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AIBU?

To move and through things at my landlord

71 replies

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 17:55

Sorry posting here for traffic

having dinner with my DC and DD notices smoke coming out of a plug in the wall, I then notice the plug is turning brown very fast, so I turn the sockets off in the fuse box pull the plug out by this time it's in flames !! Any who contain it quickly and no one is hurt thank god so glad we weren't out of sleeping.

I have lived in this property for less than 12 Months and in this time we have had a gas leak and all large electrical items in the kitchen have broken and needed replacing.

I'm not an electric savvy person but surely there is something wrong with the electrics ? Shouldn't the fuse box of tripped if the dam plug was on fire ?

My landlord wants us to wait till he can come out on Sunday to put the sockets back on that's not possible how will I cook etc..

I want to move AIBU am I being a drama queen?

OP posts:

Report

Cambionome · 14/02/2018 18:00

You are not being a drama queen - it sounds extremely dangerous!
He needs to get it fixed asap, or you need to get out fast!

Julie8008 · 14/02/2018 18:01

I think you are entitled to call an emergency electrician immediately and the landlord has to cover the cost. The whole house needs the wiring checked asap and landlord might have to put you up in a hotel until its done. Never heard of anyone having a plug socket going on fire, the house could be a death trap.

Have you seen the annual gas certificate? Checked all the smoke & carbon monoxide alarms?

FannyWisdom · 14/02/2018 18:04

I'm not minimising in any way.

Was it a phone or tablet charger?

SweetMoon · 14/02/2018 18:07

How can you leave all sockets off? What about your fridge and freezer? I'd demand someone out asap, it's pretty serious. And yes I'd have thought that should have tripped your electrics!

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 21:12

It was our fridge plug.

My friends DH is an electrician and he came round for a look and said the kitchen is a death trap, apparently the kitchen is supposed to be on a ring by its self but my kitchen wires goes to the whole house and that's really bad apparently.

Buuuuut when I spoke to the estate agent she said the landlord is an electrician by trade and has always done the work himself and they also can't find the safety certificate.... so my guess is he is a cowboy, he has also said I'm not aloud to source my own electrician but friends DH is going to do an inspection anyway just so I can prove it's unsafe !!

I'm wondering if I can take this further ? I can't believe the risks he has put us in and also the fact I have to wait till Sunday till I use my downstairs sockets and boiler

OP posts:

PositivelyPERF · 14/02/2018 21:15

The kitchen should ALWAYS be in a different ring. If it isn’t, then I’m sorry, but you’re living in a potential death trap. I’m not sure if it’s possible, but I wonder if the fire brigade still do fire checks? You could ring your local station and ask if someone could pop out at a time convenient to them?

HebeJeeby · 14/02/2018 21:17

Can you call environmental health in the morning? I’ve only seen daytime tv programmes but they seem to get EH out to deal with rogue landlords. I would definitively say no to LL as he seems incompetent at best if he’s done work to date.

kinkajoukid · 14/02/2018 21:18

Contact the Environmental Health dept at your lcoal council with the details of the issues and disrepair etc and ask them to come out to inspect your property.

With your description, it sounds like you qualify for living in questionable standards

QueenOfGaviscon · 14/02/2018 21:21

Our contents insurance covers things like this and hotel costs. Could that be worth a punt?

Pinkponiesrock · 14/02/2018 21:25

I don’t know what the law is in England but in Scotland you need a electrical safety certificate to be allowed to rent out the property, all the sockets, lights, hardwired appliances etc need checked.

All moveable appliances need to be PAT tested and smoke alarms installed in all communial areas.

If the Law in England, I’m assuming you live there so apologies if not, is the same as Scotland then it’s breaking the law to renting it out without the appropriate certificates.

Pinkponiesrock · 14/02/2018 21:26

The estate agents would also be in breach of their obligations if they knowingly rent it out without the appropriate paperwork.

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 21:51

Aw thank you for your reply's I thought I had to phone trading standards but yes environmental health makes a lot more sense.

There is definitely no electrical safety certificate the estate agent said she couldn't find it in our file or data base

I couldn't believe that the kitchen is wired to the house we have everything turned off tonight and going to speak to EH in the morning and get advise on what to do!!

Just so glad we was home and in the kitchen before it got out of hand because the kitchen doesn't even have a fire alarm !

We are moving out that decision has been made, can my landlord still want us to give 2 Months notice because I can't stay her that long !

OP posts:

specialsubject · 14/02/2018 22:02

If a rolling contract it isn't two months notice.
Electrical cert not yet compulsory in English non HMO but must be safe.
Gas cert
Epc?
Smoke alarms?
How to rent?
Deposit protected?

If you have even one of those I'll be surprised.

Environ health tomorrow and get out.

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 22:04

I'm in Wales I don't know if that makes a difference?

I have a gas cert not sure what a EPC is sorry if I'm coming across really dumb!
And I a secure deposit !!

Definitely calling them in the morning hoping they have a lot of help for us !!

OP posts:

specialsubject · 14/02/2018 22:11

OK, all landlords in wales must be registered . check on rent smart and call them tomorrow as well. And look up what an epc is. Smoke alarms?

I am surprised about the gas cert and deposit . Doesn't mitigate the problem, and demonstrates why landlord licensing is useless.

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 22:19

Found EPC just done a quick web search and if it's E or below you can't rent out from April but only one of them tables is E so I'm not sure...

We have x2 smoke alarms one one the living room and one in the landing non in the kitchen

Going to look up rent smart now thank you

To move and through things at my landlord

OP posts:

Pinkponiesrock · 14/02/2018 22:20

EPC is energy performance certificate, all houses should have one when being sold or rented out.

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 22:20

Ok so this was done ten years ago ??? I doubt it counts now?

To move and through things at my landlord

OP posts:

Hownow39 · 14/02/2018 22:23

I'd take photos save all texts and record times and dates calls with landlord and estate agents. Incase he is an arse about notice or deposit

KettleAlwaysBoiling · 14/02/2018 22:25

Sounds very frightening! How soon do you think you'd be able to find somewhere else? Sorry this has happened to you, but try to see the silver lining. Thanks to posts above, you'll now know (as do i!) what documents to ask to see before signing your next rental agreement.

For comparison, my landlord has fire alarms in every room of our house excluding the bathroom. Very worrying that yours didn't go off. I'd be absolutely terrified to switch anything on in there again. The sooner you can move, the better! Shame on the landlord and rental agency putting you and your family at risk like this. Surely they should be facing some consequences here?

Pinkponiesrock · 14/02/2018 22:26

An EPC is valid for 10 years.

MotherofaSurvivor · 14/02/2018 22:30

Any way you can afford to go stay in a hotel in the meantime to bill the landlord for later? X

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brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 22:34

Oh so they have till July to get a new EPC

It's been one nightmare after another they say before we moved in they failed the gas check and had to wait to move in for a new boiler and they have had to take the back boiler out of the fire and that has never been replaced with a up to spec fire. We have had a gas leak and all fridge , freezer and dryer have all broken and had to be replaced ... that makes sense now with dodgy electrics.

DH Mum has room but she lives in the middle of no where so we are going there tomorrow till Sunday but will need to come back then for school run and also viewing a new house on Friday but credit checks ect can take time, and that's hoping landlord isn't an arse about us leaving !! Luckily we have been saving for a mortgage so we have the money for admin fees and sorts for a new rental , definitely a learning curve

OP posts:

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 22:35

Can't really afford a hotel I wish we could it's so scary now !! I just can't understand why the fuse box didn't trip

OP posts:

Allthewaves · 14/02/2018 22:37

www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guides-and-advice/for-landlords/

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