Any sparkies? Please help

macman

My concern would be that you may have replaced the old shower with an uprated one, and that by doing so, the circuit cable may be inadequate for the current being drawn. This could be a major hazard and fire risk, along with a faulty RCD.
Why is the fusebox/CU inaccesible? How do you change a fuse or turn the power off when required?
Your LL is an incompetent amateur. Does the property have any mains gas appliance? If so, do you have a current gas safety certificate? Not supplying this is a serious criminal offence.
No doubt your brother was well meaning, but no sparky will sign off other people's work that he cannot see, because he is then liable for any faults.

Juniper-jenni

We haven’t had a gas safety check since we moved in, in 2010. Sorry it hasn’t been ten years...two months away from eight. About four years ago British Gas came to service the boiler and checked the oven etc but didn’t issue a certificate and there’s been nothing since then. The landlord cancelled the British Gas home care soon after.

I asked the landlord when I agreed to purchase and fit the new shower if he planned to increase the rent...he said no. But I don’t have this in writing.

I’m worried that by demanding the house be made safe he will either evict or increase the rent.

Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? X

molerat

Juniper-jenni wrote: »

We haven’t had a gas safety check since we moved in, in 2010. Sorry it hasn’t been ten years...two months away from eight. About four years ago British Gas came to service the boiler and checked the oven etc but didn’t issue a certificate and there’s been nothing since then. The landlord cancelled the British Gas home care soon after.

I asked the landlord when I agreed to purchase and fit the new shower if he planned to increase the rent...he said no. But I don’t have this in writing.

I’m worried that by demanding the house be made safe he will either evict or increase the rent.

Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? X

The LL is committing a criminal offence. http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqtenant.htm
Do you have "an address for serving notices in England and Wales" ? https://www.rla.org.uk/landlord/documents/useful/doc_S48_LandContDet.shtml

Ben84

Juniper-jenni wrote: »

We haven’t had a gas safety check since we moved in, in 2010. Sorry it hasn’t been ten years...two months away from eight. About four years ago British Gas came to service the boiler and checked the oven etc but didn’t issue a certificate and there’s been nothing since then. The landlord cancelled the British Gas home care soon after.

I asked the landlord when I agreed to purchase and fit the new shower if he planned to increase the rent...he said no. But I don’t have this in writing.

I’m worried that by demanding the house be made safe he will either evict or increase the rent.

Does anyone have any advice on how to proceed? X

The situation you're describing is expanding in several ways. If I were in this situation, I would start with getting a wider understanding. For a start, find out the actual owner from a land registry search. However, I find the idea the house was sold whilst you lived there without you realising curious - I mean, wouldn't people have come to view it first and you'd have known about their visit(s)? Who buys a big expensive thing like a house without seeing it? As for the apparently previous landlord who seems to be helping, it's interesting, but if he's offering information I'd ask more - like who he claims he sold the house to. At the risk of sounding cynical, I'd email rather than call from now on to have copies of what he says. I would also email the letting agency for same reasons. Too much fobbing off and subtle or even overt manipulation happens on the telephone, it's harder by email to do this, and you have some solid evidence of how things have been going when you have emails. Soon as I feel contact with someone or a business is going badly, I'm done with telephoning, I email everything - don't even answer when they telephone and reply to answerphone messages or missed calls with emails. Many people telephone because it's quick and easy, but for the shady types it gives them a lot more freedom to behave badly and say things they might not in writing. Emailing is a win/win, either they start taking your issues more seriously, or they keep fobbing off and not dealing with things and now you have much better evidence this is happening.

Also, you might benefit from a post specifically about what's happening, and talking to citizen's advice.

Risteard

baldelectrician wrote: »

Not really
The manufacturers instructions over ride any wiring regulations.

They don't override the Wiring Regulations - they supplement them. You still need to comply with the Wiring Regulations. Taking account of manufacturers' instructions is, in fact, a Regulation in its own right.

Le_Kirk

Might be worth either asking for this thread to be moved over to the House Buying, Renting and Selling board as it seems to be more of a landlord problem than an electrical problem OR starting a thread there about the landlord issues.