Urgent advice needed

teamshepherd

Hello,

I have been renting a studio apt. since January. The flat was above a restaurant and there were 4 other flats there. At the moment of m y moving in only 1 other flat was occupied.
It was supposed to have been freshly refurb where 3 new flats were made on my floor etc but shortly after moving in all sort of problems came to light such as shoddy workmanship, windows which don't shut properly and have terrible drafts, holes in walls, random cut wiring and so on and so on.
I let the lettings agent know but didn't bother them and tried not to be a nuisance.
Around first week of March (coincides with when another tenant moved in) my electric started acting funny. My telly and fridge would switch on/off for a few seconds. This went on, escalated to getting sparks out of sockets, getting electric shocks on stove and zaps in shower (electric stove and electric shower)
Things went on with me complaining via email them saying they will do something and not doing anything)
Fast forward to this month we FINALLY got them to start the repairs.
Now I've gone from being pretty much ignored to the situation where my flat is not livable in.

I have been offered to stay in flat next door for a couple of weeks until they fix electric in mines as mine is not safe to be in.
I said ok on the 15th (Wednesday) and told them as of next day they are free to go in and work. They made it out as its urgent and will be urgently started. At this point I also let them know I would not be renewing my contract in January.

I was told not to move all my things as id have access to stuff like clothes in my old flat so no need, i could just pop in n grab what i needed.
The flat I went into was so disgusting and not cleaned from previous tenants (didn't realize it wasn't cleaned til my stuff was already in) that even after me cleaning it i felt too disgusted to use it.

After a few days I messaged the lettings agent to ask how the work was going, only to be told that the electrician won't start until Wednesday (22nd) and that it will take him a week. I didn't kick up a fuss.
Last Friday (24th) I messaged again saying I wanted to check in before the weekend and see how the works are progressing.
I got an answer saying that the electrician is coming on Monday... To which I replied that's fine but I assume he was working there since the 22nd and that I am expecting to move back on 29th or 30th. They avoided the question and beat around the bush.

I also received a letter which announced that the council tax for property was changed and the property was listed as a single dwelling when it had multiple flats.
So I don't think the landlord was paying council tax for us (we paid her rent and bills, council tax was meant to be included)

I scheduled a meeting at the office for 27th, I told them I want to get out of there as soon as possible and where do I stand with leaving early.
I have paid the bills and rent up until 10th of Dec. Can I leave then.
They said she might hold back the deposit as its not 4 weeks notice so to meet halfway and put the notice in for 20th.
Then we agreed that I shouldn't pay the bills as I would be leaving by the 10th and giving the keys back.
I was told that they would email me the next day letting me know what the landlord said and how much I would have to pay for the 10 days.

By the time 4pm rolled on next day I've not heard a peep out of them. I went to the flats (I only spent one night in either one of them since the 15th and been staying elsewhere) after work to get some stuff.
There was no power on in the kitchen (basically the one room where I was meant to stay temporarily that had my bed fridge n washing machine). My fridge/freezer was off.
I saw the electricians truck outside so I knocked on my flat which needed repairs in first place, no answer. Went in he wasn't in (didn't even turn lights on as no idea what he'd been doing with wiring etc.). But I could hear him working in 3rd flat. Kept knocking on door to let him know about the lack of power in the flat that shouldn't have been affected. No answer.
I haven't been able to get an answer out of the electrician that day nor anyone at lettings agents until today.
And today I am told that the electrician is working on the restaurant as that needs updating, that there is no electric in my flat or in the flat that I have been moved to temporarily and that its not safe to go in there.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I have a fridge/freezer full of food that is now gone off and will sit there til I get ok to go in.
Since March I have spent 1/3-1/2 of all my time elsewhere out of that flat due to fear of getting electrocuted properly.
Spent one night there since 15th. Meanwhile I am dealing with rude landlord, paying rent and bills which I am not using.
I have been living out of a bag for weeks now. And I am meant to pay rent until the 20th now even though neither flat is habitable.
And not to mention my deposit, who knows what the state of the flat will be and will i be responsible for it after the works been done!?

