recurrant sewage horror

faerielight

the rented flat that I live in has a problem. every 3 weeks or so, the loo gets blocked and sewage fills the shower floor and inches and inches of sewage water fill my patio. The agency think I'm putting wipes down there but I never do. They get someone to flush it through but they don't investigate what is the cause of it. If it happens out of hours the agency expect me to live without a working toilet til the next day, as they maintain it is too expensive to call out an emergency drain clearer. It's happened this eve and I told the agency guy that it's not fair to ask me to not have a working loo. I've had a lot of bowel surgery and only have a small amount of bowel left and I just cant be without a loo. They want me to knock on my neighbours door if I need the loo, but I don't think that's acceptable or I should be living in a sewage pit with a loo that I can't always use. I was in tears over the phone to the agency man and stressed and he shouted at me telling me to shut the F up and cope with no loo til lunchtime tomorrow. I'm so upset and so sick if this . but I don't feel I can move as I can't bid on most of the council properties as they are for working people and HB has been capped and the benefit wouldn't pay the rent. the agency are blaming me saying I must be putting wipes down but I never have. when the drain cleaners do come,they do a flush but they say it needs a camera down there, but the agency or landlord won't pay for the camera. Any advice appreciated.

Doozergirl

You need to call your local council. They will have a section of their environmental health department that deal with housing issues for private tenants and they have the power to force your landlord to do the right thing.

Because your case involves sewage, they should come out pretty quickly.

faerielight

I know I should tell the council but I'm so scared of getting evicted. I rang them a while ago and they said to prepare to be evicted if I complain to them .I will call them tomorrow tho and ask their adivice again. I know the flat would be condemmed with raw sewage , I just don't have many options for other housing. I'm waiting for major surgery again and I'm in no fit state to move. I swear I've developed ocd from living here! the agency make out I'm unreasonable for making a fuss, but it's raw sewage and a non working loo every 3 weeks.

Doozergirl

faerielight wrote: »

I know I should tell the council but I'm so scared of getting evicted. I rang them a while ago and they said to prepare to be evicted if I complain to them .I will call them tomorrow tho and ask their adivice again. I know the flat would be condemmed with raw sewage , I just don't have many options for other housing. I'm waiting for major surgery again and I'm in no fit state to move. I swear I've developed ocd from living here! the agency make out I'm unreasonable for making a fuss, but it's raw sewage and a non working loo every 3 weeks.

With respect, it doesn't sound like you have much choice.

If they try to evict you, you can ask the council to rehouse you. You sound particularly vulnerable as it is.

There is a route where you can write repeatedly and document the issues and eventually pay for it yourself and take it from the rent, but that takes time and you're not guaranteed a friendly result from that. If the CCTV shows the drains are broken, remedial work is very expensive and/or a job for the building insurers.

EmmyLou30

Take a bucket of it down to the LA next time in happens and say 'so you think this is acceptable all over the floor do you' and pretend like you're about to tip it......don't obviously ;-) Might make them wake up. That really is awful and I hope you get a solution soon.

stressedashell

Title of thread: Great Thrash metal band name. Just sayin'

Doozergirl

stressedashell wrote: »

Title of thread: Great Thrash metal band name. Just sayin'

Or even Redcurrant Sewage Horror

faerielight

it would make a good metal band!! well their mates who they've sent to clean up with a bottle of diluted bleach are on holiday so they actually sent bio hazard clean up men today, I was shocked. But I've now been told not to put any loo roll down the loo and to put it all in a bag until the landlord can be persuaded to pay for a camera to see what's really going on. I took a photo of all the sewage, All my patio stuff had to be thrown out today including a brand new parasol. I am 43 and I have never experienced drains like this. I should have collected a bucket full of it for the agency man. you are right! He is so unreasonable to expect me to go through this every couple of weeks. I hate renting so much.