Landlord lied about the flat - how to get money back?!

sooz

Yes, they could call environmental health, but this would probably just waste their time, as they will tell them to call council pest control.

At the moment, the OP isn't replying, but why is everyone jumping on the LL here???

The LL used an agent, who didn't tell her about the extra person on staying at the property.

The carpets need cleaning and a window pane replacing, probably the OP told the LA, but this message has not been passed on to the LL (which is why I suggested that she put it in writing)

The OP said that the vermin were not present when she viewed. Perhaps the LL had not seen them either? It's unlikely that she slept in her rental flat. Once notified, she asked the tenant to contact the council pest control directly, fo the swiftest action.

In the meantime she offered to send someone to put poison down. The tenant refused

How exactly has the LL lied??

sooz

coal9011 wrote: »

Debt_Free_Chick:
They should be ashamed to be in an occupation where others of their number behave in such an outrageous way.

And as to "what does this have to do with any other landlord ... but more particularly, the ones on this site?"

Well, I will answer that one once I see how many of them - on this site - denounce this particular landlord's appalling behaviour. Do you denounce or excuse his actions? So far, this thread is a little short on postings from LL's. There is no way that you would stand for this poor lady's situation ..... so lets hear some condemnation of this LL from you!!! ......... or don't you care?

I am a LL, and at the moment, from the info we have from the OP, I think that the tenant is being unreasonable, and the LA probably lied....either way the LA doesn't care as they have their commission. The LL has tried to remedy the problem, and has had their offer turned down.

The tenant sounds like the sort of young girl who would call the LL in the middle of the night when a lightbulb went.

olly300

The tenant sounds like the sort of young girl who would call the LL in the middle of the night when a lightbulb went.

Sooz that's unfair.

Lots of people, both male and female are scared of mice, cockroaches and spiders. And get really hysterical if one is in the room with them. (It is amusing if it's a big bloke though.)

I do agree with you that it's likely the LA knows the place is infested but didn't do a thing about it.

D_e_n_i_s_e

just because there are rats and bugs in a property doesnt mean its a get out clause! you have to try and see if you can do summut about the mice yourself and (traps and poison or even an ultrasonic repeller) to eradicate them. you must also give your landlord a chance to resolve the problem.

you are right the landlord should have fixed problems such as clean the carpets in the flat, exchange a broken window pane before you moved in and this is something you can hold against your landlord especially if its in writing.

personally I think you are being a bit too fussy and too sensitive and using the mice thing just for a quick bail out - if i was a landlord id try and fix the problem for particularly those promised but id definately hold your deposit back for loss of earnings.

This is a quick lesson i have a friend who had a simillar problem and yes she was in london and it was a council sort of flat (she in effect paid rent to the council who were twinned with some housing agency) anyway her phobia over mice and stuff made her complain they to the council they rehoused her and now she is living next to some druggies shes worse off saying she was better off with the mice!

one other thing as long as you pay your council tax, you do not need to tell your council you are a tennent etc as far as they are concerened you are the owner/occupier of the house, you pay tax and therefore they should help you.

sooz

olly300 wrote: »

Sooz that's unfair.

Lots of people, both male and female are scared of mice, cockroaches and spiders. And get really hysterical if one is in the room with them. (It is amusing if it's a big bloke though.)

I do agree with you that it's likely the LA knows the place is infested but didn't do a thing about it.

yes - probably unfair, but she's not replying is she!

I'm fine with cockroaches and mice.....well not fine, but I can deal with getting rid of them. Spiders on the other hand..............uuurgghhhh. Wouldn't call a LL about a spider though, I'd call my OH!

coal9011

sooz:
Yes but ultimately the letting agent is "acting for" and "following the instructions" of the landlord.

Who is the "boss"? ........... its the landlord thats who!

sooz

Not true - LA is just that, the Letting Agent, not the managing agent. They got tenants into the property, got their commission, and now don't give a .....

sooz

coal9011 wrote: »

sooz:
Yes but ultimately the letting agent is "acting for" and "following the instructions" of the landlord.

Who is the "boss"? ........... its the landlord thats who!

ok, so the LL chose a sh*t letting agent.....not many in London are actually any good. [I however, am great ..but I'm also a LL] Ask how many LA know their local council rules about HMOs? But still the LA is no longer responsible to anyone, once the tenants are actually in place, their work is done.

chillout_cat

Thanks for all your opinions.
We are still waiting for a vermin guy or the landlord (I HAVE AGREED to bring the guy in, I just told her I couldn't imagine to live in constant fear). No news from her so far.

I have never raised my voice at her, she was the one trying to shout me down. And no, I'm not overreacting - try to write your posts with a big cockroach walking across you laptop screen or try to sleep with a bunch of mice having a party in your wardrobe. Guys - we have been eating bread for dinner for a week now because we cannot cook anything in the kitchen!!!

For a time being we have decided to give a month notice although I know I'm going to be completelly knackered and neurotic.

Debt_Free_Chick

coal9011 wrote: »

Debt_Free_Chick:
They should be ashamed to be in an occupation where others of their number behave in such an outrageous way.

Well, we should all be ashamed then - as there are good and bad in every occupation. However, the good are in no way responsible for the actions of the bad. Incidentally, there are also bad tenants. Some of them have even posted on here - perhaps you want the OP to hang her head in shame too?

And as to "what does this have to do with any other landlord ... but more particularly, the ones on this site?"

Well, I will answer that one once I see how many of them - on this site - denounce this particular landlord's appalling behaviour. Do you denounce or excuse his actions?

I prefer to stick to answering the question and trying to provide a solution to the OP's dilemma. Otherwise, the whole thread would turn into a slanging match, against the LL, and that does nothing to help the OP get rid of mice & cockroaches.

So far, this thread is a little short on postings from LL's. There is no way that you would stand for this poor lady's situation ..... so lets hear some condemnation of this LL from you!!! ......... or don't you care?

It doesn't matter whether I care or not. What does matter is that I have at least managed to give the OP some practical advice for dealing with her predicament. I don't do "comfort counselling" - I'm more of a "pragmatic problem-solver"