Rogue Landlord

MozartsGhost

Hi , wonder if you can help me , My landlord a Attic and 1st Floor flat into rent accommodation , I request the attic conversion on premise that  very thing was aboard board , I travel alot so it was only going be a stop over , he converted the attic into small studio and that what he advertised , it has come to my attention that he did not get any planning permission , this was apparent when I tried to get BT to install a phone , the address had only the 1 floor flat  , finally BT use the 1st floor flat address , I questioned the landlord and he said , this the only way he can have all the bills included .
I came back after months away to find my BT line had been taken over by the 1st floor flat because they were the legal occupants , I had paid BT alot of money to install fibre and was not happy , the Landlord continued ignore this issue , I finial got Virgin board band to inspect the location , they had reroute the cable from the 1st floor flat , I have expensive equipment in this location and wanted Contents insurance but when they checked no location was found for my studio flat , this went for sometime for time , with landlord joking saying I don't exist .

 Im on high street with lot of food places so we ere get infested by rats a mice climbing upto the attic ,he ignored my complaint ,  I finally stop travelling to work locally so i co see my daughter but she could not visit because the toilet would not flush and shower would not turn off which start to drip down the 1st floor flat , he address the dripping but did not fix the shower ,because that would stop him getting rent on first floor, then I saw he had change address of the tenancy agreement from 176A 176B .

 I did some investigation and found he had not even applied for planning permission for the attic conversion , but he did apply to planning permission at another residence , he was charging me 1000/mth , decreased to 800 and in Apirl he increased it to 880 , he also change the Agreement from 1st Jan -July to Apirl to October , as of yet he has not fixing anything in the studio , and I am with hold his rent until my mate get a quote to fix these issues .

 I have had get a cat for the mice but want to know the way forward , he fabricated the tenancy collecting over 70,000 in rent I have ben since 1st Jan 2018 , it hard to find place has a black man so he played on that angle to keep me here ,nothing has been fixed since I moved in ,please help.

MultiFuelBurner

Can you find another property to rent that is a similar price per month? If so move out as soon as your tenancy allows.

saajan_12

Firstly I'll try to break down that block for the first one but in future please write in paragraphs to help posters help you. 

MozartsGhost said:

Hi , wonder if you can help me , My landlord a Attic and 1st Floor flat into rent accommodation , I request the attic conversion on premise that  very thing was aboard board ,I travel alot so it was only going be a stop over , - how often are you there and where is your main residence? If its not this, then arguably you're a licencee not a residential tenant and wouldn't have the same protections.
he converted the attic into small studio and that what he advertised , it has come to my attention that he did not get any planning permission , this was apparent when I tried to get BT to install a phone , the address had only the 1 floor flat  , finally BT use the 1st floor flat address , I quested the landlord and he said , this the only way he can have all the bills included , - well its not the only way, but sorta irrelevant.. he has registered it as one address, so essentially you're in a HMO even if there's no shared areas. How do you receive post? 
I came back after months away to find my BT line had been taken over by the 1st floor flat because they were the legal occupants , I had paid BT alot of money to install fibre and was not happy , the Landlord continued ignore this issue , I finial got Virgin board band to inspect the location , they had reroute the cable from the 1st floor flat , - How do you mean taken over.. did you have an ongoing contract with BT, and weren't you informed that they had been notified of a new line renter? This isn't really a LL responsibility. Your options are either mutually agree with the 1st floor to share the line, or install a 2nd line, or ask the LL to provide a line and increase the rent to cover the cost (this is a request, they don't have to). 
I have expensive equipment in this location and wanted Contents insurance but when they checked no location was found for my studio flat , this went for sometime for time , with landlord joking saying I don't exist , - can you get contents insurance as a renter in an HMO? Sounds like you know by now your area isn't a properly registered separate dwelling. 
Im on high street with lot of food places so we ere get infested by rats a mice climbing upto the attic ,he ignored my complaint ,  I finally stop travelling to work locally so i co see my daughter but she could not visit because the toilet would not flush and shower would not turn off which start to drip down the 1st floor flat , he address the dripping but did not fix the shower ,because that would stop him getting rent on first floor, - re the actual repair issues, you need to report these formally in writing, and then follow the process to chase these. The last step is fix yourself and deduct the cost, but need timelines to advise further. 

