My landlady has managed to create a time machine OBVIOUSLY!!! :@

C

canderson90

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AmiBayer
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Ok so 4 years ago I move into this house which looked like it just needed a bit of decorating etc. We had promises from the landlady that she will get the decorating done for us due to the High ceiling on the stairs, that she will replace the sink which has seen better days and various other promises.

6 months down the line things started to turn, I lost my job and got into a little debt (curses A**ENT computer training! lol) So the gas and electric meeters were changed to card meeters no problem there except for I got told there hasn't been a gas safty or electric check for 30 years!!!!!!! And that I started paying £10 gas every 3 days! I stopped using the gas after 3 weeks as I suspected a leak and asked the landlady to arange a gas safty check, as that after all is her duty. Nothing done as of yet!

Further on down the line other things started going wrong Tiles falling of in bathroom etc small things I sorted most of them out but begrudged doing it. The worst of the lot was the back door rotting through and falling appart! I told the landlady Imideately and got told If I buy a new door she would pay me back at that I went a little crazy but did it anyway as I really deed need a door lol It then took her 3 months to get me the money!

I then noticed that the back wall outside was covered in what looked like mud.... I have a yard not a garden so I found that a little odd. I then noticed that the Stack for the toilet at the back of the house was leaking, I told the landlady, nothing was done and still hasnt been done except that the stuff leaking has slowly been seaping through the wall!

Now I had a list of things that need sorting as big as my arms and legs put together! Nothing was getting done about it so I reported her to the counicil.

She had 28 days to get things sorted It was the 29th day on friday 22nd other than a rouge "builder" coming round walking round and round the house scratching his head and saying he needs to rip the floorboards up in the bathroom nothing has been done.

I have Huge mushrooms growing above the kitchen door, water dripping down the door frame onto anyone walking in or out of the kitchen etc so Iv had to stop using the kitchen and rely on the corner cafe neer me for food as I really dont want chips with a side order of s**ty water!

Phoning the guy from the council to tell him nothing had been done he argues with me that the work started 2 weeks ago and the landlady phoned him to tell him this! Pfffttt She must have invented a time machine then!

I wish that if she has I can steal it and go back to the day I agreed to move in here and give myself a hard slap and push the landlady in a ditch somewhere! gahhhhhh!!!

How can some people let other people they should care fpr live in pretty much a litteral pig sty!?!?!?!?! Gahhhhh!

I feel better for ranting at total randomers now :D lol
 
Take pictures of said "work" and get them printed. Take them to your local council's enviromental health officer.

They'll only be too happy to oblige with a good stiff kick up the landlady's posterior.


The gas company is obligated to act on any reports of a gas leak, suspected or not. Give them a call for help and guidence. The number is in your local Thompson Directory or Yellow Pages.
 
Just got off the phone to the counicl guy, He is coming tommorow to look at these mushrooms that have grown. I suppose its a step nearer. I wishI could afford to move out and put it all behind me I just cant afford getting the bond together and the cost of a van etc on top of paying for this house :(
 
Take some of that sh**ty water you mentioned, and offer the landlady a nice cup of tea. :twisted:


(no, I'm not serious, but it sounded funny)
 
Slum landlords/Ladies should be shot on sight, This the 21 Century for F*** Sake
 
You do know that you're not obliged to pay any rent whilst your concerns are not met?

Put the money aside as a deposit to move out with.

**EDIT** Obviously, to get away with the no-paying-rent, you need to put in writing that until X, Y and Z are done, you are withholding rent.
 
The guidance you just got is pure gold, however I would consider contacting a solicitor about your feelings on paying your rent at these current times (there are ones that deal with housing and/or money). Its more then fair not to pay her a thing until things are up to living standard but you want a solicitor to tell the b***h that so the message is properly acknowledged carries some weight. Don't get scared if she turns nasty and threatens court action, you won't lose and if anything it could get sorted quicker.

Oh and do make sure you have PLENTY of photo evidence with you when you see this solicitor. Also it may be worth contacting or seeing in person the Citizens Advice Bureau. They helped me a great deal in sorting out my greedy bank who was taking me out for a ride.

Hear so many stories of what tenants do to rent housing but there are so mant landlord's and landlady's who are just as bad.
 
HonestFlames said:
You do know that you're not obliged to pay any rent whilst your concerns are not met?

Put the money aside as a deposit to move out with.

**EDIT** Obviously, to get away with the no-paying-rent, you need to put in writing that until X, Y and Z are done, you are withholding rent.
Click to expand...

