No electricity for 3-4 weeks - Private Landlord

coffeehound

A non-expert comment: I would guess the LL sees it as the tenant's fault for changing the meter when the electrics were otherwise appearing to work okay, so doesn't feel obliged to help out.

Jsummers123

Is writing in a letter better than an Email? It's just that with emails you can see the chain. Or is it more appropriate to send a letter for these things?

Jsummers123

The electrics are working the same as they were before, however it is now condemned due to health and safety. it has been so poorly maintained and not been checked since 2015 that only just now it's come to light that it had once caught fire at some point between then and now. The smart meter man didn't cause it and who knows, if left any longer a full blown fire could of started.
Yes I was getting a meter changed but it only brought forward a pre-existing health and safety issue to light

[Deleted User]

I assumed as no one can live in a flat without an electricity supply that you'd found a friend's to go to, first thing I thought of and would have done myself in younger days.

I am afraid you need to be less mild, see the link given, gives templates of letters you can write. You need to bump this up a notch in urgency.

Hmm OK, scratch that, your title said no electricity. I also assumed you had no electricity strangely enough.

Jsummers123

The electric has been switched off due to health and safety and been condemned by an electrician and UK power network, no one can turn it back on till it's fixed. Is that the same severity has having no electricity at all in terms of forcing my landlord to give me accomodation/compensation?

tom9980

You should be contacting the Landlord right now and if he doesn't tell you it will be sorted in the next week you put the phone down and call the council as per the links given.

Jsummers123

Great will do, cheers!

G_M

If your tenancy agreement says that email is an acceptable form of communication, then fine. Otherwise use the postal address provided 'for serving notices' on the landlord.

But then use email as well, for speed.

I too think you need to be more pro-active and forceful. No electicity makes the property uninhabitable. Write asking the LL to respond within 1 working day giving you a timescale for the fix.

Make clear that the property is uninhabitable as per the The Housing Health & Safety Rating System

Water, Gas and Electricity. These items must have whatever is needed fortheir proper use. All equipment necessary to supply these utilities must be fully,safely and correctly installed

and the repairing obligations of the The Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 S 11

11 Repairing obligations in short leases.

(1)In a lease to which this section applies (as to which, see sections 13 and 14) there is implied a covenant by the lessor;

(a)to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the dwelling-house (including drains, gutters and external pipes),

(b)to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation (including basins, sinks, baths and sanitary conveniences, but not other fixtures, fittings and appliances for making use of the supply of water, gas or electricity), and

(c)to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for space heating and heating water.

I would be tempted to also say that if the repair is going to take longer than 3 days from date of your letter you will require alternative acomodation to be provided.

Grey's_Anatomyfan643

Jsummers123 wrote: »

Hi there.

I'm round my partners mum's house as I have been since Wednesday evening. But it would be rude of me to stay any longer so I'll see if I can stay at my aunty's for a few days and go from there

Hi,

Ah, that makes sense, I hope you get everything sorted soon! It's horrible with the way the landlord is being towards you.

Jumblebumble

Jsummers123 wrote: »

Hey all,

My energy supplier was fitting a smart meter on Wednesday when they discovered the fuse had caught fire at some point in the Ryefield Board. Both UK Power Network and my energy supplier have put a safety cover over the fuse. I've informed my landlord and an electrician has come out and said it'll take about 4 weeks to get the specialist parts fixed.

I have no hot water or electricity in any form lights, plug sockets etc. Which makes the flat uninhabitable. My landlord won't provide me with alternative accomodation, do I still need to pay rent?

Thank you all for your help!

The Landlord is taking the micky
I would be certain the electrician has offered the option of replacing the board but the landlord does not want to pay for this at your expense
I would also be cautious believing a date 4 weeks is fixed . This could easily turn into much longer.