then I saw he had change address of the tenancy agreement from 176A 176B , I did some investigation and found he had not even applied for planning permission for the attic conversion , but he did apply to planning permission at another residence , he was charging me 1000/mth , decreased to 800 and in Apirl he increased it to 880 , he also change the Agreement from 1st Jan -July to Apirl to October , - whats the relevance of any of this? Did you sign the changed agreements, if so why did you if they were inaccurate? Rents can be increased or decreased, you are free to agree or disagree, challenge at tribunal etc. The LL is also free to evict if you disagree.  
as of yet he has not fixing anything in the studio , and I am with hold his rent until my mate get a quote to fic these issues , I have had get a cat for the mice but want to know the way forward , - THIS IS A BIG ISSUE! Do not withhold rent, from what you have said you have no right to. The LL will only be able to evict more easily via Section 8 plus may sue for the rent arrears. Re getting a quote to fix - depends heavily on the timescales involved and whether you have reported properly. Re getting a cat, ha! 

he fabricated the tenancy collecting over 70,000 in rent I have ben since 1st Jan 2018 ,- you have an agreement for rent in exchange for accommodation, which has been happening in reality not in imagination, so its not 'fabricated'. The rent paid to date is irrelevant, as you had the use of that accommodation. If there are aspects that the LL is breaching (eg repair issues), then report PROPERLY and ultimately enforce a fix. If there are aspects you don't like (eg difficulty in arranging insurance / phone) then that's your choice to live with or move. 

it hard to find place has a black man so he played on that angle to keep me here , - that would be discrimination on the part of other LLs if its happening. Ignore this LL, have you tried to apply elsewhere? 
nothing has been fixed since I moved in ,please help.

Comments in line. The repair issues need to be reported in writing, then wait the requiste timelines, and eventually enforce a fix by deducting from the rent as the last step. You cannot short cut this and definitely can't arbitrarily withhold rent waiting for a quote. You'll only make things worse.

Aside from that, most of your issues stem from the fact that you're not in a separately registered dwelling. Essentially it sounds like an HMO, even if very little is shared with the 1st floor. This isn't about to change any time soon, so you need to decide if you want to stay and live with the inconveniences that comes with, or you want to move. 

PennysIntoPounds

I don't have the knowledge to give in-depth advice but this sounds really dodgy and I'd advise contacting Shelter: 
info@shelter.org.uk. calling 0300 330 1234 Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, excluding bank holidays (calls cost less than local rate)
Or look online to see if your area/borough has a '*your area/borough* law centre'.
These types of support centres are really busy so things might be slow-moving but hopefully they'll at least be able to point you in the right direction.
I am also really sorry that he has been racist and I'd strongly suggest you mention it if you call Shelter or a local free law centre. I'd also suggest mentioning it to your MP, you can find them here
https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

MozartsGhost

saajan_12 said:

Firstly I'll try to break down that block for the first one but in future please write in paragraphs to help posters help you. 

MozartsGhost said:

Hi , wonder if you can help me , My landlord a Attic and 1st Floor flat into rent accommodation , I request the attic conversion on premise that  very thing was aboard board ,I travel alot so it was only going be a stop over , - how often are you there and where is your main residence? If its not this, then arguably you're a licencee not a residential tenant and wouldn't have the same protections.
he converted the attic into small studio and that what he advertised , it has come to my attention that he did not get any planning permission , this was apparent when I tried to get BT to install a phone , the address had only the 1 floor flat  , finally BT use the 1st floor flat address , I quested the landlord and he said , this the only way he can have all the bills included , - well its not the only way, but sorta irrelevant.. he has registered it as one address, so essentially you're in a HMO even if there's no shared areas. How do you receive post? 
I came back after months away to find my BT line had been taken over by the 1st floor flat because they were the legal occupants , I had paid BT alot of money to install fibre and was not happy , the Landlord continued ignore this issue , I finial got Virgin board band to inspect the location , they had reroute the cable from the 1st floor flat , - How do you mean taken over.. did you have an ongoing contract with BT, and weren't you informed that they had been notified of a new line renter? This isn't really a LL responsibility. Your options are either mutually agree with the 1st floor to share the line, or install a 2nd line, or ask the LL to provide a line and increase the rent to cover the cost (this is a request, they don't have to). 
I have expensive equipment in this location and wanted Contents insurance but when they checked no location was found for my studio flat , this went for sometime for time , with landlord joking saying I don't exist , - can you get contents insurance as a renter in an HMO? Sounds like you know by now your area isn't a properly registered separate dwelling. 
Im on high street with lot of food places so we ere get infested by rats a mice climbing upto the attic ,he ignored my complaint ,  I finally stop travelling to work locally so i co see my daughter but she could not visit because the toilet would not flush and shower would not turn off which start to drip down the 1st floor flat , he address the dripping but did not fix the shower ,because that would stop him getting rent on first floor, - re the actual repair issues, you need to report these formally in writing, and then follow the process to chase these. The last step is fix yourself and deduct the cost, but need timelines to advise further. 

