breach f contract can I sue?

cobbingstones

Hi all

To cut a long story short we rented a four bedroomed property of Chancellors 3 beds downstairs and an attic bedroom. When we had moved in friends came to visit who are in the housing field, and we where informed that the attic bedoom was not to be used due to there being no escape in case of fire. We contacted the agents who have been beyond unprofessional and also have spoken to the Manager of lettings at HO. After several phone calls and no apology we have finally been assured that we will have our fees returned and our removals paid when we find another property.

I am still fuming that we have been through the whole stress of moving to find out that we now have to move again. Would anyone advise that we seek compensation?

We have also informed trading standards.

Thanks

clutton_2

you can have an attic bedroom with no means of escape as long as all the doors in the hallway-stairs and all bedroom doors are fire doors

many three storey houses dont have fire escapes...

but the LL may have to register it as a HMO - house in multiple occupation.....

your best bet would be to contact ENvironmental Health and ask one of their officers to come round to see if the attic bedroom complies with the regulations...

cobbingstones

It is a bungalow. No fire doors etc. Landlord states that he always rents it out as a three bedroomed due to this.

Thanks

Emmzi

technically my house has no fire escape from the top but I have a roll out ladder that you can fix to the window. would something like that fix it, and would the landlord fork out £100 to buy you one?

clutton_2

""Would anyone advise that we seek compensation? ""

you claim compensation for financial loss... if you get your fees refunded exactly what loss will you have suffered ?

PasturesNew

clutton wrote: »

if you get your fees refunded exactly what loss will you have suffered ?

I'd have thought time.... inconvenience ... and misc/small incidental expenses (e.g. slipping a mate £10 to help you move/stumping up for a takeaway.

Time would be the major one though. It can take weeks of looking and hours of viewing to find somewhere, then the actual packing/moving/unpacking.

Landlords would charge by the hour for time they spent on their property as a direct result of poor tenants.

clutton_2

""Landlords would charge by the hour for time they spent on their property as a direct result of poor tenants.""

the deposit schemes do not allow landlords to charge for their own time when repairing tenant-damaged property - goodness only knows why - bias perhaps ?

hermum

Building regs at your council can tell you, just found this
http://www.loft-conversion-uk.com/bungalow-loft-conversion.html
the regs aren't so tight for bungalows

Trollfever

we have finally been assured that we will have our fees returned and our removals paid when we find another property.

Have you got confirmation of this in writing?

Fire_Fox

I am getting deja vu!!! Did we not have a case exactly the same a couple of months ago?