Private rent & prolems!

[Pinkfox]

I have reported a couple of issues to my landlord and also to the estate agents who "manage" the property - this was back in July and as yet NOTHING has been done, I know I have to give them a "reasonable" amount of time to resolve things but how long is reasonable?

This was to do with a leak from the clean water pipe on the toilet, when I discovered the bathroom covered in water I managed to turn the pipe off but unfortunately it has already gone through the kitchen ceiling underneath, running down the wall and onto the laminate flooring. I contacted my landlord straight away (it was 8/9pm on a Friday night and no emergency number with management company). The landlords came out about 11pm to assess things, not much they could do but said they would get their maintenance man to "sort it out" once it had dried out and said "just put the heating on to help dry it out" :o I have my heating on regularly as I have two children but didn't appreciate that as her solution, esp when they are so reluctant to pay for anything but wanted me to use my heating bill?!?!

I had to contact the again at the end of Sept to say it was all dried out and could they sort it out now please. The laminate has lifted due to water damage and is uneven, the bathroom floor tiles are the same and the kids & I have caught our bare feet a few times, the kitchen ceiling is prob cosmetic and needs stain-blocking and painting. They still haven't sorted it out.

I have contacted the agents AND the landlord about the security lights not working, I reported this in Sept as my next door neighbour was burgled and the police visited my house as our backdoors are next to each other - the policeman said my security lights needed to be working. The lights are wired into the property and I daren't touch them in case I blow myself or the house up! I am still waiting for these to be fixed/replaced.

The landlord was at the property a week ago (in Feb) to fix a leak under the sink, a sudden gush of water when I took the plug out of the sink after washing the pots! (he discovered there was no seals on the end of two pipes and was amazed it hasn't happened sooner). While he was there I showed him the issues which I have reported but have never been addressed or fixed - he physically saw them with his own eyes - a new one being the pipe from the guttering on the roof has broken because I showed him watermarks above the window in the main bedroom and also mould around the window frames inside (white and black fluffy mould).

I rang the landlord again 3 days later and was told they would get back to me - after arguing that the security lights "aren't their responsibility" (I explained they are wired into the electrics of the house), telling me the neighbours are the back of the house are jointly responsible for the broken fence panels (I don't need to know, I think they are hoping I pay and replace the panels), I feel I have done everything I can to report problems, some may seem minor but will lead to bigger issues if not fixed.

The management agent has never replied to my emails from August, Sept and November, nothing.

I am going to contact my local council for advice and/or an inspection - are they the same as environmental health or would that be another department I have to ring?

I have taken pictures of everything from when I discovered and reported them, but am fed up now of contacting the agents who don't respond and the landlord who just tries to offload responsibility onto me or find a way to avoid doing the work - tbh when they do do any work its always a cheap patch up job, LL has already said they will "fix" the laminate boards in the kitchen but not replace the floor, I give up....

Any advice appreciated, thank you!!

[MegCleary]

The citizens advice website has a section on renting and some template letters you can write.

[specialsubject]

yes contact environmental health, see what they think. Stress the guttering in particular.

send all documents to landlord, you've got hair-flicker agents who do nothing.

no need to worry about being evicted for doing it, that's now illegal.