WHAT DO I DO??????

Sorry for long post, bad grammar and the like. Really appreciate any help I can get.

Comms69

is your deposit protected?


Have you made notes/ have written evidence of you reporting the issues?

CIS

I also received a letter which announced that the council tax for property was changed and the property was listed as a single dwelling when it had multiple flats.
So I don't think the landlord was paying council tax for us (we paid her rent and bills, council tax was meant to be included)

If and when it comes to light that property should have been banded individually then you can expect a backdated council tax demand - it sounds unlikely that the landlord would provide the council with your details for the period of occupancy.

00ec25

what outcome are you after?
- financial compensation but remain living there after repairs done?
- financial compensation and the ability to move out asap?
- no compensation but the ability to move out asap?

there is a concept called "contractual frustration" wherein through no fault of either party the purpose of the contract can no longer be delivered and both parties simply walk away from it as though it had ended. Perhaps that will be your ultimate fall back given you reject the "quality" of the alternative accommodation provided.

aneary

00ec25 wrote: »

you reject the "quality" of the alternative accommodation provided.

Surely no electricity in the alternative means that isn't habitable either?

00ec25

aneary wrote: »

Surely no electricity in the alternative means that isn't habitable either?

patently, hence ""

teamshepherd

00ec25 wrote: »

what outcome are you after?
- financial compensation but remain living there after repairs done?
- financial compensation and the ability to move out asap?
- no compensation but the ability to move out asap?

there is a concept called "contractual frustration" wherein through no fault of either party the purpose of the contract can no longer be delivered and both parties simply walk away from it as though it had ended. Perhaps that will be your ultimate fall back given you reject the "quality" of the alternative accommodation provided.

Ideally at this point I am after financial compensation and the ability to move out asap. I don't think that is too unreasonable all things considered?

teamshepherd

Comms69 wrote: »

is your deposit protected?


Have you made notes/ have written evidence of you reporting the issues?

I have made sure that 90% of my correspondence with lettings agents is via email (and now some via WhatsApp as per managers request) rather than verbal.
So yes I can show emails dating back to March reporting various problems.

teamshepherd

CIS wrote: »

If and when it comes to light that property should have been banded individually then you can expect a backdated council tax demand - it sounds unlikely that the landlord would provide the council with your details for the period of occupancy.

In my agreement it says I pay a sum towards rent and then a sum towards bills and that the council tax is included in these. So am I safe to assume that I am not responsible for council tax as I have been giving money towards it to the landlord? Would the blame be completely on her then?

lincroft1710

teamshepherd wrote: »

In my agreement it says I pay a sum towards rent and then a sum towards bills and that the council tax is included in these. So am I safe to assume that I am not responsible for council tax as I have been giving money towards it to the landlord? Would the blame be completely on her then?

If you have a self contained studio, i.e. own washing, toilet and cooking facilities, then the studio should have its own CT band and you would be responsible for paying the CT and your liability can be backdated till the date you moved in.

moneyistooshorttomention

lincroft1710 wrote: »

If you have a self contained studio, i.e. own washing, toilet and cooking facilities, then the studio should have its own CT band and you would be responsible for paying the CT and your liability can be backdated till the date you moved in.

But OP says they have it in writing that CT is included. So, whether it is or isnt separately registered with the Council (which it probably is) - tough luck on the landlady. Reason being because it is down there in writing that she pays it.

I hope OP is keeping full records - diary/photos/you name it. In particular keeping a record of all incidents that might have caused personal injury to them (a sort of "home" record for "Accidents at Work" - in order to have the proof of the landlady's "date of knowledge" that they were putting at risk the health/life of the tenant). That is what happens with a work compensation claim - ie establishing the "date of knowledge" - at which one has proof the person/firm concerned know they are risking the health of their employee.

Must be something similar for tenants I would have thought?

Maybe Shelter might have some ideas on this?