Any Advice Plz Regarding Landlord

Diamond78

Hi,
I recently moved into a flat as I was about to be homeless due to domestic violence and hate crime. I was not helped by the council apart from being council offering to pay the deposit on private property. I only found one place which was a little unsuitable but had no choice to take it as I would of been on the streets with my son so I took the flat which was an office and now been converted into a 2 bedroom flat. Its below a shop so its a basement flat.
I asked the landlord to remove some of the office furniture which was left here and after 2 weeks of being here he moved most of the stuff that I asked apart from an old washing machine which I have had to get moved into the little store room and and old fashioned dishwasher as there was no where else to put it.There is also stuff in the hallway which he promised to remove but still hasnt.The garden also had lots of furniture,broken glass and lots of rubbish which have been removed apart from the broken tree and branches which he said he would have to burn but the branches and tree is huge and takes up the whole of the garden so cannot go in the garden what so ever. I have foxes in the garden which in the day hide in the shed which doesnt really bother me bt my 5year old son is really frightened of them.
I had a bad leak from the bathroom which the landlord told me was nothing to do with him so he told me to contact the landlord for next door so i did and that landlord fixed the leak. The ceiling in the bathroom is all pealing and mouldy and my landlord so he would sort it out as he has had it done before as the same problem caused it.
The worst problem is the pipes in the kitchen that connect the washing machine. Not long after moving in I noticed an awful smell which got worse everydayI thought it would pass until my son started vomiting from the smell as it actualy smells like poo and the kitchen and living room is connected to one. I told the landlord and he said he would get it sorted.He then gave me 2 bottles of stuff to pout down the sink and said it would fix it so I did but when i poured one of the bottles down it blocked the sink so I poured the other bottle as thats what he told me to do but it blocked the sink. So i tried to unblock it which ended up burning my hands. It must of been something simialr to acid, then the bottom of the sink started leaking. 2 days later a plumber came and stopped the leak but told me the smell would not go away as one of the pipes need a lid and also one of the pipes needed a u bend so I told my landlord who said he will get it sorted.His wife is the one that actually owns the property. When i went to see her she promised she would get it done as i told her it was making me and my son ill and we could not eat in the living room as the smell is so bad the kitchen and living rooms connected to one room.

Its still not done and Im so upset as all these things are outstanding as the wife has said her husband is in hospital so what do I do? It is so unbearable here and I dont know who to contact or what to do. The plumber that fixed the sink was through british gas and he told me they are not covered on there insurance to do the job that needs to be done and Ive told the landlord this. I was suppose to spend xmas day at home with my son and my brother and a few friends but I couldnt as anyone that has come to see us has not been able to stay long due to the smell.

I feel sad that the landlords husband is in hospital,Im understanding and not horrible but surely as the wife is well and fit she can get someone out to sort this out. I cannot afford to get a plumber out and pay him or her.The landlord from next door who had his leak fixed offered my landlord to use his plumber who could of done the job but she told him it was to expensive. Please can someone tell me where I stand?I feel so unhappy and ill and so does my 5 year old. I dont want to keep moving, please help me.

IWasWondering...

Hi, Sorry to hear about your problems before and after your move but you did the right thing. Have you spoken to the Domestic Violence Liaison Officer at your local police station? They really do try to help. Also speak to Citizens Advice and your Local Council - Environmental Health Dept. Your Landlord has legal responsibilities to maintain the property in a habitable condition so it is safe to live in. I know you say you don't want to move but if I were you I would look for somewhere else. I wish you and your son all the best for the future. At the very least we all deserve somewhere safe and clean to live,

Diamond78

Awww thanks for the kind comments and advice. I went to see the landlord today again to ask when someone will be over to sort the problem out but she said soon as her husband is still ill. On top of that the heater in the living room is leaking. She told me to ring the people so they could come out but Im getting confused as to why I have to ring the plumber to come out when I have none of there details???

I cant stop crying coz I cannot live like this. Its a nightmare.I rang up the council for my area who said someone from envoirement health will contact me next week and also to write a letter to landlord stating the jobs that need to be done. But she ecame funny with me when I told her the heating was leaking,her tone of voice changed. I dont want to be on bad terms with the landlord but this is no way of living when the flat smells of poo and is making my son vomit. Im lucky I have a cold so cannot smell much but that is not the point.

My son is only 5 and has now lost his appetite and lost weight as the smell is putting him off eating.I am getting so depressed over this.

silvercar

when you say the heater is leaking, are you talking about gas? In which case you have no option but to switch it off until its repaired. If the landlord (or wife of) has told you to ring a plumber then do so.

As for the smell from the washing machine, try and get the plumber to look at that at the same time. If you can't do that, then I would disconnect the washing machine and see if the smell goes. It may smell disgusting but a washing machine is never connected internally to the toilet waste, so you could try disconnecting pipes yourself and clean them out. Could you find someone to look after your son for a few hours elsewhere and clean out the waste pipes under your sink and from the washing machine? You may feel you shouldn't have to, but if its a choice of your son being sick for a week or you getting the rubber gloves on, I would choose the rubber gloves.

