7 weeks of hell,

wmguk

Hey,

We recently rented a property from JSM Property Management, based near Ipswich.

The property is a two hour drive from the Agents, so the viewings were arranged through Fine and Country.

We viewed the property to be told it needed cleaning but everything was tested and working 100%

Here is the complete log of the problems and faults we have had.

Moved in on 14th.
First Email, 18th May 2010 detailing all faults to this date:

• No hot water - Immersion is not connected
• Sink and bath take ages to empty of water
• Drain was blocked outside (have fixed it now though)
• Kitchen sink waste connection to washing machine was not blocked off meaning the first time we used the sink we ended up with a large puddle of water all over the kitchen floor and all in the cupboard. (have fixed now)
• When heating is off, it is still turned on upstairs
• No handrail on stairs
• 60% of the doors in the house do not shut properly
• T.V ariel in the bedroom is not connected to anything
• Light fitting under stairs does not work, have tried new bulb etc.
• Whole house was dirty and not cleaned properly at all
• Richard left rubbish in our back yard
• Shed was full of rubbish and various things left by previous tenants
• Rear Access Dispute

23rd May:

• ·Boiler still faulty after plumber visit
• ·Cooker will not spark
• ·Bathroom waste pipes unblocked.
• ·nothing else on previous email rectified.

31st May

• ·Received email of deeds, detailing rear access
• ·Burco Boiler received allowing hot water as temp fix
• ·I’ve repaired the light under the stairs, as simply couldn’t wait any longer.
• ·Nothing else done

9th June

• ·Various phone calls regarding refunds etc
• ·Handrail fitted, needs the painting finishing off
• ·2 Doors had bottoms plained off, meaning now closing however Kitchen door is so badly bowed it needs replacing.
• ·Made aware by Chris that the lounge window was broken, waiting for that to be repaired now.

11th June

• ·Expecting refund of £485
• ·Chase about the TV point

14th or 15th June

• ·Phone call saying not normally the landlords responsibility for TV points (even though clearly advertised with working tv points on viewing)

18th June

• ·TV man visits, advised New Aerial and cables needed quote near £200, will need to wait for authorisation.

21st June

• ·Chase email regarding TV point, plus arrange Chris to replace kitchen door

23rd June

• ·Phone call advising go ahead given to the TV guy, simply need to call him and he will come out and sort it.

25th June

• ·Knock on door, and warning about bags of rubbish being left out, rather than in Black Bin so Email to Elaine regarding the bins.

26th June

• ·Visit by Chris while we were out, to fit kitchen door – Email to Elaine with photos showing the mess left, and the issues that are still in my mind about being sorted.

27th June

• ·Email to Elaine regarding the rear access, the deeds show 42 Loke Road is the access, not the property on Lansdown Road where the Gate is. Request to move out, as the house is not as described.

28th June

• Voicemail from TV man, saying no authorization has been received yet, so cannot do anything.
• Called main office, spoke to Paula who said MD doesn’t take calls from most people, however she would try and help.
• Vented all the frustrations to her, and she said she would get on the TV point today, and see if she could let Elaine know, however then spoke to Elaine who said she will visit 29th June to look at property.

Now we just want to move out... the property is still unsatisfactory and to get the rear access issue resolved they will need to knock down a brick shed, plus the wall between 2 yards, then fit a new gate and allow us access through our neighbours yard... This is our main argument at the moment as we have rented a property with rear access, and it doesnt have it.
We are now at week 7 of problems detailed above.
Does anyone have any ideas of what we can do?
Also, we have had our fees refunded plus £250 compensation from the actual landlords totally just under one months rent, however new issues have come to light and are still waiting to be resolved...

moromir

I had the misfortune to deal with JSM in Cambridge when I was at uni as one of four students in a uni let.

Despite their assurances the property would be cleaned prior to our occupation (every surface was covered in grease, including the sofa covers :eek: ) that didn't happen.

Don't even get me started on the state of the garden - we unearthed one of the dining room chairs from the back garden after three months when we finally attacked the jungle growing at the end!

We picked up our keys, went to the property, walked in the door, looked at the place, turned round, walked out and went to their office to find out exactly who had 'cleaned' there.

We were basically told to suck it up and clean the place ourselves, one of my housemates who was more savvy than me at the time, took photos and marched off to the Environmental Health department (the oven was truely beyond disgusting) who by all accounts read JSM the riot act and it was semi-sorted, their cleaner did a substandard job and the disgusting sofas remained but it was an improvement.

Interestingly - we were put under the charge of a rather dim-witted letting negociator who earned himself the moniker 'Tim nice but dim' (Tim wasn't his real name I hasten to add!) and looking at their website, hes now in top management!

caeler

I would recommend you make an appointment to meet your Landlord and Letting Agents to discuss the faults and the potential to end your tenancy with no penalties. I think this is something you need to do face to face. I don't think even having faults with the property you can end a tenancy, or at least I'm not sure how you could force it. Good luck. I hope you are able to leave with your deposit in tact.

wmguk

bluefuzzybug wrote: »

I would recommend you make an appointment to meet your Landlord and Letting Agents to discuss the faults and the potential to end your tenancy with no penalties. I think this is something you need to do face to face. I don't think even having faults with the property you can end a tenancy, or at least I'm not sure how you could force it. Good luck. I hope you are able to leave with your deposit in tact.

Hi,

Thanks for the info.

I have a meeting scheduled at 9am tomorrow, so will know more then, however its not the faults that make me want to end the tennancy, its more the fact that we were told it has rear access, and it doesnt - and the only way it can have is if they destroy the shed, then the wall, then give us access over next doors yard...

Problem is round here you have a black rubbish bin, but I cannot get that bin out of the back garden, thus cannot have my bins collected. If I put normal bags out then I run the risk of getting fined... (Which i have told JSM that should I get any fines, I will be passing them directly to JSM.

I will be letting JSM know tomorrow about this post, and the fact it is on my facebook etc etc.

If no joy then my next step will be contacting the local papers to see if they are interested.

clutton_2

dont go to the papers.. go to Environmental HEalth they can investigate the access for bins issue on our behalf

wmguk

clutton wrote: »

dont go to the papers.. go to Environmental HEalth they can investigate the access for bins issue on our behalf

Ahh good idea, I have just dropped the local council an email, and fingers crossed something can be resolved by them guys!

I'm really looking forward to this meeting in 7 hours

maninthestreet

Who is Richard, and why is he dumping rubbish in your back garden??

wmguk

lol, Richard was the agent, when we moved in the house hadnt been cleaned, so we turned up and he had done a bit of hoovering and then cleaned up bigger rubbish, but bagged it up and left it for us, it wasnt until he left that we found it in the corner...