my council flat is a nightmare

tinkerbell_2k12

Hi I don't know if I've put this in the right forum, as the title says my council flat is a nightmare..
I've lived here for 3 years and it in that time the flat as been plagued with damp and mould soaking wet walls, I have had the inspector out numerous times who just kept fobbing me off saying it's condensation and it's my fault. At my wits end I called out environmental health who told me the council were liable to sort out the dampness of the walls and find the right solution for airflow as there wasn't a radiator at the bottom of my stairs.
Well today they've been and fitted my radiator and I've noticed when they've left they have singed/burnt a fair size whole on my staircase carpet when they've been fitting the pipes, can I claim a new staircase carpet off them?

I'll be on the phone first thing tomorrow putting a complaint in

I_have_spoken

We tax payers will be delighted to buy you new carpets

tinkerbell_2k12

So because I live in a council flat Ive never been a tax payer have I, think I'll find I've worked since the day I left college and have always paid taxes, I've been out of work for a few months and don't intend to be out of work very much longer I'm trying my very best to get a job thank u I worked my butt off at work to furnish my home, so why shouldn't they replace what they've damaged? Keep your narrow minded opinions to yourself not everyone who lives in a council flat is a dole scrounger there is many people that genuinely are trying their best thank you

jamels2

well said tinkerbell, of course you should complain about the damage first of all. secondly, the damp, tell me what sort of ventilation do you have in the flat? any fans installed and how often do you open windows? is there ventilation when you're cooking? showering/bathing? what about drying clothes? hopefully we can help with ideas on how to limit the damp x

angelsmomma

tinkerbell_2k12 wrote: »

So because I live in a council flat Ive never been a tax payer have I, think I'll find I've worked since the day I left college and have always paid taxes, I've been out of work for a few months and don't intend to be out of work very much longer I'm trying my very best to get a job thank u I worked my butt off at work to furnish my home, so why shouldn't they replace what they've damaged? Keep your narrow minded opinions to yourself not everyone who lives in a council flat is a dole scrounger there is many people that genuinely are trying their best thank you

No one said you were a dole scrounger for goodness sake. Although the remark by I have spoken was unkind your reaction is a bit over the top.

moremore

Have a look at your council website and see what the their statutory duties are regarding damp.

Whenever you have council in do mandatory work under the Landlord and Tenants Act make sure and take a photo of before and afterwards as they will always deny that they have done the damage. However taken a photo of the damage and and send it to them and do not leave it too long before you get an answer from them.

Most council now send out contractors to do work for them in their tenants accommodation and the council will always take their contractors side before any tenants be it elderly or disabled tenants/residents.

Do you have contents insurance if you have and the council does not make good the damage then claim through your household insurance. It is very difficult to get these people to do make good any damage they have done to your home.

I would like to why the poster said that the tax payer would be delighted to by a new carpeter for tinkerbell, what kind of a reply was that for god sake!!

tinkerbell_2k12

I have all the vents open on my windows all the time, and I open my windows as much as possible. Theres no fan in the bathroom so I leave the window open but the bathrooms still covered in black mould, the council told me to dry the walls down with towel when I get out the bath. All the side of the flat wall that are outside walls are wet and mouldly they're so damp the paint comes off on my hands. I hang washing outside in summer and I use a dryer in the winter. My child's room is that damp that mould grows in his wardrobe and on the bottom of his bed.

shegar

If you bought a dehumidifyer you would probaly find it would collect all your water in your house, one machine will do a 3 bed house with all the internal doors left open, real good investment for condensation.......

mazza111

Definitely complain about the carpet, there's no way you should need to foot the bill for the mistake of their workmen.

As for the comment by I have spoken... ignore completely, not worthy

eamon

Most cases of internal damp (symptons include black mould and condensation) are normally caused by a lack of ventilation. So you need to exclude the lack of ventilation on your part as an excuse for your landlord doing nothing. Don't want to appear nagging or not believing you but when bathing, cooking etc you need to have the windows open for an hour at least (perhaps longer if north facing). If you can't do this during the week then try and overdose on a weekend no matter what the weather is doing. Have a really good clean of your home, attack the mould with bleach. Then for a week really concentrate on ventilation and getting your home aired. In the meantime you need to complain vigoursly to your landlord re the poor/lack of built in ventilation in your home. They should install adequate fans with built in timers & humidity sensors. Its in their interest to keep you as a tenant. Voids are expensive!
Of course it could well be that you have a sick building and nothing helps. Also if you have been suffering for a long time it is likely that the wall plaster is now compromised and needs replacing. Sticking on an anti-mould paint will solve nothing unless the cause is removed.
As for the carpet you should complain the repair people should have done a better job.

somethingcorporate

Sounds like a problem that will need a bit more than a single radiator to fix. I suggest you seek the advice of an expert but a dehumidifier probably isn't that bad of a start.

Mould has health implications so rather than focusing on claiming back some of your carpet you should continue to put your efforts into getting the council to fix your house. Yes, you should be able to get a new carpet if you can prove that the damage was done by the installation of your new radiators.