then I saw he had change address of the tenancy agreement from 176A 176B , I did some investigation and found he had not even applied for planning permission for the attic conversion , but he did apply to planning permission at another residence , he was charging me 1000/mth , decreased to 800 and in Apirl he increased it to 880 , he also change the Agreement from 1st Jan -July to Apirl to October , - whats the relevance of any of this? Did you sign the changed agreements, if so why did you if they were inaccurate? Rents can be increased or decreased, you are free to agree or disagree, challenge at tribunal etc. The LL is also free to evict if you disagree.  
as of yet he has not fixing anything in the studio , and I am with hold his rent until my mate get a quote to fic these issues , I have had get a cat for the mice but want to know the way forward , - THIS IS A BIG ISSUE! Do not withhold rent, from what you have said you have no right to. The LL will only be able to evict more easily via Section 8 plus may sue for the rent arrears. Re getting a quote to fix - depends heavily on the timescales involved and whether you have reported properly. Re getting a cat, ha! 

he fabricated the tenancy collecting over 70,000 in rent I have ben since 1st Jan 2018 ,- you have an agreement for rent in exchange for accommodation, which has been happening in reality not in imagination, so its not 'fabricated'. The rent paid to date is irrelevant, as you had the use of that accommodation. If there are aspects that the LL is breaching (eg repair issues), then report PROPERLY and ultimately enforce a fix. If there are aspects you don't like (eg difficulty in arranging insurance / phone) then that's your choice to live with or move. 

it hard to find place has a black man so he played on that angle to keep me here , - that would be discrimination on the part of other LLs if its happening. Ignore this LL, have you tried to apply elsewhere? 
nothing has been fixed since I moved in ,please help.

Comments in line. The repair issues need to be reported in writing, then wait the requiste timelines, and eventually enforce a fix by deducting from the rent as the last step. You cannot short cut this and definitely can't arbitrarily withhold rent waiting for a quote. You'll only make things worse.

Aside from that, most of your issues stem from the fact that you're not in a separately registered dwelling. Essentially it sounds like an HMO, even if very little is shared with the 1st floor. This isn't about to change any time soon, so you need to decide if you want to stay and live with the inconveniences that comes with, or you want to move. 

Comments in line. The repair issues need to be reported in writing, then wait the requiste timelines, and eventually enforce a fix by deducting from the rent as the last step. You cannot short cut this and definitely can't arbitrarily withhold rent waiting for a quote. You'll only make things worse.

Aside from that, most of your issues stem from the fact that you're not in a separately registered dwelling. Essentially it sounds like an HMO, even if very little is shared with the 1st floor. This isn't about to change any time soon, so you need to decide if you want to stay and live with the inconveniences that comes with, or you want to move. 

How do you mean taken over.. did you have an ongoing contract with BT, and weren't you informed that they had been notified of a new line renter? This isn't really a LL responsibility. Your options are either mutually agree with the 1st floor to share the line, or install a 2nd line, or ask the LL to provide a line and increase the rent to cover the cost ,

 I received a email from BT that Talk Talk were trying to take the line , He told me the studio was separate address 

HMO ? I received  a short term tenancy agreement as a studio flat all inc of bills , he did not issue a HMO
Did you sign the changed agreements, if so why did you if they were inaccurate? Rents can be increased or decreased, you are free to agree or disagree, challenge at tribunal etc. The LL is also free to evict if you disagree

This was my fault I did not notice the date and I did not sign any additional contract for increae of rent and address of address

you have an agreement for rent in exchange for accommodation, which has been happening in reality not in imagination, so its not 'fabricated'. The rent paid to date is irrelevant, as you had the use of that accommodation. If there are aspects that the LL is breaching (eg repair issues), then report PROPERLY and ultimately enforce a fix. If there are aspects you don't like (eg difficulty in arranging insurance / phone) then that's your choice to live with or move. 

I have sent him emails about problem but he not fixed a single thing apart from fixing a leak  when taking a shower which drips to the 1st Floor.

