Electrical Problems

kamelot290480

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice on behalf of my Girlfriend. She has been renting a property for around4.5 years through an estate agents. On Friday night the main fuse for the electricity to the bottom two floors of the property (kitchen and living room) started tripping. Every 45 mins or so. We left it overnight and called out an electrician the following day (through the estate agent). To cut along story short it was found that there are mice under the kitchen floorboards that have chewed through the earth wires... As this was found Saturday afternoon the electrician couldn't report it till Tuesday to the estate agent. She was therefore left without electricity and so stayed at mine. The electrican did say that it was going to be a massive job and would need a lot of work and rewiring. We tried to ring the Estate agents yesterday who said it had been logged and that it was going to be a big job. They said they would ring her back which they didn't - she has rung again today and they still haven';t rung back. She is currently having to stay at mine as she can't live in the house. I'm looking for advice on where we stand as surely it is the responsibility of the landlord and Estate agents to get this fixed asap as its unliveable.
Thanks

G_M

Yes it's the LL's responsibility.
Yes, it should be fixed asap.

But you also have to be realistic. ASAP is a question of 'reasonableness'. There's been a bank holiday. If you were an owner-occupier you'd not have got anything done any sooner.

Now that the holiday is over the LL should be on the case, but in any case you should always follow up verbal reports in writing, to the LL, at the address provided. So send a polite letter advising of the problem, what the sparkie said/did, and asking for a timescale.

Having said that, it's not the end of the world is it? which circuit is tripping? The sockets? the lights? The cooker? all of the above?

buy some candles - very romantic. You don't need heating at this time of year and can always plug in the kettle upstairs if those sockets work.

kamelot290480

Thanks for the quick reply... Absolutely I agree that the bank holiday would hold things up, but I did expect at least an update yesterday without us having to chase it up.
Its all the circuit for the Kitchen and living room, so she can't cook or do anything in the kitchen. The alarm for the house has also died due to it being on battery back up.
TO be fair the heating is never an issue as we are both very hot blooded.... haha.