We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING: Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Unfit property (so cold) my rights
Options
Comments
-
Ash_Vanguard wrote: »Hi all
me and my lady moved into a lovely old style house last summer and all was well till the temperature dropped, the house has been unlivable, you can see your breath in most rooms and the washing up water constantly freezes. The heating does work but it doesn't heat the house at all really, in order to be happy in a room you need two heaters AND the central heating on.
what are our rights? the combined bill is going to be so big and i feel it's unfair on us as the rent is also expensive. We are the first people to live in this property since the owners moved out, i also think we should have been told just how cold the property gets.
Have you bled the radiators? Has the heating system been subject to a safety check and/or a service? Do you have an instruction booklet on how the heating system works and how to "tweak" the controls?
You need to put all repairs & maint issues in writing to the LA, keeping a copy for your own records. You can also try contacting the LL direct- LA is legally obliged to provide LLs name and address if info is requested by you in writing ( they have 21 days in which to do so) or you can download th einfo from the Land Registry for a small fee.
Many people are finding that their heating systems are proving less than adequate in the extreme temps of the past couple of weeks but your LA should be arranging for the system to be checked out. The LL has a legal responsibility to maintain the heating system for both space and water is good working order.
Note that repairs and rent are separate issues. Take temperature readings in different parts of the property at different times of the day and *insist* in writing that the LA/LL gets along to arrange for the system to be checked.
You may also want to alert your LL to the LESA ( LLs Energy Saving Allowance)
You can ask the local Council's Env Health Officer to arrange for the property to be inspected under HHSRS (Housing Health and Safety Rating System) - search for the "evict a rogue LL" thread on here as there is an example case of properties in Norwich where the heating has been held to be inadequate.
Just seen - wooden floors/sash windows. You need rugs , curtain linings, draught proof cling film stuff. If you have access under the floor via a cellar, try securing insulation stuff with garden netting to the underside of the floor. There is a thread over on the Old Style Board - hardy creatures who are competing on how long to go without heatingAll manner of suggestions on there.
0 -
We learned our lesson the hard way last winter when we discovered the detached house we were renting had very little insulation, was very draughty and was absolutely freezing, and the cheap laminate flooring in the hall and kitchen was as cold as ice.
We gave notice and moved out as soon as the contract was up, informing the letting agents and new tenants of our experience.0 -
Is this the first time you've lived independently and had to pay your own bills? It can come as a shock to young people to find that electricity isn't free and that it's cheaper to wear more clothes when your parents are no longer paying the bills.0
-
Ash_Vanguard wrote: »Sadly no we werent shown a certificate0
-
Oldernotwiser wrote: »Is this the first time you've lived independently and had to pay your own bills? It can come as a shock to young people to find that electricity isn't free and that it's cheaper to wear more clothes when your parents are no longer paying the bills.0
-
If your LL has failed to provide an EPC then s/he may be slapped with a couple of hundred quid penalty by the local Trading Standards Office. All properties in Eng/Wales have to have one for any property let to a new T after October 2008 and the potential T should be shown the EPC priior to them signing up for the tenancy.
I doubt an EPC certificate would mean much to them or most tenants.0 -
None. There is no automatic right to a warm house.
False.
All properties have to meet the standards of the housing health and safety ratings system (HHSRS) which is what the environmental health dept at the council enforce. Cold is specifically one of the issues that it covers, and whilst you aren't entitled to a particularly comfortable level of warmth you are entitled to not be endangered. Look it up on the web and the guidance notes will explain all.
However, the landlord only really has to supply you with extra sources of heating like a couple more £40 electric fan heaters, so it's not necessarily going to help your bills to get an EH inspection in.
Plus getting outside authorities involved without consulting with the LL first tends to upset any LL/T relationship and given you appear to be on a statutory periodic contract now your security of tenure is only two months' rental periods.
On the plus side, you only have to give one month's rental period notice, so you can leave as soon as you find somewhere nicer.
My advice? Firstly speak to the LL (follow up with a letter), maybe take some measurements so you can talk in factual terms (i.e. bedroom is x degrees even with heating on, check if it breaches HHSRS and mention that). Don't let on you are considering leaving at this stage.
LL might be willing to invest in some improvements to insulation and heating if it turns out to be an issue that will keep forcing tenants out. They might also be able to benefit from a couple of grant schemes (like warmfront?) that softens the cost.
If the landlord's reaction is bad, I would suggest looking for a new place and/or calling in environmental health at that point. So any necessary works will have to be done whether you are there or not.0 -
I doubt an EPC certificate would mean much to them or most tenants.
It's not that hard - it's pretty obvious that a property rated a D or E will costs more to keep warn than one rated C on the pretty bar chart.
My own views on EPCs have appeared in a number of threads but the fact is that the law says a LL *must* provide one.
Most of us would use a previous occupant's bills plus whether or not the property has decent roof insulation, double glazing , is terraced or detached etc as a guideline to likely heating costs. The fun will start when it becomes compulsory for a LL to upgrade their property in line with a DEA's *recommendations"0 -
Tenants are of course all way too thick to understand an EPC?
It's not that hard - it's pretty obvious that a property rated a D or E will costs more to keep warn than one rated C on the pretty bar chart.
Is that true? Or could it be that the better rated property is fitted with dud low energy light bulbs etc to get a better rating?I'm a Forum Ambassador on the housing, mortgages & student money saving boards. I volunteer to help get your forum questions answered and keep the forum running smoothly. Forum Ambassadors are not moderators and don't read every post. If you spot an illegal or inappropriate post then please report it to forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com (it's not part of my role to deal with this). Any views are mine and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.com.0 -
Ash_Vanguard wrote: »Sadly no we werent shown a certificate and we arent entitled to anything as im a student and my girlfriend works and we are both in our 20s, missile what do you mean? we had a 6 month contract that finished and now since we haven't signed anything further im guessing its switched into a rolling contract. its just so annoying though, ive never lived in a 'pretty' house before always modern carpeted ones not these hip wooden floors/old style sash windows etc. never again
thanks for the help thus far
Old houses are difficult to heat and cost more to maintain.
A student with a working girlfriend to support you. Wish I had done that when I was younger :rotfl:"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Ride hard or stay home :iloveyou:0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.5K Spending & Discounts
- 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.9K Life & Family
- 257.2K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards