Landlord cannot afford repairs

ellymoo

I'm a private tenant. Landlord is talking about hiking the rent plus charging bills (rent is currently inc. bills). There are numerous things which need repairing (including not being able to use the washing machine in a certain plug socket as we get electric shocks) but the landlord claims they haven't got the funds to cover this. We reported these several months ago to no avail. What if any recourse do we have please? 

Landlord's son stays over once/twice a week in a spare room, but there's been no mention of his contributing to bills!

Thak you.

TadleyBaggie

Does the landlord also live there? 

Herzlos

What's the relationship with the landlord/landlords son? That's a really strange setup.

ellymoo

No, the landlord's son just stays over for a couple of nights a week for work reasons (one of the rooms became free when a friend moved out). It's annoying but it wasn't that big a deal when our rent included bills - but now the bills are going to be extra!

Mark_d

What would you like the landlord to do, noting that with energy bills as high as they are, the landlord might not be making enough money to pay for the necessary repairs?

It sounds like you're renting a room in a property where the landlord lives.  Are you paying a fair market rate?  If so, how about considering an equivalent house share at https://www.spareroom.co.uk/

If you're living with your landlord and paying below market rate, maybe you can agree to take on some repairs yourself as part of an agreement that you're rent stays cheap.

If your landlord does not live in the property, then you could complain to the council about the dangerous situation your property is in.  Of course if the landlord is forced to incur costs then they will want to increase rents to the extent that they are permitted.

Cashmygiro

I'm sure the landlord has a legal responsibility to make sure the electrics are safe.

Do you rent the whole property on an AST or is it some rent a room in a shared building sort of thing?

born_again

https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/your-landlords-safety-responsibilities

lincroft1710

Are you renting the whole house? 

propertyrental

Are you a tenant (renting the house?)

Or a tenant in an HMO (House of multiple occupation?) renting one room with other tenants renting other rooms?

Or a lodger (landlord lives there too?)

Do you have a tenancy agreement and/or lodger agreement?

If yes, is it for a fixed term - what dates?

Or is it 'periodic' (rolling week by week or month by month)?

All the above could affect what the LL can do.

If the elecrtrics are unsafe and reported and ignored, contact Environmental Health at the council.

pinkshoes

It sounds like you are possibly a tenant in an HMO as you said "one of the rooms became free".

How many people live there?

It also sounds a little dodgy. I'd personally be looking for somewhere else to rent!

ellymoo

Sorry I never updated this - how rude of me. You were right and we moved elsewhere! (Posted this on behalf of my brother)