It has been very hard to find a place , Im self employed with a pet , all red flags this was the closest I could find to where my daughter lives , on your advice I will pay him and I have someone who can fix the shower and toilet then get it deducted from the rent , I just !!!!!! off that I have been duped by him because fixed his computers for free previously , thank for your help...  I will go by your advice 

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MozartsGhost

I don't have the knowledge to give in-depth advice but this sounds really dodgy and I'd advise contacting Shelter: 
info@shelter.org.uk. calling 0300 330 1234 Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, excluding bank holidays (calls cost less than local rate)
Or look online to see if your area/borough has a '*your area/borough* law centre'.
These types of support centres are really busy so things might be slow-moving but hopefully they'll at least be able to point you in the right direction.
I am also really sorry that he has been racist and I'd strongly suggest you mention it if you call Shelter or a local free law centre. I'd also suggest mentioning it to your MP, you can find them here

Thank you , I just feel I was duped and he knows its hard for some of us to get accommodation 



Thank you , I just feel I was duped and he knows its hard for some of us to get accommodation 
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_Penny_Dreadful

@MozartsGhost, how do you enter the studio flat/attic?  Do you have your own doorway or do you have to enter via the first floor flat?

The whole situation sounds peculiar.  If I were running a HMO and a tenant asked me to convert the loft to create a studio I would say no.  Loft conversions are not cheap, not every loft is suitable to be converted, and if I were running a HMO it is something I would have already considered to maximise the number of bedrooms.  Converting the attic into a completely separate dwelling would be even more expensive which is probably why the address hasn't been registered and you cannot find any planning permission.

Is this attic considered your only or main home?  Does the landlord require a HMO licence or any kind of licence from the local council.  If possible I'd try and go for a rent repayment order in your situation.

MozartsGhost

_Penny_Dreadful said:

@MozartsGhost, how do you enter the studio flat/attic?  Do you have your own doorway or do you have to enter via the first floor flat?

The whole situation sounds peculiar.  If I were running a HMO and a tenant asked me to convert the loft to create a studio I would say no.  Loft conversions are not cheap, not every loft is suitable to be converted, and if I were running a HMO it is something I would have already considered to maximise the number of bedrooms.  Converting the attic into a completely separate dwelling would be even more expensive which is probably why the address hasn't been registered and you cannot find any planning permission.

Is this attic considered your only or main home?  Does the landlord require a HMO licence or any kind of licence from the local council.  If possible I'd try and go for a rent repayment order in your situation.

Thank you for your replay , I enter the Attic by a Main door  from the high street, walk up 2 flights of stairs its small place , if you place 4 double beds together that would be the size , the toilet and shower are in a separate room, I was desperate , my previous Landloard was selling and gave me 1500 pounds ,I only need to find 500 , I travel away for my job it (was leaving in 3days ), trying find a studio or anything was hard .
The front of Tenancy says for residential accommodation on Assured Short-hold Tenancy , term 6 months, I don't know anything about HMO licence , he told me he had 2 places to rent the Attic studio & the 1st floor flat , in desperation I took the attic studio, you don't walk through the 1s floor flat to get to the Attic the stairs separates he two.

I don't received any document about the studio , no inspector have been here , all the bills are include , I even had to reroute the cable on the  1st floor to get Virgin engineer to connect it , my mate does content insurance but he says I cannot apply because I don't exist at the address. 

MozartsGhost

MultiFuelBurner said:

Can you find another property to rent that is a similar price per month? If so move out as soon as your tenancy allows.

I has been so hard try to find a pet friendly place ,plus been self employed of my ethic persuasion , only reason I got the cat it was my daughter and ex wanted it gone , I daughter suffers from depression and cat helped, plus I was seeing at least 10 mice per day and twice a rat.
The place i situated next to a Pub & Takeway , In South London the rats are as big as cats.

It winter now so tenancy is coming up for renewal , as the other poster suggested I will bite my tongue and pay him  & get a quote for the Toilet and Shower in my name , then deduct it from the next rent ,then start to make my plans , I don't need to travel anymore  , but I have a cat which also kept me sane , but pet friendly is red flag , self employed is red flag .

deannagone

Please don't carry out the repair and then deduct from rent without following the correct process.  The LL can use this to say you are further in arrears than you already are.  You are walking yourself into being evicted.  If you can't find an alternative property easily, this could be very unpleasant for you.

This is what you need to do if you want to deduct from rent for repairs you carry out - there is a procedure. https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/withholding_rent_for_repairs.  I am not sure why but you seem to be ignoring many replies saying witholding rent is a bad idea, unless you follow the procedure given on that web page.

If self employed, you should have accounts?  Can't you use these to apply for a rental property as proof of income? This need for a rental property seems to have been going on for at least a couple of years so you really should have a couple of years of accounts?

I am very sorry you are going through this, its awful dealing with a LL who won't do what they should, but please, don't make the situation even worse.

However, I do agree that the accommodation does sound very dodgy. If you are self employed, do you need to live in South London?  Could you work and live elsewhere?

theartfullodger

Invite council to carry out HHSRS survey.

So much text without paragraphs, apologies, put me off reading everything... does landlord live in same building? (In which case it won't be AST...)