First time renters know ALL the facts I t hought I did..

suzannebell56

Now the scenario would have been, look over property with L/Agent, lovley property, woodburner, spa bath, beautifully decorated, so we scoots down to Letting Agents who gives details off credit check costs £200 paid, passed credit check for one person.

Paid one months deposit, and one months rent in advance £1150..rent is £575pcm...and got a set of keys..got givent rental pack..tenancy agreement, details of what would happen to deposit, scheme etc and EPC Certificate and Gas Safety Record...went thome and thought yippee I am finally leaving home and bieng independant..

In the last week the woodburner has been condemned, can live with that as there is full gas central heating, and LLord is rectifying it after Xmas has to be removed and replaced..

Went to clean spa/jacuzzi bath as per advice given from various sources...and :eek::eek::eek:found that I had to use an extension type plug thing from the boiler cupboard and plug it into the nearest 13 amp plug socket to power the spa part of the bath so trailing wire and wet hands scenario:mad::mad::eek::eek::eek: duly reported to LAgent this morning who gave a dont know what your on about reply but will send in an electrician later today..

Gas Safety Certificate ..handed over and nothing said to me and yes...I know should have checked it...so got that yesterday, took it out of rental pack:eek::eek::eek::eek:

4 faults on it, main one bieng NO isolation lever on the main gas meter which meant I had no way of turning off the gas supply in an emergency and she never mentioned this on signing up or anything after getting keys, yes Im aware I should have scrutinised every bit of paper.
Other faults, no earth to meter, no safety chain to cooker and RRV Termination all signed off by a Gas Safe Registered Engineer.

Letting Agent did not bring these to my attention at signing up of tenancy, but on the other hand I should have checked.

So if I hadnt asked for the chimney to be swept I could have set fire to the chimney etc, and if there was a gas leak I couldnt have turned the gas off, and if I had been bathing my neice in the spa bath and something had happened and the wiring to this is/was bad (will find out later today) I woud be in a right mess...well I am in a right mess I think...no woodburner, possibly no bath and am frightened to turn the gas on now.

Yes I know I should have been more vigilant etc...first timer renter attracted by all that glitters is not gold property...

The thing that has bothered me more is this house has been up for sale for over a year, few offers made at asking price but sales never completed, maybe because full surveys may have picked the above faults up..and if thats the case as the LAgent was also the person selling the house they may have known these faults existed..and went ahead and let stupid me sign a tenancy agreement knowing full well what state the place was in..well there you go, if you dont follow the proper guidlines you get fingers burnt....am feeling like Ive been frazzled with a flame thrower..maybe thats over dramatic but just now I could cheerfuly dive off a cliff, I wont as Im not that kind of person and this may all come out alright in the wash,,but wont trust this LAgent again....

One lesson well learned, oh boy have I lost my rose tinted glasses on life...all my own fault...and the horrible thought is, how often is it happening to other folk over the UK now that it difficult to get on the housing ladder.....:o:o:(:(:(

Fire_Fox

Contact Environmental Health at the local council ASAP with a copy of the gas safety certificate and photos of the problems, they can enforce repairing obligations on your landlord or deem the place to be uninhabitable. If the woodburner is mentioned in the letting agents particulars or in your AST or inventory it forms part of the contract and should be repaired or replaced now. From now on report all faults to the landlord in writing, if they are urgent you can telephone first but you must follow up with a letter - keep the proof of posting/ recorded delivery receipt and a copy of the letter.

Zorz_2

suzannebell56 wrote: »

but wont trust this LAgent again....

You still don't get it. You should not trust this, or any other Letting Agent at all. They don't work for you!

Apart from that, Firefox has given you sound advice, follow it.

suzannebell56

Firefox hello and thank you for the advice, my father has just taken dated photos and written details to local EH office, they asked forthem as soon as possible as they need them to support another complainant against LAgent, this was said off record as my father worked for said council in another department and they know him. so hes off there now.

We have to address all things to Letting Agent as there are not any address details on Tenancy Agreement other than Letting Agents as all repairs etc and rent is paid to them.

Two registered letters have been sent from two different post offices outlining concerns and asking for Landlords correct contact details and phone number, two sent incase they get "lost " in the post..

Zorz dont worry I wont be believing anything from ANY Letting Agents mouth again...

I trust everyone, god knows I thought I was pretty much clued up...I wasnt.. so need to learn to get some reality that not all folks play it by the book and mean what they say....

I know Ive led a kind of protected life, not anymore this gal has had her wings burnt well shes got them out, shook them off and flexing her muscle..think this might be onehelluva battle..or then again it might be easy we shall see...

Fire_Fox

Why is your father writing to EH, is he a tenant too? Your complaint is NOT against the agent it is against the landlord, you are contracted to the landlord, the agent is merely a legal representative of the landlord. If the agency is full management they may organise the repairs but again this is merely on behalf of the landlord and they will charge him accordingly.

G_M

You write to the landlord at the address providedon the tenancy agreement "for the serving of notices". This may be the LL's address, it may be c/o the agent, it may be his mum - but you address it to HIM at that address. Landlord and Tenant Act 1987

If you want his actual address, write to whoever you pay rent to (agent) and ask. They have 21 days to provide it. Landlord & Tenant Act 1985

Does the gas certificate actually say the system is dangerous? If so, the engineer will have switched it off and put red tape over it!

dimbo61

If you want to rent a property in this country ( england ) you need an EPC, Gas safety certificate ( if you have gas appliances !) and you should make sure the electrics are safe.
But this is a millon miles from renting a safe, warm, comfortabe place to live.
Does the property have a C02 alarm near the boiler/gas fire/gas hob or oven ? If not buy some NOW
Has the property had an electrical safety check or installation certificate within the last 5 years ?
Alarm system, security lighting, 5 lever doors ?
Green measures? loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, double glazing, combi boiler, energy saving lighting ?
Or is it a case of cant sell so rent out without spending any money on the property !

anselld

dimbo61 wrote: »

Does the property have a C02 alarm

[STRIKE]C02 alarm[/STRIKE] CO alarm

G_M

dimbo61 wrote: »

Does the property have a C02 alarm near the boiler/gas fire/gas hob or oven ? If not buy some NOW
!

It's always a good idea to have an alarm to let you know when global warming has reached dangerous levels.......

averagemummy

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Why is your father writing to EH, is he a tenant too? .

I don't think he has done the writing, just taken the letter to them as he works for the same council and is probably working in the same offices?

Werdnal

dimbo61 wrote: »

Alarm system, security lighting, 5 lever doors ?
Green measures? loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, double glazing, combi boiler, energy saving lighting ?

None of the above are compulsory in any property currently let in England. Nice to have maybe, but nothing in law says the LL has to provide any of these.

The LL must ensure all electrical installations are safe to use, and the only sure way is to get an inspection done regularly, but even that is not a compulsory requirement.

Landlord in this scenario may be severely lacking in their attention to repairs, but if you are suggesting all the above are a standard requirement in a rental property, I am sure many LLs would struggle to come up to your exacting standards!