Diamond78

Thanks silvercar but a plumber has looked at the washing machine when he came to stop the leak from the kitchen sink who said that one of the pipes behind the washing machine needs a cap to close it as it is open and also another pipe needs a u bend. If I could do it myself I would but I cant. I would happliy get my rubber gloves on and do the works but I cant do it as that would not solve the problem. The plumber that came out was done through the landlord and the company was through british gas, they say they are not covered to do that so when I gave the landlord a number for another plumber she said it was to expensive and this was a week before xmas.Even when the washing machine is not in use the smell is there. I cannot even move the washine machine as I am not strong enough, I have very bad back and am very slim and unfortunatly not strong enough. My brother has moved it and had a look but he cannot do it, we have covered the pipe with with cloth but the smell is still like poo.

As for the leak from the heater, it is water leaking from a little pipe below the heater. When I rang the landlord again last night she told me she would ring the plumber in the end and someone would come out today.

I would happliy choose rubber gloves over my son vomiting but i cannot connect a u bend nor do I know where to get a cap from to cover the pipe as its not a small pipe. Hopefully the plumber will arrive today to mend the leak from the heater but as for the smell coming from behind the washing machine I dont know when she will get someone to do that. I have just paid her next rent yesterday which isnt due till the 1st, so its not like she isnt getting her money.

As for all the other jobs ie moving the office furniture out and clearing the rubbish out of the garden and fixing the ceiling in the bathroom, I dont know when they are going to do that but I have been patient and nice enough to be understanding. Im just disgusted as to why its taking so long to get these jobs done.She told me its her husband that deals with these things, he was suppose to be in hospital but he was working in the shop yesterday so he cannot be that ill to make a few phonecalls and get some of the works done. I dont know my rights but I have contacted envoiremental health for my local council which i did not want to do but feel i had no choice. My landlord has not changed my locks so i also feel uncomfortable with that s the previous tenant that lived here had the same keys. I know every landlord is differernt with the way they do things but I feel I am being treated badly and unfairly.

silvercar

You have my sympathy, I couldn't move heavy objects!

Sounds like the sink water is draining into the washing machine rather than the other way round! I have heard of this problem before. A u-bend is just a piece of plastic that the washing machine waste pipe loops over, so it is higher than the kitchen drain pipe and waste water flows out of it rather than into it! If you can get to the washing machine waste pipe you could wrap string around it and hook it on to something to keep it higher as a temporary measure, then run a rinse cycle on the washing machine to flush it out.

Nag your landlord is the only suggestion I can give. Maybe they will tell you to call the plumber. You don't need a CORGI plumber as its not a gas issue.

Diamond78

Thanks for the advice. A plumber just came and done the heater, he said it probaly got knocked which is what caused the leak. He would not do the other job as he said its not covered by the insurance so the landlord needs to get someone else out. He also said that as the boiler is in my bedroom I should have carbonmonixide thingys fitted in aswell as smoke alarms so thats another job he has to do or is that down to me.

I saw the landlord before the plumber arrived and he didnt look well, i feel bad having to tell him constantly but surely he should understand that its not right as he is getting his rent on time ect. I hope I win the lottery soon lol, atleast that way I can stick two fingers up and have a nice home but i can dream for a bit lol.

I will wait till monday and tell him again, hopefully he will get it sorted once he feels better.

Voyager2002

Poor you! No-one should have to put up with this, and there are laws against it as well.

You local council will have an enironmental health department, which is responsible for enforcing those laws that protect you. Write to them explaining the problem, but let your landlord see the letter (or a copy of it) before you send it: that should encourage her to act quickly.

Diamond78

I rang my councils envoiremental health on thursday and they told me someone will ring me next week to arrange an appointment. The landlord and her husband are nice ppl but slow at getting things done. I do feel bad coz ive contacted envoiremental health but I had no option. It ruined my xmas as I was unable to have xmas at home so instead went to my brothers. The landlords husband is the one that deals with everything and is unwell but he is fit enough to open the shop he runs above me and work, I just dont understand why its so difficult to call someone out to do what needs to be done. I told him there is no rush to clear out the garden as its winter and to cold for my son to go out and play but littleman loves footie so he cant go out and play in the garden. Im sure it wouldnt cost loads to get a u bend and cap for the pipes but I cannot afford it what so ever as Im on my own and I dont want to be a burden on my brother as he always helps me out. The council also advised me to write a letter to landlord so I will do that monday. Thanks voyager2002

MissMoneypenny

silvercar wrote: »

If you can get to the washing machine waste pipe you could wrap string around it and hook it on to something to keep it higher as a temporary measure, then run a rinse cycle on the washing machine to flush it out.

I would use a hot wash with Soda Crystals to flush it out.

Diamond78

The smell isnt actually coming from the washing machine itself but the pipes. from what I was told by the plumber it needs a cap to close it. There use to be a little dishwasher that was connected to it. That is one the pipe that needs a cap over it.Also the other pipe has the hose of the washing machine put in it which from what I gather the water goes down. The plumber also stated that the job done with the pipes is poor and needs to be re done aswell as having the u bend connected to the pipes.

I will try the soda crystals to see if it helps, you never know so thanks for the tip. When the landlords husband gave me stuff to put down the sink, it blocked it and i ended up with burned hands trying to unblock it. What ever it was it was like acid. Next time I will use rubber gloves.