Need help please - Council problem

Naybelline

I don't know if anyone hear can help me at all. I've been having slugs and woodlice coming in through my skirting boards and from behind my kitchen cupboards, they're mostly all over my plates and I have to keep washing every thing again to use them. Also at the back of one of the cupboards the backing was damp and it was replaced by the council, but that was it. They came to block my air bricks up to try and stop the slugs coming in my kitchen, now I'm no builder but even I know that's going to cause some problems??? I've been reporting this now for 4 years with not much progress till recently when I had them out again cos of the same problem. I had pull my cooker out which is 3 years old, only to find it rotted and rusted at the bottom. The carpet was damp to touch and some slight black mould on my walls at the back of it. The housing inspector just said he would unblock the air bricks and the shouldn't of been blocked in the first place, even though he ordered for it to be done. I asked him if he was even going to investigate the problem as he was leaving the house and he just said it would mean ripping all ya carpet up, to which I replied, well it needs to be sorted??? I found his attitude to be very dismissive of the situation. I made a complaint about him the next day. His boss rang me up and said it's condensation from the way I cook. and that not using the extractor fan properly is the problem I.E using it with the windows open whilst cooking. Now am I being took for a idiot here? because I know a lot of homes don't have extractor fans and don't suffer with the same problems I have.

I am at a loss. I don't know what to do. will welcome any suggestions.

Thank you.

panchenlama

if you can see the airbrick from the outside just get them to cover it with some fine metal mesh. That will stop the beasties geeting in but allow air to circulate.

Naybelline

They're not coming in via the air bricks as they're blocked up at the moment and are still getting in from behind my cupboards, what I was asking what I should do about the treatment I am getting from the Council. They're saying my cooking is causing the damp floorboards in my kitchen because I have my windows open whilst the fan is on... sounds pretty silly to me

DirectDebacle

It is silly. Fact is slugs like damp. Damp rots wood. Woodlice eat rotten wood. Condensation from cooking is not likely to be the cause of damp carpets and rotting skirtings. More likely a non existent or failed damp proof course, leaking pipes or a combination. Council are fobbing you off because proper investigation itself will be expensive plus the cost of rectification.

I cannot advise re council obligations but they probably have a statutory duty to maintain property to certain standards of fitness etc. Try CAB or other boards/forums for advice if someone with more knowledge doesn't respond to your post.

Naybelline

Thanks I'm going to be ringing CAB tomorrow morning in hope some one can help me, I'm thinking the housing bloke is going to try back peddling and saying he never said these things at all. I'm thinking of asking for it in writing so I have proof, but I doubt I'll get it lol... thanks for the replies. it's appreciated.

muskoka

Contact your local MP. They likely will look into this for you & get some action

iamcornholio

Condensation is normally a tenant lifestyle issue and not a responsibility of a landlord. However, i would not expect condensation to make floorboards damp - if so it would be dripping off the walls and ceiling too.

Follow your councils formal complaints procedure, or consult a Solicitor about bringing a claim under statutory nuisance, or the housing disrepair protocol

boogiemaster

Ring your local environmental health and ask them to come out and take a look as it forced my housing assoasation to do repairs when i had problems

carefullycautious

It is amazing how slugs can squeeze through the minutest of holes. When we moved into our post war flat I kept finding the trails they left, but could never see them.

I decided to stay up one night and they were in the kitchen at about 3am so I waited until 4am when they decided to leave through the tiniest hole in the top of the skirting board by my back door. I couldnt believe how they squeezed themselves through it as they were so big.

Hubby filled the hole with a bathroom sealent which hardens and they never came back.

You need to find out where they are getting in. If as you suspect it is the vent and you put wire mesh over they may still be able to get through. Horrible things to have in your home. I make sure the kitchen is well venilated and does not get damp