A word of advice, never ever withhold rent. Was this a private let or through an agent? You should let both the agent and landlord know if your concerns in writing with reasonable timed outcomes and possibly a request for reduction in rent until the issues are resolved.

At the end of the day, if the landlady decides that she doesn't want to rectify the issues the best you can hope for is to move our without breaking the tenancy agreement.

So many bad landlords give the rest of us a bad name :(
 
With reference to the gas (I used to work for British Gas :shhh:)...

One cubic foot of gas amounts to less than £1, and is enough to cause an explosion. It would certainly be noticable! If you were using loads of gas in a short space of time it would have more to do with things like a) the efficiency of the boiler, b) the quality of your insulation, and c) the settings on the timer/ thermostat.

If I had a penny for the number of times I had people saying they "must have a leak" because their bills were so high, I'd be a rich man!

Also, my only question would be this: Why are you still living there? Surely you can simply give notice and find somewhere else?

Or am i just being a bit naiive?

AndyC
 
IIRC the landlord can also set their own tariffs on the meters - gas, electric and water.

That could be why your gas is so expensive!!

Dave G :cool:
 
Seriously? Never heard of that before...

The ETM "Quantum" meters can't be adjusted by anyone except the gas supplier, and they take the first £3 or so each week to repay any outstanding balance.

I'd be very surprised if the landlady could do that...

AndyC
 
I've definately heard it about electric sub-meters with a card as payment method. A friend of ours got caught out by that :oops: It cost her a fortune.

I assumed you could do the same with other meters. Perhaps not!!

Dave G :cool:
 
hi this is bad news hope you get it sorted, and hope you keep a diary, regards to the rent thing, is it how you word it, eg I am with-holding payment until things have been fixed, instead of (I'm not paying) also I hope you can claim compensation.

best of luck
 
Dunno about UK regulations, but here if a house/apartment needs reformation, the tenant can pay for it and the bill will be integrally deducted from the rent bill.

All needed is communication to the landlord. No need an agreement from him/her.
 
Have the council inspect the place and have it condemned as unfit for human habitation. She'll be up to her armpits with paperwork by the time she gets it all resolved.

Shouldn't be hard, possible gas leak, backed up sewer leaking into walls, water leaks, mold problems. Honestly I'd just drive a bulldozer through the entire :censored: mess and be done with it.
 
The council are alreaaady involved the guy that keeps coming out to look see's it fit to live in... I don't mushrooms growing above my kitchen door are a little off putting... hmmm maybe I should make the landlady a pie... mwhahaha!

As for the Gas I have an electric cooker and the boiler remained off and it still took £10 every 3 days off I know £3.42 was taken off for debt a week. If its not a leak im wondering if there is a problem with the meter like timeing or something :s I asked Scottish power to check the meter but they want £275 "call out charge" before looking at it!

The guy from the council today took photos (I also offered to make him a brew at which he looked at the water dripping down the door and declined but ohhh its fit for me to eat and drink things that are contaminated with sh**y water?!)

Its a private rental unfortunately no agencies involved :( NEVER again unless the house is in super condition and I can get previous tennent references of the landlord / landlady! lol

Citizens Advice say to NOT withold rent from the landlady as it will just give her reason to not do the repairs and I have to agree with them.

Im now thinking about applying for a crisis loan to pay for bond and first months rent.... If its possible to use the crisis loan like that :s I dont know much about them :s
 
Im having a bad do with my landlord at the moment.

I have had a letter from a solicitors asking me various questions such as rent payment, tenancy duration etc.. Then we had a visit from another guy from a different solictors asking the same thing.

Turns out, after speaking to the first solicitor, the landlord has broken the terms of his agreement with his lender. Im sick of his amateur ways so want to move sharpish, i mean ive practically packaged the house up already just needing £500 bond, plus all the other credit check charges.. its a nightmare.

Plus, property in Leeds isnt exactly cheap.

I feel your pain. - and good luck!:thumbsup:

Dan
 
@Canderson, regarding the crisis loan.

A crisis loan can only be used to pay for electric/gas/food for you and you immediate family.
I know cause i had to apply for one when i was living in a homeless hostal with my wife and our 1 month old daughter.
They offered us £13.57 to pay the £12.75 hostal's weeks rent and to pay for food for the 3 of us! I mean a tub of baby milk was costing us £8 and they offered us £13.57?!

I wouldn't hold out hopes on a crisis loan.
I'd ask family members if they could help a little till your better on your feet, you can also talk to Housing Aid if you have a local branch as they helped us get out of the homeless place by offering us the first months rent on a private rental property but we were offered a council property before we took them up.

Mike
 
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