Health problems because of mould in flat - can we end tenancy?

dancingfairy

Can you pop into the accomodation office and speak to him? Is there anybody above him (senior accomodation official?) that might help?
It does sound complicated and messy
df

student1991

dancingfairy wrote: »

Can you pop into the accomodation office and speak to him? Is there anybody above him (senior accomodation official?) that might help?
It does sound complicated and messy
df

There is an email address for complaints that I could try, but I think they would just refer me to my LL. Worth a try though. I chose uni accommodation over a private landlord to avoid problems, but I guess I was wrong.

I just realised there is another problem. I live in a couple's flat with my boyfriend, but since he has graduated he is not allowed to be on the lease. Of course the LL knows about this and is fine with it, but I just realised that if the flat is declared inhabitable they might only offer me temporary/alternative accommodation which would make my boyfriend homeless Is this a likely scenario or am I just being paranoid?

Fire_Fox

Please stop making ifs and buts and second guessing the situation. It doesn't matter what you think or guess might happen, we are telling you what to do because this is correct protocol which must be followed before you take further action.

WRITE to the landlord reporting the severity of the water ingress, resultant mould and your health problems, snail mail/ formal communication NOT e-mail. What do you mean your landlord is employed by the Accommodation Office? This makes no sense: your landlord is the person or company who owns the building or the lease on the flat, they are not employed by someone else. If they are an employee they are an agent or caretaker NOT the landlord. If you are not 100% certain copy the letter to the person and the office.

Since the issue is urgent you can contact Environmental Health at the same time, but I suspect they will want to know when you informed the landlord (the person who owns the building or lease on the flat) formally - again this means in writing although the e-mails will help. Also all go to your doctors and get notes stating your health issues. You do not have the right to get out of the contract, but you may have the right to be rehoused at the same cost and the same standard of accommodation IF your flat is deemed uninhabitable by Environmental Health.

Is your boyfriend a recognised resident, do you have it in writing that he can live with you? Have Council Tax department been informed?

dimbo61

Unless the university own the property then your LL does not work for them and he is just on the approved list of landlords.
Speak on monday to the university housing officer ( In manchester we have Manchester Student Homes where the housing officer is based)
Why is water leaking into the fire place? Has the property had a GAS safety certificate ? for all GAS appliances Boiler, hob, fire ?
Do you have gas central heating, double glazing, plenty of ventilation.
Cant understand what the hell world heritage has got to do with a bathroom extractor fan as this is required under buildings regs.

Fire_Fox

dimbo61 wrote: »

Cant understand what the hell world heritage has got to do with a bathroom extractor fan as this is required under buildings regs.

The OP hasn't said this is a new build nor that there is no window in the bathroom. Given there is a fireplace it could well be an older property and older conversion, in which current building regs would be irrelevant only the ones in force at the time of the conversion. The world heritage thing may be an excuse or it may be the exterior is listed or under a conservation order in which case council permission would be needed to stick holes in the wall.

dancingfairy

I think the OP means the property is owned/managed by the universty accomodation team and that the person in the office trys to fob them off.
df

moromir

I thought it was fairly clear that the Landlord of the property that the OP rents happens to be employed by the university accomodation office.

Therefore OP is hesitant that their complaint would go very far as they suspect it will just land on their Landlord's desk.

gutter1

Are you keeping the flat well ventilated. Black mould goes hand in hand with showering with the windows and bathroom door shut or drying washing indoors. I wouldnn't worry about rain coming down the chimney adding to it, the chimney naturally ventilates the room it is in and it sounds like the cap's fallen off yours. This wouldn't add to damp.

Before laying the blame firmly at the landlord's door try and follow the advice of throwing the windows open whenever you're home, dry washing outside or at the laundrette and opening the bathroom window when the shower's on. We had an issue in our bathroom recently due to my almost-teen daughter steaming it up on a daily basis, a weak bleach solution and a good scrub cleared it and keeping the room ventilated has stopped it returning.

seven-day-weekend

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Please stop making ifs and buts and second guessing the situation. It doesn't matter what you think or guess might happen, we are telling you what to do because this is correct protocol which must be followed before you take further action.

WRITE to the landlord reporting the severity of the water ingress, resultant mould and your health problems, snail mail/ formal communication NOT e-mail. What do you mean your landlord is employed by the Accommodation Office? This makes no sense: your landlord is the person or company who owns the building or the lease on the flat, they are not employed by someone else. If they are an employee they are an agent or caretaker NOT the landlord. If you are not 100% certain copy the letter to the person and the office.

Since the issue is urgent you can contact Environmental Health at the same time, but I suspect they will want to know when you informed the landlord (the person who owns the building or lease on the flat) formally - again this means in writing although the e-mails will help. Also all go to your doctors and get notes stating your health issues. You do not have the right to get out of the contract, but you may have the right to be rehoused at the same cost and the same standard of accommodation IF your flat is deemed uninhabitable by Environmental Health.

Is your boyfriend a recognised resident, do you have it in writing that he can live with you? Have Council Tax department been informed?

Can't the landlord be the person who owns the flat AND is employed by the accommodation office?

Fire_Fox

moromir wrote: »

I thought it was fairly clear that the Landlord of the property that the OP rents happens to be employed by the university accomodation office.

Therefore OP is hesitant that their complaint would go very far as they suspect it will just land on their Landlord's desk.

seven-day-weekend wrote: »

Can't the landlord be the person who owns the flat AND is employed by the accommodation office?

See emboldened for why I don't think this is the case (of course I could be wrong).

student1991 wrote: »

As my LL is employed by the university's accommodation services he pretty much IS the university in this case. My contract is not between me and my LL, but between me and accommodation services.

At the moment, my problem is mainly that I can't actually prove that he is ignoring me. He might be very busy or be struggling to find someone who can take a damp reading for all I know.