will give a true answer and not just try to fob the tenant off

poppysarah

freddie wrote: »

I have live in current house for 2 1/2 years and the whole time we have had major problems with damp.

move.


Seriously. Give a months notice and find somewhere else.

pawpurrs

Why bother with all the hassle, the LL and or managing agents are obviously crap, just move house, thats the beauty of renting.

00ec25

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Not difficult now.

but still takes hassle (and time) hence I said the easy option is to move

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

often here this said on here, but the of all the many houses I have lived in, the only one that had damp was the one that I had to put a damp proof course in

do a search on damp and see how many posts confirm this - clearly you were a caring tenant, others are not, damp thorughout an entire house is either a failed damp course generally or uncontrolled condensation

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Why does he have to "be sure"?

becuase (s)he MAY risk being held liable for any damage caused if their fault, or they may not - depends on attitude of LL

Fire_Fox

The letting agent is not responsible for maintenance the landlord is. Have you put any of your complaints into writing to the landlord themselves? If so and the landlord hasn't acted have you contacted Environmental Health regarding the damp?

Do you know what is causing the damp? Rising damp would usually be more prevalent in the downstairs, low down on external wall, penetrating damp usually shows as patches on an external wall, if you go outside you may see a leaking drainpipe or damaged pointing, condensation is largely a lifestyle issue and tends to be worse in bedrooms, bathrooms, again on cold external walls especially behind furniture.

tek-monkey

Was just looking at local places for a mate, and found this. Slightly worse than a bit of damp me thinks:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-22847869.html

Heliflyguy

00ec25 wrote: »

you will not like this, the vast majority of damp problems are caused by the lifestyle of the tenants not becuase of a problem with the house.

I keep seeing this as well and I am begining to think theres a few landlords that refuse to acknowlege were some damp problems really lie and are happy to blame "peoples lifestyle"??
We live in a top/third floor flat with a north facing wall with an east facing front.
If the temperature drops to being a little cold the large windows in our bedroom with secondry double glazing (for noise rather than insulation) will be covered in condensation in the morning without any heating being on and with small widows open in other rooms during the day when no one is home, what are you supposed to do stop breathing in the night.
We live on a main road theres no way I could sleep with the windows open and why should I leave windows open and the heating on in winter, not very MSE or planet saving is it.
On the north wall the idiot pre owner put built in wardrobes, every winter all the clothes have to be removed and hung on a rail in the bedroom due to the damp (literally running down the inside of the cupboard and pooling on the base in the corner cupboard)
People cannot be expected in the depths of winter to keep windows open all day and night at some point windows will need to be closed and the heating put on, the rooms full of cold air (and moisture) will heat up, result condensation, result damp.
Some buildings are just that way inclined, stop blaming the majority of it on the tenants.

MissMoneypenny

00ec25 wrote: »

but still takes hassle (and time) hence I said the easy option is to move

All it takes is one phonecall to the council. They do the rest.

Why not sort the house out for the next tenant before the OP moves out? The next tenant might not know about being able to call their council for help.

00ec25 wrote: »

do a search on damp and see how many posts confirm this - clearly you were a caring tenant, others are not, damp thorughout an entire house is either a failed damp course generally or uncontrolled condensation

I was the house owner. I can never understand why some landlords don't do simple things like putting in extractor fans to reduce damp? It's meant to be their asset after all.

00ec25 wrote: »

becuase (s)he MAY risk being held liable for any damage caused if their fault, or they may not - depends on attitude of LL

It's not down to the landlord to decide who is at fault - those days have gone. Hence why the OP should call in Environmental Health for advice.