Help with Landlord? First of many problems....

tazstacey28

I posted this on the Energy forum, and was told here might be better for me to get answers. As it says, this is the first of many problems.
Hi! I'm after some advice/help regarding my coin meter. Ok, so there is a bit of a back story to this situation. Me and my landlord have fallen out because he wouldn't sort out and treat this mass of mould that had grown in the room behind my childs bed. So after lots of heated words, it was left at that. Then he started harassing me, calling me names and banging on my window/door constantly for days until I finally confronted him, only when he had switched my coin meter of from the main circuit board upstairs (I live in a Ground Floor Flat) He wanted to empty my coin meter, because he was going away on holiday and needed the money from it to pay the bill. Anyways, I said I wouldn't allow him to take the money out until he switched my electric back on, which he finally did. He took the money and left. He stated that he wants to evict me, but obviously can't for no reason, as my rent is all up to date, no noise etc. I told him I have no plans to move just yet and he left. Haven't seen him since. Now to make matters more confusing, his girlfriend lives above us, and she has just come down for a chat and let it drop that he boasted to her that he has 'put our electric meter up'. I am fumin!! I figured he had, as since that day which was 19th December til today 29th December I have put in roughly £30ish. Could be more.
So I've been all online trying to figure out what I should be paying etc, but because its a coin meter, I don't know where to start. I have 2 young children and am out of work because I have just been diagnosed with FMS, which sees my medication to be Morphine and Tramadol. So every day feels like a bloody struggle and now I have him making money of me?! I don't know who my electric company is, as he wouldn't tell me.
So I've looked at my meter and the only things displaying are this:
The actual model is called EMLITE type EMA1.Z
and when I push the buttons it says
IMP-KWH 03020.29
Any help would be great. I really feel like breaking the padlock off and just reusing the coins that are in! I've been here a year and I'm wondering whether it's always been higher than normal, and he's pushing it a bit more?

**Also, another question which might sound really strange but guttering?!?! Now, I always thought it was for rain water? Because my guttering outside my bedroom window is actually attached to (said) girlfriends (and other tenants) sinks & baths. So we usually find spaghetti , sweetcorn and peas in my drain, the other day we even had purple water from a tenant dying their hair. The drain is directly outside my window, and about 3 steps from my front door. I was recently away for a few weeks and the smell when I came back was bad from the food.

Owain_Moneysaver

If your landlord is reselling electricity to you, he is not allowed to charge you more than he pays.

Harassment of a tenant is a criminal offence. You should contact Shelter Advice line, your local council or CAB - which may be difficult at this time of year.

tazstacey28

I was on the phone to the Law Centre when he was banging on the door and shouting, so heard him themselves. CAB know as do the council too. They suggested ringing the police, for them to come around and talk to him.
We didn't ring them in the end because he wouldn't put the electric back on if we did ring them, and at that point we didn't know if we could prove he had actually turned it off but his girlfriend confirmed this afterwards.
I'm just not on to p*** off people because I am a worrier. Always thinking what he can do to make life harder for us. I have 2 children as well, who I need to keep a roof over their heads. Sorry to ramble. I just worried he could evict us and we will be left homeless or he will make my life worse.

Pixie5740

Turning off utilities and coming round unannounced is harassment. Harassment is a criminal offence so start documenting it and report him to the police.

If the LL wants to gain possession of the property again then there is a legal process he must follow or it will be an illegal eviction which is also a criminal offence. The LL doesn't need a reason (Section 21) to start the process of gaining possession of the property. You won't end up homeless though. If he serves you notice go and speak with the council's housing department.

If you're concerned about him just turning up then look into changing the barrels of the locks.

Follow Shelter's process for reporting repairs. There should not be mould in your child's bedroom.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_in_private_lets/reporting_repairs_to_a_landlord

To be honest though, the place sounds like a bit of a dive and the LL is an !!!!! so start looking for somewhere else to live if you can.

tazstacey28

I have already started looking, was always planning on leaving in the first half of 2015. But with having to buy new beds for the kids etc, its cut into my moving money. I'm hoping to be gone in about 5 months, which seems like a while but then I do have a long way to move ( from Isle Of Wight to Dundee) so planning is key.
I've spoke to Shelter too. - Swear I spent all day on the internet ringing/typing to who I could that might help!
But now finding out he has actually put the electric up!! I cannot believe it. That's whats got to me the most. I'm paying out so much, my kids are missing out and its all because of him. He is a dodgy landlord who opens his mouth to many times that even his girlfriend has threatened to expose him to certain people, to pull him down.,