Problems with landlord

Daedala2019

FreeBear wrote: »

Mice - They will be attracted by scraps of food & crumbs. Keep the room clean and free from food, and rodents are less likely to come in. But this requires cooperation from all the other residents...


Three rooms being rented out to separate people - This is an HMO. Is it registered, has the LL complied with all the relevant regulations ?
If you don't have a rental contract, then the LL probably hasn't complied with other regulations (smoke alarms, gas safe cert. etc, etc).


"My landlord didn’t know his name" - Cobblers. He should have a record of it when he did the "right to rent" checks.

Thanks for your feedback!
Due to the mice issue, I am very strict regarding food. Nothing left out and everything kept in sealed containers. After a couple of years back and forth on this issue, he finally looked through my entire room and sealed everything that could be an entrance. Some of the cracks he filled with steel wire (as per my instructions) and other places, he just taped it over with a kind of tin foil tape. Unfortunately, my landlord and the other lodgers do not see a problem with leaving food out overnight, so all I can do is try to make my room as impenetrable as possible.

Nevertheless, they have now found a way back in.

I don’t know if he is licensed for an HMO. He has a smoke detector in the kitchen, which doesn’t work and that’s it. I don’t know about the gas check, but I don’t think that’s done judging by his lax attitude. Last year an electrical outlet in my room started popping and emitting sparks on the morning that I was leaving for a week. I advised him before I left and texted him several times over the week to let him know that this was a very dangerous situation. When I got back, I demanded that a proper electrician was called and the electrician told my landlord, that he was very lucky that it hadn’t started an electrical fire.

Daedala2019

macman wrote: »

Based on the info give, you are not a tenant but a lodger. The LL can ask you to leave at any time, or you can leave at any time. You have no 'right' to a rent decrease, you can pay whatever you are able to negotiate.
If one of the other lodgers is engaging in criminal behaviour, call the police. It's not the responsibility of your LL.
Are the rooms self contained, or do you share facilities? If this is an HMO, then it sounds like the LL is breaking every rule in the book. If you were a tenant, then you would be paying your own council tax.

Thanks for your response and for explaining the difference between a lodger and a tenant. I wasn't aware of this.
I did call the police regarding the incident and I gave a statement. Mostly in case he had done this before (or worse) and in case he did it again. However, as my landlord has told me that he would be leaving soon, I told the police to merely keep it on file. They asked me if I wanted them to speak to him and I declined as I thought he would be gone soon.
Naturally, my landlord is not responsible for the guy's actions, but is he not responsible for the safety of the lodgers in his house?

Daedala2019

Mojisola wrote: »

"You're a lodger if you rent a room in your landlord's home and share the kitchen, bathroom or other living space with them.

Lodgers are classed as excluded occupiers and have very limited legal rights.

You have more rights if your landlord lives in the same building as you but you don’t share any living space."

Thank you for clarifying my rights :-). I share the kitchen with my landlord and the other lodgers but I never use it (except the washing machine which is in the kitchen)

Honeylife

Daedala2019 wrote: »

Thank you for clarifying my rights :-). I share the kitchen with my landlord and the other lodgers but I never use it (except the washing machine which is in the kitchen)

Where do you cook? If in your room, then that's another attraction for mice? Don't forget open bins even an apple core will attract mice and their mates!

You seem to have been proactive but I really think you need to seriously consider moving on.

Daedala2019

Just an update.

Well, my landlord has now solved the pest problem by asking me to leave. It will be someone else's problem from now on :-(

Thank you for feedback and kind responses.

Comms69

Daedala2019 wrote: »

Just an update.

Well, my landlord has now solved the pest problem by asking me to leave. It will be someone else's problem from now on :-(

Thank you for feedback and kind responses.

That's what happens when you lodge; next time try to be a tenant; there are different rules for that

Honeylife

Daedala2019 wrote: »

Just an update.

Well, my landlord has now solved the pest problem by asking me to leave. It will be someone else's problem from now on :-(

Thank you for feedback and kind responses.

Not surprised it was clearly heading in that direction. Still plenty rooms advertise on Spareroom and RM. You now know what you DONT want, so can ask about mice and 'flashing' co-lodgers before you move into a new place.