what are my rights

ihatemyhouse

I am getting his back up, as I got mold growing in the bed rooms, all I get off him is, I am too busy to come see you, but never too be busy to collect my rent,

the LL has ignored all problems I have had in the house, when the boiler was condemned last jan, he got 5 plumbers to come look at it over the course of 2 months, till he got sick of them saying its condememd, when the soil pipe burst and I has sewage going over garden, he was too busy with his other business to come and look, ended up fixing it my self,

i don't mind little problems, but the fact that when it rains, the whole of one side runs with water down the inside of the house, phone up and say come look at it, "am too busy to come out",

i have reported these problems before, but was trying to keep things civil, but nothing gets done,

Debt_Free_Chick

Second pic. Is that in the loft? Looks like the flashing to a chimney may need repair or a downpipe outside is blocked. What's on the outside of that wall?

ihatemyhouse

it is the loft, there is nothing on the other side if that wall, except outside, it is the chimney breast

pmlindyloo

Here is a useful article about your problem

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/home_safety/hhsrs

As already said action about disrepair needs to be done formally i.e writing old fashioned letters.

You are caught in a difficult position because doing things properly takes time.

You need to be very proactive about these things.

Badger Environmental Health. Go to the offices if you can and pick up the forms. Take the pictures with you. Fill them in at the office - do not leave until you get an appointment for someone to come out. Have you told them your wife is pregnant and you have two young children?

The council does have a duty to put you in temporary housing if the place is a hazard to you and your family's health. You meet all the priority needs (there is a check list on the link)

In the end though everything takes time. If it is very bad can you stay with friends/family until the situation is fixed?

You could just leave and let the landlord take you to court for his rent but in order to prove that the house was not suitable for habitation then you would need 1) evidence of the condition (verified by a professional/Environmental Health) and 2)evidence that you had followed the correct procedures to get the landlord to fix it.

The one other thing you can do is ask the landlord to agree to release you from your agreement (get it in writing if he does).

I feel for you because everything just drags out while you go through the formal bits and yet you are left in a damp horrid house.

Telephone Shelter if you want a second opinion. They are excellent.

ihatemyhouse

i got him coming out tomorrow, going to give him that letter, and tell him i am getting EH out, i feel that he is taking the micky, as long as he gets his rent then that is all that matters, the nights are starting to get cold here, and when the temp drops the walls run with water, the walls that are wet, i have to bleach every week, i understand that stuff takes time, but this LL is a joke, over a month to come out, yet only lives 1 mile away form me, just had enough now and decided, sod it, not paying rent and he can sue me, as i am going to sue him, he hasnt put the bond in a scheme, i can get letters of previous tenants to why they moved out, due to the damp, he can keep the bond, and i will keep the last 2 months rent, he lose 800 which can be comp to me for all the probs and time he has taken

ruggedtoast

That would just put my back up if I were a landlord to be honest. Suggest you go with Bitter and Twisted's suggestion.

ihatemyhouse

bitter and twisted suggestion?

its ok found it


I am going to be a pain to him now, he has had plenty of time to come look at the problems, he is just not intrested


he is the type of person who if his kids lived in a rented house, and it was like this he would have solicitors on the LL with in 2 days,

ognum

When I read this type of post I always wonder why you remain in the property.

When is you AST up, are you looking for somewhere else to live?

ihatemyhouse

it is up at end of jan, been looking but cant find any where, but will take any thing now

ihatemyhouse

my LL never put my bond in a scheme, so due to the disrepair of the property we have decided not to pay rent and move out, I know he cant legally evict us until we are a full 3 months behind on the rent


but am sure I have read somewhere that because he didn't put bond in a scheme, he cant evict us under section 21

is this right