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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Apparently im been unreasonable to want to move house , So am i ???

40 replies

CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 12:41

Ok so I sat down and worked out how much my current rented property needs spending on it to make it liveable useable (sp) over a £1000 which I'm not willing to spend on a rented property when I could be kicked out whenever it pleases the landlord tbh .
Dp reckons AIBU to want to move as he seems to like it where we are Hmm
But I just want to move somewhere that doesn't have a 30yo kitchen and the 60ft Garden is not like a swamp and can be used by my Ds without him injuring himself .
I would have to save up a new bond etc as my Landlord decided to use mine without permission nob so that will be a pain in the arse.
Too many bad memories here as well so i thought New Year New Start kinda thing .

So AIBU to want to move house ?

OP posts:
Original poster
CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 12:45

*To make it more family friendly and use-able

I swear I didn't write what's their Confused

OP posts:
bochead · 09/01/2014 12:46

How much will it cost to move house e.g removal van, new stairgates etc to fit new home etc?

Can you get a new home within catchment for school/nursery etc?

have local rents gone up since you last moved?

To be fair a LOT of people's gardens are swamps right now after this awful weather, at least your home hasn't flooded.

Hegsy · 09/01/2014 12:49

What do you mean the landlod used your bond? I don't think he can legally do that. And you shouldn't be spending that kind of many on any rented property.

I'd personally start looking at what I could afford in the area with a view to moving on.

MisForMumNotMaid · 09/01/2014 12:51

Why has your landlord used your bond? Aren't they supposed to be protected by a registered scheme?

How bad is the garden? Could you sort it by creating an area thats safe for your DS to play using eva mats that you could then lift and take with you?

AnythingNotEverything · 09/01/2014 12:57

Are the required improvements things that the landlord ought to do?

Landlords often pay for materials if a tenant wants to do up a property - things like paint etc. Have you asked him/her?

IglooisnowinSheffield · 09/01/2014 12:57

Are you in UK? Just as its usually called a deposit here and they should keep deposits in a secure scheme?

wowfudge · 09/01/2014 13:00

OP if you are in England or Wales, your LL can't 'use your bond'. If he spent an equivalent amount of money on things which needed doing or he wanted doing, that is his problem. He still needs to hold your money in a deposit protection scheme. If isn't doing, he is committing an offence and can be fined.

Original poster
CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 13:17

boc I won't be be needing stairgates etc as Ds is 5 though has AS so needs to be in view of me etc

I can get a house closer to his school but the catchment etc doesn't matter as he is already at a School .

For removal costs I can do it for £150 at the most and bond/deposit would be a £1000 at most , I can also get a house for a lot less rent than I'm paying ATM.

My garden is ridiculously huge and resembles a swamp for most of the year .

My Landlord (well the property manager) used my bond/deposit for rent top up instead of bringing me his bank details so I could pay the rent top up to him , I did text/ring him weekly for the first year to bring or send me the details and it took him a year and he told me it didn't matter as he had used my bond/deposit to save me the hassle Hmm

OP posts:
Custardo · 09/01/2014 13:20

they are not legally allowed to use your bond, they must IIRC keep it seperatley

some shelter info here england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/tenancy_deposits

Original poster
CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 13:21

He is rather useless at repairs it took him over a year to fix the leaking conservatory roof and the back room floor .
He was supposed to be sorting the kitchen as their are only two cupboards and two drawers that were put in inthe late 80's (I only know this because the guy that used to own the house ffixed the conservatory and was shocked it was a the same cupboards etc)

OP posts:
CogitoErgoSometimes · 09/01/2014 13:40

YANBU. I thought one of the advantages of being tenant rather than an owner is that you can give notice and move on at relatively low cost if the place doesn't suit.

Custardo · 09/01/2014 14:08

you should phone shelter and get some advice. pronto

Original poster
CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 14:10

I think I will Thanks

OP posts:
Beastofburden · 09/01/2014 14:16

I still dont get why you would spend your own money on making it habitable. Why cant the landlord pay for it?

Custardo · 09/01/2014 14:18

landlords should pay for it and often don't. to get them do do anything could mean going as far as court, and who has the money for that if you are living in a run down place

if you had the money - you would simply move

this is what is relied on

Heartbrokenmum73 · 09/01/2014 14:25

Cogito - the problem with moving on is that you need a hefty deposit for each place you rent (generally a months rent upfront plus another months rent - mine came to £1,700). You don't get your previous deposit back until after you've moved out and the place has been checked out to ensure you don't damage it.

I'm in a similar situation. I'm in a privately-rented house and there is damp in the kitchen (behind the cupboards - it *stinks). Housing agency reckon it's not damp, LL lives in the next county over - he's not interested in putting money into this place, just squeezing it out of tenants. I'd love to move (wish I'd never moved in but was in a bind) but can't raise the deposit again.

This is why private renting is such a shitter for many people in this country. And it really isn't regulated tightly enough.

Original poster
CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 14:30

Beast
the landlord himself won't pay for anything and if say the boiler needs fixing etc I have to being the property manager who then tells me my landlord is on holiday for the next month and can't do anything to the boiler until he gets back Hmm
So that's essential work that needs sorting that he doesn't see as neccessary to sort asap and he doesnt see the swamp garden as essential or the falling apart kitchen etc

My neighbour has been trying to get him to fix the garden fence for the past year and its still not done so I have no choice if I want to stay here to sort stuff myself or just move on

OP posts:
Custardo · 09/01/2014 14:34

do you get an annual gas check?

Original poster
CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 14:35

Their was one done just before I moved in 3 years ago

OP posts:
Beastofburden · 09/01/2014 14:36

It's worth moving to get a better landlord.

Original poster
CrazyHneedsSleep · 09/01/2014 14:40

Beast Yup though its 50/50 as to whether I would get a decent landlord but as long as the house isn't falling apart I'll cope iyswim

OP posts:
SidandAndyssextoy · 09/01/2014 14:49

Hopefully Shelter will provide you with support in sorting some of this out. But I can tell you that if your landlord has failed to put your deposit in a deposit protection scheme, they can be ordered in court to pay you between 1-3 times the value of the deposit, which would solve your ongoing deposit issue.

m.england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/tenancy_deposits/tenancy_deposit_protection_schemes

Beastofburden · 09/01/2014 14:57

It is long overdue that there should be a national register of LLs. The decent ones ought to get some recognition and better business and the crap ones ought to go bust. Serve them right.

ophelia275 · 09/01/2014 14:57

  1. Phone Shelter for advice and follow the procedure they give you to a t (any letters to your landlord need to be sent recorded post so that they can be tracked). Your landlord cannot just use your bond. It needs to have been legally protected and if they don't return it in full you can take them to small claims court.

  2. If landlord has a dodgy boiler then it may be condemned in which case he has a duty to fix it/give you a new one.

  3. Sounds like moving would be a good option. Once you have moved, let your local council know that your landlord doesn't do repairs and has a dodgy boiler as he might be breaking the law renting it out in it's current state (health hazard).

Joysmum · 09/01/2014 14:59

Also, go on the residential landlords association website, there's a forum on there that's extremely useful.

Depending on the type of tenancy and when your tenancy began, your LL is legally bound to have placed the deposit in an approved scheme and can be liable to a very hefty fine. The scheme not only protects your money, but provides a platform for dispute resolution too.

Personally, knowing as much as I do, I'd have no issues with being assertive and using that a leverage to get your improvements done!