Landlord hasn't been to house about 15 years.....

eproctophilia

Hello

I have lived in my property for about 15 years never missed a payment. The house is in need of some considerable work (roof, boiler fixing/checking, replastering, new flooring).

We used to do most of it as we didn't want to bother him as its a reaosnable price for the house (not paid for by benefits) but we also don't really have a contract anymore as it ran out a long time ago.

Just wondering how i should go about asking for the landlord to come fix the things that need fixing without throwing us out?

any knowledge on how to go about this would be great

Thanks

P

BitterAndTwisted

There is nothing you can do to prevent the landlord from wanting to end your tenancy once you ask for repairs to be undertaken.

Under the circs, I would WRITE to the landlord asking them to undertake an inspection and list the things you believe require urgent attention. The landlord has a statutory responsibility to ensure the provision of heating and hot-water, not necessarily to replace if it's old or unreliable. Has the heating/hot-water failed recently? Does the roof leak? Why does the property require replastering?

eproctophilia

Thanks for the reply.

If the landlord does not perform the checks every year on the boiler is this not against some law? I read on the 50 renting tips on this website that it was.

The roof has skylight windows, of which both have fell through. Th eboiler hasn't worked since January....yes it was cold.

A lot of the walls have no plaster and mold is setting in.

nomoneytoday

eproctophilia wrote: »

The roof has skylight windows, of which both have fell through. Theboiler hasn't worked since January....yes it was cold.

A lot of the walls have no plaster and mold is setting in.

Why would you want to stay there ?

eproctophilia

5 bed house for £500 near manchester city centre. i'm not there much

Mr_Pitiful

How long was the original tenancy for, and when did it start?

Has the landlord been informed of all these disrepair issues? As a tenant you have the obligation to inform the landlord so that they have the opportunity to repair. If the landlord has not been informed and problems have been allowed to get worse you may find yourselves in a difficult position.

On the gas safety issue, yes, the landlord should have carried out a yearly safety check, as it is a legal requirement.

Werdnal

If you do not have a current address in England/Wales for your landlord, he cannot legally charge you any rent.

Write to the last contact address you have, requesting he attend the property to assess repairs and maintenance required and request a reply within the next 10 working days with a date when he will do this, or you will seek advice from the Environmetal Health Department at your local Council. Also point out, that if the boiler is gas, he is failing in the requirement under H&S Executive for all LLs to arrange annual gas safety certification for this.

Keep a copy of your letter with free proof of posting from the post office.

If the LL does not reply, contact the EHO at the council as soon as the timescale you have given has passed and ask them to visit you urgently. If the property is as bad as you suggest, I too wonder why you are still living there, and I suspect the EHO will condemn it or at very least, declare it unfit for habitation.

If the LL is contactable, EHO can enforce repairs, or make repairs themselves and bill him for the cost. Beware however, that LL is likely to issue you notice by return if he is not willing to accept your requests for repairs. You are also permitted to withhold rent to cover cost of repairs if the LL does not respond, but this must follow a specific process (see Shelter's website), hence the letter giving him the opportunity to address this as a first step and proof you have tried to contact him.

In the meantime, you could withhold your rent until the LL replies and confirms his current postal address, at which time the rent will become due and you will pay everything you have held back. This quite legal under housing law and may prompt the LL to contact you as he will notice the rent has stopped.

Have you made any attempt to report issues before, as the LL can claim that you have neglected your responsibilities as a tenant but not making him aware of these issued promptly. It is not up to him to visit, it is up to you to report problems and request he attends.

lemontart

all gas appliances have to be checked yearly by gas safe registered installer and certificate issue - failure to do so is breaking the law.

Guest101

Sounds like alot of laws broken. Has he placed your deposit in a scheme? since 2011, all deposits must be held in a scheme.

I'd certainly write to the address you have and ask him to come and check repairs.

I would double check if you havent acquiring protected tenant status after 15 years too

Mr_Pitiful

Guest101 wrote: »

Sounds like alot of laws broken. Has he placed your deposit in a scheme? since 2011, all deposits must be held in a scheme.

I'd certainly write to the address you have and ask him to come and check repairs.

I would double check if you havent acquiring protected tenant status after 15 years too

Deposit wouldn't need to be protected unless tenancy has been renewed or become statutory periodic after Apr 2007.

It will never become a protected tenancy as they stopped being issued in 1989 when assured and assured shorthold tenancies cam into existence.

eproctophilia

hello allow, firstly appreciate the answers.

Secondly: original tenancy started in september 2006, it was for one year and renewed twice till 1998 i think but because liked the house and were afraid he would bump up the rent we did not contact him again. In the same area rent for this kind of house is around £850 a month or more i believe.

So the landlord has not been informed of any issues since 1998 (although i forget when we asked for the boiler to be replaced i can find out though as he did pay for that)

So in summary; he broke the law by not checking the heating system but i broke the law by not informing him about repairs that were neccessary?

Therefore werdnal's timeline of events sounds like a reasonable way forward, i can send him a recorded letter with the repairs and outlining the score. wait for a response contact the EHO and see what they say and possibly withhold the rent for repairs.

I'm pretty sure i have lost my deposit lol but nevermind just either want it fixed or to know if i have to fix myself without the rent going up.

I can update this thread on progress for anyone else in a similar situation when i get more details