Landlord responsibilities, please help!

[Beansonapost]

We moved into a house on Thursday.

When we did the handover we noticed the heating was not working. It wouldn't heat up pass 17 in any of the rooms. Landlord called out technician from gas company and he re-pressurised the system... it is still not working. Previous tenants had been using portable electric heaters when we did the viewing and we did ask why and we were told they just used it because they were hardly there.

There is mould in a closet in the Hall way... and in another cupboard.

There is a window in what would be my daughters bedroom that is streaming with water. We have a surface thermometer and when we check that section of he wall its 5 degrees other sections showing 14. The radiator is directly below.

When we viewed we asked if there were any issues with the property and we were told no.

When we came for the handover we noticed a dehumidifier was previously supplied to the property by the landlord.

We asked on Thursday same day we moved in if we could cancel the contract. We offered a months rent, utilities including council tax and to pay for re-advertising of the property. We know we are at the landlords mercy at this stage. But we just cannot stay here.

It's currently -2 and my children have not been able to sleep in their own beds since we moved in. The heating is also unreliable it does not chip, you must manually adjust the temperature each time. We have bought room thermometers to monitor the temp. So I don't think I can put them in their own beds in these conditions ... they are 2 and almost 1.


If we cannot get out of our contract how can we have the landlord rectify the issues in the property?

We were told we could use trading standards/consumer protection laws have the contract terminated because we were mislead when we asked about the issues in the property. But we have been advised that is difficult to prove as it was never in writing only verbal exchanges.

I know it's the end of winter but I don't think I can live in a house with mould and damp and central heating that is not working... all sleeping in the same bed to stay warm. I just want to leave and I am happy to pay to do so... but I feel trapped and I am worried about my children.

We moved from Scotland to England where our flat was very warm and cosy... gas central heating that took minutes to warm up the house. Now we're all wearing several layers of clothes... while our hands, feet and nose all freeze.

And now we've discovered the wall in our bedroom is dripping wet.

[AjasLipstick]

Are you in England? Call your local council's health and safety dept.

I had to do this once and they sent someone round to look at the property and he immediately issued the landlord with some sort of legal paperwork which demanded the issues were fixed.

[19lottie82]

Great advice from ajas, it May be termed as health and safety, or the environmental health department.

Someone will come out to inspect the property and if required, issue your LL with a notice instructing him to conduct repairs.

[specialsubject]

England? Did you get the how to rent guide?

I'd be very surprised if you did, so download it from gov.UK and read it. You will then find all the other things you should have had. If you didn't get them, tell the landlord that unless he cancels now you will report him to all the agencies concerned. The epc you probably didn't get will also be telling.

Then leave and do it anyway. Plus enviro health as above.

I'm a landlord.

[Beansonapost]

Thanks for the replies.


After living here only a week my asthma has returned 😐. I haven't had any asthma related symptoms in all my adult life!

Ambulance came round and I was put on the ventilator... taken to hospital and I now have a prescription for asthma meds.

I'm going to call environmental health once again, because I don't think this is right. And surely I cannot spend a year living here if only after a week this is the result.