Health issues due to damp/mould?

dlmcr

It is very unfortunate that you do not have the money to move away because that would be the best solution. As mentioned you are in a cage of your own making.

We have had mould and damp problems in a rented flat and it was very likely that was the cause of some quite bad health problems we experience. Of course it is very hard to prove that they would have been the cause so we could only make a guess but on balance we are confident they did cause the issues.. We did some works internally to remedy, eg clean walls with bleach and paint with anti mould paint. It was up to the landlord to ultimately fix the cause (very poor condition external walls and broken drainpipes etc).

At the end of the day in a flat at the sub 300 pcm end of the market the chances of a landlord carrying out those types of works is slim to none because they know they have a queue of people waiting to rent the property.

In your case I would leave as soon as possible and try and either stay with friends or as a lodger or house sharer in a shared house where you rent a room with other people while you work out what to do longer term... It will get you out of a situation which could be very bad for your health (but that will likely be almost impossible to prove)

I also think that by the number and length of your posts on housing topics you are over thinking things. Sometimes the time is to do something...

dekaspace

dlmcr wrote: »

It is very unfortunate that you do not have the money to move away because that would be the best solution. As mentioned you are in a cage of your own making.

We have had mould and damp problems in a rented flat and it was very likely that was the cause of some quite bad health problems we experience. Of course it is very hard to prove that they would have been the cause so we could only make a guess but on balance we are confident they did cause the issues.. We did some works internally to remedy, eg clean walls with bleach and paint with anti mould paint. It was up to the landlord to ultimately fix the cause (very poor condition external walls and broken drainpipes etc).

At the end of the day in a flat at the sub 300 pcm end of the market the chances of a landlord carrying out those types of works is slim to none because they know they have a queue of people waiting to rent the property.

In your case I would leave as soon as possible and try and either stay with friends or as a lodger or house sharer in a shared house where you rent a room with other people while you work out what to do longer term... It will get you out of a situation which could be very bad for your health (but that will likely be almost impossible to prove)

I also think that by the number and length of your posts on housing topics you are over thinking things. Sometimes the time is to do something...

I agree being a lodger or room with other people would be the best, and its not that I don't have the money to move as much as its a big outlay and i'd rather wait till I have somewhere I actually want to move to rather than move as I don't like the place also 2 months notice would mean I leave exactly at Christmas not the best time to move.

If it wasn't for the fact I can't afford two properties I would just hand in notice or/and be a lodger but I know from about 7 years ago I spend time away from home when visiting a sick relative and my housing benefit was stopped as it was seen as the place I rented wasn't my "main property"

The main problem here iss the upstairs landlord is well known dodgy landlord having been on watchdog(or one of those similar shows) for fraud and when I searched him found many complaints, even my neighbour ehre told me that the proprety was purchased 11 years ago and laid empty for af ew years and was bought on the cheap as it needed major repairs (talking under 5 grand for a property to purchase) most of which haven't been done even now and at best patched up.

I do get restless at properties and was going to move last year, the main reasons I didnt was the moving costs, the fact it would take days to pack and nowhere to store stuff when packing (hence me saying 2 journeys instead of 1 is best) and the place I saw despite being in reasonable condition and actually 3 bedroom was further out of town and 15 minutes from nearest bus stop and about 2 miles to nearest big supermarket.

FBaby

The more your landlord is losing out financially by renting his property to you at a lower value than what he could get, the more vulnerable you become that he could serve you with a S21 anytime.

As it is, he is asking to spend more and more to get repairs done, yet is not getting as much as he could from the place.

Your first priority is to start saving for these moving costs and start looking around so that if you do get an S21, you are at least better prepared to move. The worse part of it all is the feeling that you have no control.

marksoton

I'd suggest your biggest priority is going and seeing your GP.

adom_thomas

What I think is it is better to discuss the same with health consultant!

dekaspace

FBaby wrote: »

The more your landlord is losing out financially by renting his property to you at a lower value than what he could get, the more vulnerable you become that he could serve you with a S21 anytime.

As it is, he is asking to spend more and more to get repairs done, yet is not getting as much as he could from the place.

Your first priority is to start saving for these moving costs and start looking around so that if you do get an S21, you are at least better prepared to move. The worse part of it all is the feeling that you have no control.

I do have enough to move, but if I do so and its the same situation again then I am back where I started so I'd rather wait till I know whats happening, or use the money I would of spent moving and extra on top being a lodger.

But as I say that will likely affect housing benefit.

It also means if the LL gives me 2 months to move I can afford removal costs and get more points with angecy

But you make me think about maybe arranging something with landlord for them to give me notice rather than me give them notice in the sense that they would get higher rent if I moved out and someone moved in.

Also from what I notice rent prices skyrocket at this time of year in area and calm down around Easter.

dekaspace

Thought I would update, had appointment with advisor today who made a unclear but interesting remark about availability, said to me they had some properties coming up locally, would I be ok with a high rise flat? Then said They will try and get me enough points to get one.

I then took in some medical evidence to them and spoke to one of the housing advisors who told me the high rise flats don't need normal amounts of points so they could push it through even if I have nowhere enough points.

So not sure where I stand.

EDIT Spoke to my local HA (theres multiple around as large area) who all have a linked system who said they noticed council were wanting to speak to me about allocations and from looks of things I will get a property sooner rather than later.