Nightmare Landlady - advice needed

RHemmings

barnaby-bear wrote:

Eeek the gas safety is CRIMINAL (as in literally not metaphorically):
The electrics aren't a legal obligation.

Try fire doors, fire escape (if flat), fire alarms? Take a video of the working gas fire with a picture of todays paper - so she can't dsiconnect and claim always was so. Entering flat without notice devalues tenancy on right to quiet enjoyment. The flamable foam furniture labels should be attached if not there furniture illegal too. You can basically say you want to leave, say you have all this money she has to spend to make it legal and you'll get authorities or you'll keep quiet and go with your money (then leave it 6 months and grass her up for fun anyway! And for moral reasons!)

I'm no lawyer, but surely the gas safety certificate is something that would justify them leaving immediately. I would also dob her in immediately if they were me. And nothing evil about doing that.

barnaby-bear

moneysavinmonkey wrote:

My friends are a bit more soft than me so i'm not so sure they would follow through with the plan...doesn't stop me reporting her though i guess!!

And when you hear a young girl loses her life in CO posioning from faulty appliance story in local paper - you'll not have to worry you could have stopped it or be weighed down with guilt.

RHemmings

barnaby-bear wrote:

And when you hear a young girl loses her life in CO posioning from faulty appliance story in local paper - you'll not have to worry you could have stopped it or be weighed down with guilt.

BB, you put that in a rather forceful way. But bottom-line-wise, I agree with you. This isn't an issue of minor inconvenience or comfort. This is peoples' lives we're talking about.

moneysavinmonkey

ok. Sounds like Gas Safety Certificate is the ultimate get out clause - for legal and health reasons.

I don't think landlady has any idea about any of this - you get the impression she just bought a house and a lawpack tenancy agreement from whsmith and away she went.

Makes me mad.. some landlords are obviously very good but some are just complete muppets...don't think it should be allowed - you should need to pass a test of somekind!

barnaby-bear

RHemmings wrote:

BB, you put that in a rather forceful way. But bottom-line-wise, I agree with you. This isn't an issue of minor inconvenience or comfort. This is peoples' lives we're talking about.

Actually it's about some greedy BTL bit*h deciding £70 in her pocket more valuable than 3 (or soon to be 4 :mad: ) people's lives. No different to people who make cut-and-shut cars from two wrecks. Scum.

moneysavinmonkey

couldn't agree more barnaby-bear. it is BTL fools like her who have forced people like myself and my friends into rented accomodation as we are priced out.... then she expects us to be grateful that she allows us to rent a overcrowded, death-trap from her! - all so she can make a profit!

westernpromise

RHemmings wrote:

Can you give us some examples of things you've had done to your flats?

Among the two flats I've installed an electric fan in the bathroom because they didn't think the window was big enough to air it properly; paid for a man with a big ladder to replace the lightbulbs (halogens in a 13 foot high ceiling; a wearing item I'd expect the tenants to pay for, but in this case I didn't provide a ladder, so they physically can't, in all fairness); replaced power shower pumps - stuff like that. I just see the bill and a deduction on the monthly statement.

TJ27

This house is an HMO and probably has been for some time, new law or no new law. It matters not whether it is three, two or even one storey. There are certain standards which have to be met, especially relating to means of escape from fire. (The standard are however much higher for three storey properties.) Like gas safety, not meeting HMO standards is a criminal offence. My council prosecutes several people each year for not bringing their rented houses up to standard.

It sounds like it may not be a licenceable HMO, but do check.

I don't deal too much with gas safety, as I believe that's more the domain of the Health and Safety Executive. They have a fair bit of power, a lot more than I do as a council officer, but I've found that they rarely exercise their power in cases such as this. Still, call them. I think the penalties are severe.

Also call your council and get a private sector housing officer around to have a look. (These are often environmental health officers but not always.)

westernpromise

RHemmings wrote:

I'm no lawyer, but surely the gas safety certificate is something that would justify them leaving immediately.

Agree. It is illegal to let a property without an in-date gas safety certificate. If she really hasn't got one, she is breaking a non-trivial law.

westernpromise

RHemmings wrote:

My current landlord isn't too good on some fronts. For example we'd really like the gas stove replaced. It's safe, but mostly inoperative. Only the rings work.

If it was inoperative when you moved in, the LL might be able to argue that you rented it as seen. If it's packed up since then, you can argue that you rented it as seen, so what worked then should be kept working.