Cracks in walls - taken from deposit

clutton_2

""LL should have some recourse"" - that is Exactly what the deposit is for !!

lynzpower

Quite clutton, thats why I think all these ideas of withholding the last months rent is so out of order

clutton_2

as i said earlier on, you Have to talk to the landlord IN the house and discuss things - not one landlord on this earth can sort out a problem he does not know about - i seem to spend ages pleading with my tenants to tell me QUICKLY when a problem arises - a small problem is cheaper to fix than one which has been ongoing for months !!

MORPH3US

Well I sent my letter recorded delivery on Wednesday telling them about the cracks and also reminding them about damp patches and a light switch that is not working properly (both of which we told them about already) and we have not heard from them requesting to come and inspect them.

M

Kaminari_2

Are you sure we don't have the same LL?

When we moved into our property 3 years ago it was brand new, since living there the plaster on the wall have shrunk and there are some big cracks. We told our landlord and they have already said we have signed an agreement stating that we will return the property in its original condition and we will be charged for the cracks. We also have a leaking roof that is interfering with the lights. This has cause a wet wall from floor to ceiling and about 3 foot wide in the living room and a wet ceiling in the Kitchen. When it first started to appear we told the landlord, he came around, had a look and just said that he had seen worse and left. A month later the wall was alive with mould and sparks were coming out of a power point. The landlord fixed the leaky roof and took the power point out of the wall (It now just hangs there) and said he would be back the next day with a dehymidifier. That was last November. They haven't done anything since except try and put the rent up. We are moving out in two weeks because the flat is a health hazard. Unfortunately there are good and bad LL and we seemed to have got one that has no idea what they are doing or their responsibilities.

MORPH3US

@ Kaminari

I thought the same when code-a-holic above said about where she lived!

I don't think our flat is quite as bad as yours, we have a few damp patches but not a whole wall and ours doesn't cause electric problems.

Your problems sound dangerous but I don't know what to suggest you do. I would write to the landlord recorded delivery maybe and list all the things you have previously reported to him and when and then say that you are not responsible for any of the problems mentioned and so you do not expect any of these costs to be taken from your deposit or you will be forced to take further action to reclaim the amounts.

There was some good advice above about getting the private lettings agent from the council to come round and inspect the house with you. They can then prepare a report before you move out and be a witness for you if need be!

Let me know how you get on when you move out, will keep fingers crossed for you!

M

lynzpower

No what you need to do @ Kaminari, is report the property to your local environmental health officers who will come round and assess whther the property is fit for habitation. Either way your LL will have to prove to the EHO that it is fit to be rented out, not just bang in new tenants & take thier cash.