Help: The landlord wont repair the plumbing!

Kippling

Hi all, it's my first post here but i've been lurking for a while. I was wondering if you guys could maybe suggest what I should do here? Backstory and other details follow....

I'm in the 3rd year of an Electrical Engineering degree at Loughborough Uni. At the beggining of this month I moved into new accomodation outside of campus, it's a postgraduate/international student hall of residence owned by an entrepreneur not affliliated with the University. I estimate there are around 150 - 250 residents, around 10 which share this corrider & kitchen.

Owing to a problem with the boiler/plumbing everybody sharing this corridor have no hot water, not in the sinks, the showers or the kitchen. Shaving and showering in cold water sucks! We can't wash the dishes properly either. I'm one of only three UK nationals on this corridor, the others have literally just arrived in the UK for the first time and are still finding their feet.

I understand from somebody who has lived here for around 2 years that there has never been a decent supply of hot water to this side of the building, the landlord aparently got somebody in last year to look at it but refused to pay for a suitable boiler. The one that he had installed has since failed (before I moved in). I've payed my inital deposit, one months rent, I'm due to pay a quater's rent any day now. I dont want to make undue accusations, but i've heard on the grapevine that the Landlord is a real tightwad and never visits the hall, leaving the rent collection etc to the hall warden.

I believe the Landlord is responsible for maintaining the water supply, according to a section in the 'Assured Shorthold Tenancy Agreement' I signed as well as the 'Landlord and Tenant Act 1985' (Section 11). Is this correct? I've never rented before so I've no idea about renting really.

Assuming the Landlord is a tightwad, as I've been led to believe, how can I get him to fix the plumbing? Where do I stand legally? Can I hold back rent untill he fixes it or something militant like that?

Additionally my situation is somewhat unusual. I really really can't get myself thrown out for making a fuss. I'm a paraplegic so finding accommodation suitable to rent is really tough (level access into buildings, adapted loos and stuff like that). It's going to be next to impossible to arrange alternative accomodation should he put me out on my !!!!. I want to be tactful, I dont want to upset the new Landlord because that'll make life unpleasant for the time I stay here.

Unrelated to the plumbing and somwhat geeky too, there is an issue with our internet connection. The tenancy agreement says (word for word)

"The Landlord shall supply and maintain ADSL internet line to each letting bedroom. [Stuff regarding the ADSL line failing and the landlord agreeing to get it up and running again within 10 days]"

As I understand it there is one 66MBit connection for the entire hall, shared over a LAN between 150-250 people. Doing a bit of maths this means we have about 400KBits of bandwidth each (on average), this is less than the slowest ADSL line i've seen with any ISP.

According to the agreement am I entitled to my *own* ADSL line, or bandwidth equivilent to that? I'm getting neither, nor is anybody else. This sucks too. Am I within my rights to demand a higher connection speed? (This is less important to me than hot water though!!)

Sorry for the long post.

Nick

clutton_2

if you do not want to prejudice your own position, and i can well understand why - why not go to your university accommodation officer and ask them to investigate on behalf of all the students in this block.

If they do not want to get involved - then contact your local council private lettings officer.

DO NOT stop paying rent, as that means you may be legally evicted a lot faster.

BUT if rent is only due every 3 months - this may act in your favour if you delay paying up immediatley/

i am 99% certain that a landlord has legal duty to supply hot water.

have you paid a deposit ?

does your tenancy agreement say which deposit scheme he is using to protect your money ?

interesting scenario - good luck

wait for more responses or put up a heartfelt plea on https://www.landlordzone.co.uk forum - there are some VERY sharp legal brains on there.

budget_counsellor_shaz

clutton wrote: »

if you do not want to prejudice your own position, and i can well understand why - why not go to your university accommodation officer and ask them to investigate on behalf of all the students in this block.

Good advice clutton your accomodation officer will advise you.......see them as soon as possible it would be better if you could get some of the other tenants to go with you.

All the best and I hope you get it sorted soon

Shaz

Generali

clutton wrote: »

if you do not want to prejudice your own position, and i can well understand why - why not go to your university accommodation officer and ask them to investigate on behalf of all the students in this block.

If they do not want to get involved - then contact your local council private lettings officer.

DO NOT stop paying rent, as that means you may be legally evicted a lot faster.

BUT if rent is only due every 3 months - this may act in your favour if you delay paying up immediatley/

i am 99% certain that a landlord has legal duty to supply hot water.

have you paid a deposit ?

does your tenancy agreement say which deposit scheme he is using to protect your money ?

interesting scenario - good luck

wait for more responses or put up a heartfelt plea on www.landlordzone.co.uk forum - there are some VERY sharp legal brains on there.

I'd get all your fellow sufferers together and go to the accommodation officer at your college. If your LL gets struck off the list of suitable accommodation then it'll cost him a lot more than a new boiler and he'll know it. That way you don't have to stick your head above the parapet either!

Kippling

Sounds like a really good idea, I'll get a few people to go see the accommodation officer at uni with me.

I think that approach will work really well, the hall is filled with international students directed here by the student accommodation people.

Thanks guys!!

I've just about got time for a cold shower before class now....

sooz

When you see the accomodation people. confirm your meeting and discussion in writing.

You might want to send a copy (from all of you) to your local environmental health officer, and private housing officer at the council too.

clutton_2

do let us know how you get on !!

if there is an element of "disabled students struggling" etc the local papers will lurve this story (this is not meant to be patronising in any way - just advising you to use the weaponry at your disposal !! )

good luck

guppy

Hello,

You are right about the LL having a statutory duty to maintain the hot water system. See:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/advice/advice-7563.cfm#wipLive-27075-6

I'm not sure, but could a lack of hot water be argued to make the property uninhabitable if it continued? Not very hygienic. Might be worth speaking to the local authority too.

As for the ADSL, I think that you might have trouble arguing that one, it depends on how specific the contract is. I'd expect there would be a requirement for the internet to at least be usable, but any more than that might be hard to argue really.

Good luck, press to get the hot water sorted urgently...making me cold just thinking about it!