Landlord causing problems. Please help.

thesaint

BigDaddyBlue wrote: »

AFAIK only the LL and anyone that he has asked to do maintainance on the property (i.e. electrician gas man etc) can enter the property but only at 24 hours notice.

Read your tennancy agreement CAREFULLY and look at what it says.

Partly correct, but the tenant can refuse entry.

If the property in question is not rented out as a whole house, but a room-by-room basis*(As student lets often are), and there is a spare room, the landlord can rent that room to anyone he/she chooses and they would then have rights to use the facilities.

They should then also contribute to the utility bills.

There is not enough information given to give better advice.

crispsandwich

Thanks for the replies. I'll get in touch with the CAB. Another thing that bugs me is the fact that the handyman has his own key and is always just coming round and letting himself in. I had a chat with my house-mates last night and they assumed he'd been checking with one of us first that it was OK to come round. He's here quite a lot. Two or three times I've been getting up in the morning and he's just let himself in and he's removing ivy from outside or repairing something. I've only been here about 6-7 weeks and he must have been here once a week at least. He's a nice bloke (although he moans at me about stuff I've stored in the cellar) but the fact he just walks in and doesn't appear to give any notice or even ask annoys me a little bit.

I'm guessing my LL's either don't really know what they're doing or, as someone said, they think that because we're students they can get away with it. They're about to get a shock .

liz545

Go to B&Q and buy a cheap chain lock; that way you won't be affecting the LL's locks, but it'll become quite apparent to the LL and his handyman that they can't just let themselves in whenever they want! Write to them and explain that you're unhappy at the way you're not being given prior notice of visits and you expect 24 hours notice of ANY visit they intend to make; furthermore that expecting to use your facilities contravenes your right to quiet enjoyment of the property under the terms of your contract, and they should make alternative arrangements. That should be all it takes, but as Doozergirl says, they'll try and take advantage because you're students and they expect you not to know your rights or make a fuss.

crispsandwich

I've just looked at the tenancy agreement and it's actually for my room. So does this mean I have no say in the landlord's intentions regarding the 'communal' areas?

crispsandwich

The main issue I think is whether my tenancy and my responsibilities extend outside my room. I've read the agreement but the language used makes it hard for me to understand in many places. We are responsible for the state of the house so I'm guessing that although the actual tenancy agreements we have are for our individual rooms, we would be charged for any damage done to the 'communal' areas. Plus, what's top stop their other tenants letting themselves in and stealing our food and pots and pans we have in the kitchen?

My appointment at the CAB isn't until next Wednesday. I'll try the consumer advice website and see if I can get any email or phone advice.

Thanks for the replies so far.

moneysavinmonkey

Shelter are extremely good at sorting stuff like this out.
They have a free housing advice helpline:
0808 800 4444

You should be able to speak to someone straight away.
There's loads of info on their site too, has helped me out a few times now with various problems.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/home/index.cfm

hjb123

hi, consumer direct have a telephone number you could maybe try though am not sure that it would cover you or not

Consumer Direct is available on a single national telephone number - 08454 04 05 06 - from 0800 – 1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900 – 1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.

I certainly wouldnt be happy in your situation, thankfully when I was a student the landlords I had were great

SquatNow

If they don't have tenancy agreements for the property in which you live, then it's called burglary.

Have to say though... am impressed with a handy man dont remedial work, as long as he isn't entering your rooms without your consent.

macaque_2

I am sorry but the more I read of this kind of abuse, the more I realise that renting has to come under much stricter regulations. It is very clear that many landlords today are not fit and proper people to carry such responsibilities.

MissMoneypenny

Generali wrote: »

Change the locks (you can buy a barrel for a lock quite cheaply). AFAIK you are entitled to do this.

Quite a good idea that. If the LL knows the locks have been changed, then that would mean that they have tried to get in.....illegally. Unless there is an emergency, but then they would have to prove that.