What can I do?

KimLouise17

Hi all

I'll try and keep this short.


We moved into our rented property in feb 2010, when we moved in we was told by the letting agents that the landlord was on holiday but when he gets back that he will sort the garden out ( at the moment it's just rubble).


He got back and over the last 3 years he has told us on numerous occasions that he will get to it but still nothing


We had a 6 month tenancy but 3 months in the landlord informed us that he has sacked the letting agents and he will deal with the rent and property now.


We have never signed a new tenancy agreement after the first


Numerous things have gone wrong, to name a few
The upstairs bathroom pipes are blocked and have been for 6 months
The plug in the bathroom is broke and as its a twist plug I have to empty the water into the toilet every time I have a bath, which is annoying with 4 young children
The electrics are terrible and I'm going through lightbulbs at the rate of 1 every 2 weeks
The safety glass on the main oven shattered 3 months ago and he is dragging his heels replacing it
There are chips and holes in the walls all over the house leaving it freezing.
There is no Ariel connection to any rooms and to get tv we have to pay for sky!
The fireplace is not working and a hazard as is the exposed wires in the living room




I phone him around once a month to try and solve these problems and he just says oh ill get to it,


He has just knocked on the door and said, I know you have problems with the house but I'm going to India for 4 weeks ill deal with them when I get back


What can I do, it's driving me mad

ognum

Move out, why are you still there?

DaftyDuck

Second that. If you've got a bad landlord, there's no other option. Trying to force him to do bits and pieces will add more strain to the "relationship", and you'll probably not get most things done.

Look for a new place. Learn from the experience.

KimLouise17

I'm trying to but paying 775 a month to him and saving up for 1st months rent and depositon 1 income with 4 children is hard.

19lottie82

Don't call, him WRITE.

Write a letter stating the following, and post it at a post office, asking for a certificate of postage.

- What the problems are
- How long they have been present
- That you have contacted him before, verbally, but he hasn't completed the repairs.
- ask him to give you a date that the repairs will be completed by, in writing, within 7 days


ALSO, pick your battles over this one, can you, or someone you know not fix the smaller problems, such as the plug in the bath? It's not a big or expensive job if you have a slight inkling in DIY.

Good luck x

sandsni

Regarding the electrics, if bulbs are blowing that quickly (and you're sure it's not just the quality of the bulbs) you should probably contact Environmental Health in case there is a genuine safety issue.
But, are you sure the blocked toilet hasn't been caused by you or your children putting something down there that shouldn't have been? Also, I'm not aware of any obligation for LLs to provide television aerials, so unless it was specified in your tenancy agreement I don't see that there is an issue here. If you want to get terrestrial tv you could write to the LL and ask if he would allow you to pay to get an aerial installed.

Can you explain how the fireplace is a hazard if it's not working? Surely as long as nothing is burning in it it can't present a hazard (unless it's gas in which case the LL should have a gas safe certificate).

KimLouise17

I have bought all different types of bulbs, all of which blow within 2 weeks.

In regards to the blocked toilet, it isn't just the toilet, it is all the pipes in the bathroom, the sink, the shower etc.


The ariel isn't too much off an issue just annoying that if I want to have a tv in another room I have to pay for sky multi room!!


I just begrudge paying 775 a month for a pile of sh*t

mrsbmartin

for the bath..poundland do basic drainsnakes and soda crystals (personally I find soda crystals much more effective than 'proper' drain unbloking chemicals)....it's a mucky job pulling up the gunk from a blockage but worth it. Unblocking the bath will eliminate the problem of draining using a bucket - £2 outlay for 2 problems.

Again...take photos first and then fill the holes in the wall yourself...the worst that could happen is that you would need to remove the filler when you leave (to return it to the 'move in state'). If you are really worried about doing the filling (it's sooooo easy and cheap though) then fill the holes with cotton wool/newspaper (depending on the size) and secure with masking tape! It won't look pretty but it will warm you up!! Move something in front of the fireplace (depending on the hearth size/shape) to keep the kids away from it...I have an ikea display unit in front of mine that I modified so it looks like a modern blocked up feature as our rented fireplace has been deemed unsafe (chimney needs sweeping but LL doesn't want to get it done-we don't care as we are looking to buy anyway). If you advertise on your local freecycle I'm sure someone will have a fireguard to donate. So little ones protected from the fire at no cost.

For the electrical wires - try to keep them hidden behind something (though obviously at a safe distance) and use electrical tape where applicable (I don't know if the wires are live/ how exposed etc so google the electrical tape solution to see if it would work short term for you.

Try using a lower wattage of lightbulb (ideally energy saving ones).

So...all the above would cost £10-15 max and halves your list of nags (not my opinion but almost certainly how your LL will see it). Then you can go down the letter complaint route to get the more serious issues, like the oven, seen to. In the mean time....try and find somewhere else (though I do understand how hard that is).

Happy DIYing!!

mrsbmartin

If the blockage is that low down then you may need to add it to your 'serious' list of complaints but given that it has only occured in the past 6 months I think the LL would argue that you caused it and therefore charge you for it. Try all of the home remedies first before he has to get dynorod out and you get lumbered with the bill!!

To be fair...having multiple tv points is a luxury...IMO you should have to pay for it as it is your choice....

KimLouise17

Thanks mrsbmartin,

I'll have a look into those things

KimLouise17

You are right about the tvs, it would be nice to put a free view box in the bedroom but its not needed.

In regards to the blockage, the tap has always drained slow, the landlord lived here before we moved in and said when he lived here it would take up to 5 minutes for a sink full of water to clear.