Landlord can't afford repairs?

Unicornduck77

I'm getting sick on this landlord already. We moved in November last year with our 8mo twins and from the beginning have just had numerous problems. The 1st reception room has mould building on the walls but during the viewing we didn't notice any mould. The windowsill also had dead flies and bugs and he claims he had everything professionally cleaned. Again prior to moving we didn't see any of this as in it wasn't there, we moved 3 weeks after viewing. The toilet had a mouldy seat which he got fixed only AFTER the handle broke off?? (Wasn't sure why it wasn't done prior to us moving). When we wanted to use the oven a few days after moving it was disgusting and mouldy because the previous tenants had left it in such a state but supposedly it was professionally cleaned so we had to raise this issue with him. The ignition on the stove is still broken and I daren't ask him to repair it because he can't afford it. We are paying rent for a 3 bedroom and the 3rd bedroom is unusable because the seal is broken on the window making a nasty draught throughout the house because the gap under the door is very large and it's freezing. Not only that but the extra moisture and low temps has caused the window to freeze up INSIDE and mould to grow on the walls too. The toilet has also blocked up 4 times since we've been here to the point where a plunger breaks and our water company has actually had to unlock the sewage and drains. But apparently it's our fault? Every property I have lived at has never had this issue, he can even call our previous LL/agents for this we've never once had to call them out for plumbing issues. My partner has pressed him about this window in the 3rd bedroom but his answer to this and the toilet is that he can't afford it. I'm really losing it because we don't have time to be chasing after him with problems that occurred before our tenancy as we are busy and have two young babies to be looking after. Am I just being extra or what? :mad:

Unicornduck77

We made an inventory for him when we first moved in 6th November 2018 and we raised all the issues a few days after inspecting it ourselves. The property seems to just be falling apart, things have broken and I think that not much maintenance has been done and then things fall apart of us and it comes across as if we're destroying the property.

Unicornduck77

Forgot to add we didn't receive any sort of inventory upon moving in.

quantumlobster

Unicornduck77 wrote: »

I'm getting sick on this landlord already. We moved in November last year with our 8mo twins and from the beginning have just had numerous problems. The 1st reception room has mould building on the walls but during the viewing we didn't notice any mould. The windowsill also had dead flies and bugs and he claims he had everything professionally cleaned. Again prior to moving we didn't see any of this as in it wasn't there, we moved 3 weeks after viewing. The toilet had a mouldy seat which he got fixed only AFTER the handle broke off?? (Wasn't sure why it wasn't done prior to us moving). When we wanted to use the oven a few days after moving it was disgusting and mouldy because the previous tenants had left it in such a state but supposedly it was professionally cleaned so we had to raise this issue with him. The ignition on the stove is still broken and I daren't ask him to repair it because he can't afford it. We are paying rent for a 3 bedroom and the 3rd bedroom is unusable because the seal is broken on the window making a nasty draught throughout the house because the gap under the door is very large and it's freezing. Not only that but the extra moisture and low temps has caused the window to freeze up INSIDE and mould to grow on the walls too. The toilet has also blocked up 4 times since we've been here to the point where a plunger breaks and our water company has actually had to unlock the sewage and drains. But apparently it's our fault? Every property I have lived at has never had this issue, he can even call our previous LL/agents for this we've never once had to call them out for plumbing issues. My partner has pressed him about this window in the 3rd bedroom but his answer to this and the toilet is that he can't afford it. I'm really losing it because we don't have time to be chasing after him with problems that occurred before our tenancy as we are busy and have two young babies to be looking after. Am I just being extra or what? :mad:

Have you written (i.e. on paper, posted - rather than email/sms/etc.) to your landlord about any of this?

Lack of inventory plays in your favour come checkout time

G_M

1) there's no requirement for a landlord to provide an inventory. But if he doesn't it is to the tenant's advantage.

2) issues and repairs should be reported, in wrtiing, to the LL, at the postal address provided "for serving noices"

3) if repairs are ignored, follow the processes to enforce:

* Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new tenant protection (2015)

Unicornduck77

Yeah we did, hence the response that he can't afford to do any repairs because we constantly have a drain problem and he'd rather get people out to unblock it all the time rather than actually fix the root problem.

Unicornduck77

Thank you I will look at this.

dawyldthing

The seal on the window -couldn’t you get a sealant from b n q and do it? There has to be something out there for it

How long contract have you got on the house? As it sounds like he just don’t care sadly and if it’s only a 6 month contract might be better off looking elsewhere nearer the time

Rosemary7391

dawyldthing wrote: »

The seal on the window -couldn’t you get a sealant from b n q and do it? There has to be something out there for it

How long contract have you got on the house? As it sounds like he just don’t care sadly and if it’s only a 6 month contract might be better off looking elsewhere nearer the time

Creative use of clingfilm and sellotape might make it temporarily serviceable. Place sounds like a dive anyway so I concur with putting up and moving ASAP.



G_M's guides are very good if anything serious arises or you decide to try and fight it out.



Good luck!

Unicornduck77

Dawy do you mean the white stuff in tubes? If so then I don't think so, it's the whole black seal that's gone and the window is fd anyway, has a crack in it that's why I think moisture had got into the window, if I showed you a picture you'd think someone has painted the window white!

Unicornduck77

It had the potential of being a really good place but the landlord come across as stingy. It took him forever to replace the toilet and he even stalled it because he would rather someone survey it and give him a final price than pay per hour. Even though it was urgent.