Renting

TREZZY

TREZZY said:

My sister is very poorly, hardly leaves her properly, its very cold.  She is so scared to go anywhere or do anything as she could land up on the street. She lives in a caravan which gas or electricity supply has been checked, she is so afraid her health is really bad. Please what can she do thank you

My sister is renting a caravan in someone field, the gas supply when on smells x the water is not good enough to have a wash. 

macman

Depends on the supplies and the nature of the tenancy. A 'mobile' caravan is likely to be on bottle gas and might be hooked up to mains leccy.

We don't even know if it's a caravan or a static mobile home. All speculation until the OP gives us the full picture, rather than one-liners.

MaryNB

TREZZY said:

TREZZY said:

My sister is very poorly, hardly leaves her properly, its very cold.  She is so scared to go anywhere or do anything as she could land up on the street. She lives in a caravan which gas or electricity supply has been checked, she is so afraid her health is really bad. Please what can she do thank you

My sister is renting a caravan in someone field, the gas supply when on smells x the water is not good enough to have a wash. 

If she can smell gas she needs to turn off the supply and call the National Gas Emergencies number 0800 111 999.

ETA: Read the post above, been a while since I've been in a caravan and forgot about the use of bottled gas. Nevertheless she shouldn't be using it if she can smell it within the property and needs to contact the LL to get a gas safe engineer out asap. 

theartfullodger

She should apply for council housing see.. e.g. (but with her local council)

https://www.cambridge.gov.uk/council-and-housing-association-properties

- and/or if really desperate "apply as homeless" with local council : But might end up somewhere you or I wouldn;t want to - eg miles away or a B&B specialising in the homeless or a homeless shelter.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE 'phone shelter on 0808 800 4444.  They are the experts.

moneysavinghero

TREZZY said:

TREZZY said:

My sister is very poorly, hardly leaves her properly, its very cold.  She is so scared to go anywhere or do anything as she could land up on the street. She lives in a caravan which gas or electricity supply has been checked, she is so afraid her health is really bad. Please what can she do thank you

My sister is renting a caravan in someone field, the gas supply when on smells x the water is not good enough to have a wash. 

Is she employed by the owner of the field?

What is wrong with the water? Is there not enough of it? Is it too cold? Is it too dirty?

TREZZY

My sister does not work, 
She is a bad state of health. The caravan she rents of a lady who has land with old derlick buses along with this caravan. She has water but its cold not runing enough to wash x when the cooker is put on it smells gas, the window seals are falling apart, my sister is petrified of being kick out on the street. She pays rent of £60 a week. Her husband wages is so low the benefits office says she can not claim anything thank you

JessJ23425

Sounds like an awful situation.

theartfullodger said:

PLEASE PLEASE phone shelter on 0808 800 4444.  They are the experts.

macman

Start by reading this:
https://england.shelter.org.uk/legal/security_of_tenure/mobile_homes/mobile_home_rights_licence_or_tenancy
You need to define if the caravan is a 'dwelling house' or not. If it is, then a tenancy may exist, and, if it does, she has the legal protection that all tenants enjoy: she cannot be evicted without due process, which would take a year or more at present.
If it is not a dwelling house, then she has fewer rights as she only has a license, but she still cannot be 'kicked out'.
Has she reported the condition of the caravan to the landlady, and if so what was the response?

greatcrested

My memories of chldhood camping are that there's always a smell of gas from bottle gas. No idea if that's normal or my parents didn't know any better.....

If husband is on low age I'm surprised here's no benefits available. Best to ask on the benefits board here.

As for this caravan, assuming the owner/landlord is unwilling to do anything, much will depend on the type of contract. Some kind of holiday letting (though being used as main residence)?

I'd contact the Private Housing Officer at the council if there is one. eg

https://www.harrow.gov.uk/housing-property/report-issue-privately-rented-accommodation

or

https://www.harrow.gov.uk/housing-property/private-rented-accommodation-disrepairs