To think that criminals should not be allowed to be landlords

[Fernie3]

We rent our house, its a fairly decent house in a not too bad area so we pay a fair amount for it.
Since we have moved in we have discovered shocking levels of negligence on behalf of the landlord. The two best....there was a water leak in the kitchen so we pulled out the washing machine etc to find that the whole kitchen had been wired into one BROKEN plug...there is an extension lead plugged into that and the another extension lead plugged into that one that runs all the appliances in the kitchen....off one extensions lead which was soaked when the pipe ( which was also botched together) burst. He has obviously fitted the kitchen himself and by the looks of it whilst drunk?!
Then about a week ago the boiler started making a weird buzzing noise, gas man came and said that the buzzing noise was electricity arcing round in the boiler as it was very badly maintained and broken.

We now have no heating or hot water and every time we use any of our kitchen appliances ( including cooker) we are risking being electrocuted.

Now we have called up and companied to the agency who to be fair ARE telling the landlord that he has to fix these things but he isn't doing it ( took 8 weeks for him to fix a cheap shower he is never going to rewire the kitchen or replace the boiler) .

The thing is since we have moved in we have found out that he has only just been released from prison and that his wife is still in prison.....so really breach of contract is the least of their worries. We cant move as we spent all our money moving in and we are stuck in a death trap..

Criminals should not be landlords....aibu?

I also think that you're being very charitable about the agents - I bet they knew about your landlord's situation.

Honestly, I think the best thing you can do is try and get out asap - because the house sounds frankly lethal.

YABU although I have sympathy for your situation. Just because someone has been to prison doesn't mean that they are a bad landlord and renting out a property would give them an income and probably makes the less likely to reoffend.

"As for withholding the rent, Leaders note that "a tenant does have the legal right of off-set" ? basically, you have the right to hire someone to do work which is the landlord's obligation and then withhold the costs from the rent.

However, withholding rent is risky and you can be evicted if rent arrears build up. There is a precise process for tenants to follow with this, which Citizens Advice explains as follows, but they warn that you should not attempt it without first talking to one of their housing advisors or a solicitor.

? Give the landlord notice of the disrepair and a reasonable time to remedy it

? Inform the landlord (preferably in writing) that s/he will do the repair her/himself unless the landlord complies with her/his obligations

? Allow a further reasonable period for the landlord to do the work

? Obtain three estimates for the cost of the work from reputable builders

? Write to the landlord again, enclosing copies of the estimates and reminding her/him of her/his obligation to do the work, giving a further reasonable period to carry it out. The letter should warn that, otherwise, the tenant will do the work her/himself and deduct the cost from rent

? If there is no response, arrange for the contractor who gave the lowest estimate to do the work, and obtain (and send to the landlord) receipts, with a request for payment

? If the landlord does not pay, the tenant may deduct the cost from the rent (but not other charges such as service charges), then send the landlord a breakdown of the amount and period of the rent to be withheld.

The tenant, they add, should avoid running into rent arrears before taking this action. If, however, the landlord takes court action for arrears and/or possession, the fact that the tenant has had to pay for repairs can be used as a counterclaim to the proceedings.

Damages caused by the landlord's default can also be set off against arrears in a defence to possession proceedings. Specialist advice will be needed.

Shelter have a useful page on this subject as well, complete with handy sample letters to send to your landlord. "

Also You and Yours on Radio 4 at the moment is all about dodgy landlords, might be worth a listen.

This page from Shelter is really good too.