Rent includes water, but water is infected

Elsewhere

Please get it tested - some children from the school my kids attended became ill from contaminated water - one nearly died

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ecoli-strikes-seventh-child-1159075.html

The problem was eventually traced to contamination from the cattle's drinking water getting back into the water supply of the farm where the birthday party was held, if I remember correctly.

rentergirl

This is appalling. They seem even to have expected this to happen. This is about your health, so raise merry hell. If nobody helps, then publicise it - go to your local paper. And yes, mention that you now fear eviction.

m0bov

I can't believe what I'm reading! Someone is willing to risk their childrens health and possibly their lives with suspected contaminated water?! I'd be happy to move out if it came to it, is this what it's coming to now? Did'nt we have standards in this country? Its no surprise our water supply is drying up, lots of garages and gardens round here have been converted and occupied.

ACon

I came here for advice as I was angry at the time, and emailed the councils EH department without really thinking it through. My kids have had a hard time, moved 3 times in 3 yrs, 3 different schools, and my son has behavioural problems that get worse when we move, then settle as he settles. If we had to leave this (in every other way) idyllic home we would have to move schools as its such a tiny village, only 20 pupils in the school, theres no chance we'd get another property here. My sons condition is helped by the fact we have so much private land he can burn off his energy with no worry of roads, strangers etc.
I know its hard to understand as an outsider, but we do not want to, and cannot afford to move again. We lost so much money on our last property, severe damp and structural problems, and we did a lot of work only to still lose it when the landlords had enough of us complaining, or expecting them to help out with the costs of the thousands of pounds of work that needed doing. We could not get a rental throuh agency due to poor credit, so private let it has to be, and they are few and far between.

If I get environmental health involved it could impact them in many ways, as well as cause them to hate us, and they would, wouldnt you? It would lead to eviction. fair or not. Im better off taking precautions at home to make sure my kids are safe, and keeping the peace with my landlord and the family to ensure my children don't get uprooted again.
I will approach the subject with them, delicately, and see what I can find out. I don't know what I can achieve mind, as they will always have the upper hand. Its only possible to start a war with your landlord if you dont want to live there.....

marcowil

If you're happy to put up with the situation then I guess no-one can force you to do otherwise.

Personally, I wouldnt be risking my health or anyone elses just for an easy life, especially as the problem has a solution

ACon

I'm not at all happy with the situation, and people moaning about not being able to use a hose pipe is driving me crazy., is that all! lol . But I'm still in debt from my last move and cannot go through it all again, for various reasons. As someones said on here, its just asking for trouble by involving EH. Its rubbish, it really is. But I don't have any choice.

marcowil

I dont agree that you dont have a choice but I'm not in your situation.

That said, if your landlord were to evict you if you reported the problem (not him, the problem) to Env Health then do you really want him as a landlord?

If a problem with something else arises in the future will you just ignore it for fear of upsetting him?

The problem with the water is serious and he may just not realise how serious. If EH can help rectify the problem then your landlord might actually be happy at it being pointed out. After all, he would benefit from it as well as you