What recourse do I have against bad landlords

PasturesNew

I'd get a non-fixed very loud burglar alarm and put it in there, so if the farker does it again it puts the fear of God into him.

Tozer

solventblackbird wrote: »

Thank you for this. I will be onto the tenancy relations officer first thing in the morning.

How exactly would I report him for tax? I have his last name, but no address for him (it goes through a letting agent who are as bad as he is - lying weasels).

I also know who his mortgage company is, because there were (open) letters addressed to him in the house when I moved in, which I put into envelopes and sent to the LA. I might let the mortgage company know he is renting his house out too.

I'm not going to bother changing the locks, but I will keep the inside of the front door bolted from now on, and only go out of the back. They won't be able to get in that way because they don't have a key for the alley door and I do.

Anything else I can do?

Good. Changing the locks, even temporarily, would be a breach of your tenancy agreement. What if access was needed in an emergency?

Certainly write to the agents and say that, in future, you require the requisite notice period to be provided.

Tozer

I'd be interested to know why he came round?

moneysavinmonkey

Tozer wrote: »

Who says he is not paying taxes?

Get a tax investigation into the landlord. That will create good relations!

the landlord will not know who has instigated the tax investigation, if anybody. and if they are legit and paying their taxes there will be no problem.

and It is all very well saying changing locks would be breach of tenancy agreement, although I don't see that it would, the landlord has already breached the tenancy agreement by entering the property without permission.

Tozer

moneysavinmonkey wrote: »

the landlord will not know who has instigated the tax investigation, if anybody. and if they are legit and paying their taxes there will be no problem.

and It is all very well saying changing locks would be breach of tenancy agreement, although I don't see that it would, the landlord has already breached the tenancy agreement by entering the property without permission.

Don't you think it is a bit mean-spirited to get a tax investigation initiated for absolutely no justification other than some sort of misguided retaliation.

I don't think it would take a rocket scientist to establish who started it.

Last time I looked, one breach of contract doesn't entitle the innocent party to breach. Doesn't sound at all sensible given that the landlord holds a bond.

Just let it go with a note saying "don't do it again".

olly300

Tozer wrote: »

Good. Changing the locks, even temporarily, would be a breach of your tenancy agreement. What if access was needed in an emergency?

That's a mute argument.

If access is needed in an emergency then the emergency services including Transco are within their rights to break the door down. They have a legal right to do that whether you own or rent a property.

prudryden

The IRS, evidently, get 1,000's of anomynous tax evasion claims every day. They won't be too interested in your little landlord - but if you were reporting on Wayne Rooney or someone like that (remember Lester Piggott)- might be a different story.

Issy01

Citizens Advice Bureaux are also very good. I'm a landlord and so are my parents but like to think I'm a nice fair one. I've had tenants come to me before in a similar situation to yourself and the citizens advice took on their case and they got their deposit no problems.

Your landlord seems to have an arrogant attitude and for that reason I definitely think you should seek help from local council or citizens advice.

solventblackbird

Thank-you everyone who has replied with advice and points of view - I really appreciate it. This isn't the first time I have posted here with a problem or a question and I'm always grateful for how much effort you all go to in giving opinions, advice and searching out links for me.

I have let the agent know that in future the door will be bolted from the inside and I will be exercising my right to have 24 hours notice of and new visits. The agent replied and said 'the landlord has a right of entry to his property' and I replied saying that I was fine with that, if it was carried out according to our contact, which does state 24 hours minimum. There is nothing that can do about me bolting the inside of my front door and going out the back, because unlike changing the locks, it isn't a contractual grey area - I am using door fixtures that were fitted when I arrived.

I am much less angry now. I don't think I will report him for tax, but I am definitely going to talk to the Tenancy Relations officer and the CAB. This isn't the first time he has done it. It is because he wants to sell the house, and he has been in with an estate agent to take photographs when I was on holiday before. He has been unable to sell so far, and accordingly has offered me another six months, but will not allow my tenancy to roll onto a periodic.

I'd love to move on, but have been viewing houses for the past three months, almost one or two a week, and have found nothing less mould covered or in a state of disrepair as I am living in now, so I have very little choice but to continue living here. It makes me feel very powerless - that landlords and agents can pretty much do what they like. I have been in the position of getting environmental health in before, and was rewarded by being served my notice - so I am reluctant to do it again, and I don't think the disrepair issues are that bad this time.

I think the only thing I can do is keep that front door bolted and save like mad for a deposit on my own place. Until then, it is a case of gritting my teeth and baring it.

Thanks again for all your help - and especially to the good and fair landlords who replied. I'm glad to know that there are some out there who will take their legal obligations seriously, despite the fact that they are largely unenforceable.

Blackbird

Tozer

olly300 wrote: »

That's a mute argument.

If access is needed in an emergency then the emergency services including Transco are within their rights to break the door down. They have a legal right to do that whether you own or rent a property.

I think you can have emergencies in other situations (e.g burst pipe....).

Landlords SHOULD be granted the right of access. Provided it is not abused, what is the harm?