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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To sue the arse off my landlord

167 replies

FlickeryWicket · 09/01/2017 20:13

TWO years we've been asking him to replace the loose stair carpet. All requests logged through the agents. He came round and ummed and ahhed. Hit it back on the carpet rail with a hammer despite me telling him we do that everyday and it just comes back off again. Logged at all inspections.

I've tried fixing it numerous times. It's so frayed around the edge it won't attach. I've tried with carpet glue, it still won't stay out for more than a few days.

The carpet is at the top of the stairs, if you aren't careful and step on the edge of the top stair the whole carpet comes with you.

DD stepped on the edge yesterday and went flying down the stairs (along with the fucking carpet). Possible fractured coccyx (they weren't sure) in so much pain, will miss her netball tournament and a dance competition. Hurts when she goes to the loo for a poo, sits down for too long, can't walk to the bus for school.

I am bloody furious and feel like suing the tight bastard. I don't bloody care if he evicts us!

OP posts:
JangleBalls · 09/01/2017 22:04

Wandered into thread expecting to see picky nonsense, but you are quite right to be extremely annoyed and take it further. Not a lawyer, but duty of care springs to mind. Not RTFT, so maybe someone has mentioned it or another legal basis for you to use.

PurpleMinionMummy · 09/01/2017 22:04

Your free to give your opinion. We're free to tell you it's misinformed Grin

PinkSwimGoggles · 09/01/2017 22:04

yabu
you could have taken down that carpet and made the stairs safe.

kittymamma · 09/01/2017 22:05

Roguesea - you are being "attacked" because you have opened with wrong information, followed by wrong information then insisted you were right without acknowledging you were wrong about the first bit. The suggestion that she should have replaced the carpet herself is simply wrong. You get evicted for stuff like that, then they deduct it from your deposit. It also isn't that easy to move, you are making assumptions that the OP has enough money lying around to move or replace the carpet herself (which she shouldn't have to do).

I probably would have sorted it myself and sent the landlord the bill, however, I got evicted for that very thing a few years ago. A lot of landlords are shit and tenants have to put up with it. Not at all right or fair, but such is this rubbish set-up we currently have with private landlords.

RougeSeas · 09/01/2017 22:05

There comes a point does there not where it becomes so much of an issue that if you are not being listened too then you take action to protect yourself?

HopefulHamster · 09/01/2017 22:11

You're victim blaming now. Piss off.

JaneAustinAllegro · 09/01/2017 22:12

Rougeseas - My dad's bigger than your dad

so there.

Gabilan · 09/01/2017 22:12

Anyone else thinking rougues dad isn't very good at his job?

He might be brilliant at it, it just isn't an inherited ability. My dad's an architect* but what I know about designing houses is minimal.

He's a very good architect but not particularly high* up

* Unless he climbs ** up stairs.

* Carefully.

crashdoll · 09/01/2017 22:13

Oh your poor DD. Injuries to the coccyx are the worst. :(

As for RougeSeas, it's fine to have a different opinion. However, when you pass your opinion off as fact and then don't back down when more qualified people than you tell you that your advice is wrong, you look silly.

TreeTop7 · 09/01/2017 22:14

Definitely take legal action. The landlord should have put this right.

DailyFail1 · 09/01/2017 22:14

If you have contents insurance with legal cover you could get your solicitors fees paid for. They will tell you if hammering in carpet outs as a reasonable fix.

HollyCarrot · 09/01/2017 22:16

I thought that in insurance law, you cannot insure something you don't own? So carpets couldn't be covered by OP renters insurance?

MistressMerryWeather · 09/01/2017 22:18

You really do not like being wrong, do you, Rouge?

Your post at 21:46 was incredibly low and stroppy. Why can't you just admit you were mistaken?

Anyway, hope your DD is OK, Flickery. I just bruised my coccyx once and it was incredibly painful.

JangleBalls · 09/01/2017 22:19

My landlord does love me actually...

And this explains why Rouge evidently understands nothing about what constitutes fair wear and tear as opposed to tenant damage, who pays to insure carpets, nor who should maintain a property and how. Because she is neither a property owner nor a landlord and has never dealt with any of this.

Prefers to present some half arsed out of context comments from her Dad, as if that confers some authority on the subject.

LadyGlitterSparklesSeriously · 09/01/2017 22:20

Yanbu. Even if it all it does is serve to teach him a lesson about being a stingy bellend.

And you can take my advice, safe in the knowledge that my dad works in Asda. Very high up.

Original poster
FlickeryWicket · 09/01/2017 22:21

Thanks for the PMs and advice and the laughs Grin. I'll just leave you guys to it and update if there is any movement

Rogue....yes I did phone environmental health. They deal with serious shit like carbon monoxide poisoning, no heating, unsafe structures, illegal HMOs. They don't come out for a loose carpet Hmm. Their advice was hassle the LL.

Everyone saying you would move...any idea in the costs involved and the chances of finding a LL who takes children?

My tenancy says I can't fix, move or replace anything without permission.

OP posts:
MistressMerryWeather · 09/01/2017 22:26

Lady :o

My dad flies planes - Very high up. Wink

BetsyM00 · 09/01/2017 22:27

RogueSeas seems to be getting a bit of a hard time of it here, not entirely justified.

If the tenancy agreement states the landlord is responsible for carpets then, absolutely, he should be held accountable. But once the carpet had been inspected and remedial action not taken by the landlord, I sure as hell would have taken some kind of action to prevent any accidents. Taken up the carpet until it was replaced, or even a few carpet tacks in from the frayed edge to stop it sliding.

InfiniteSheldon · 09/01/2017 22:29

Yabu to not remove a dangerous stair carpet after two years yanbu to be furious with your landlord but seriously I would never put my dc in this position. Take some responsibility.

queencupcake · 09/01/2017 22:30

The landlord couldn't take the money out of the OPs deposit for wear and tear or damages. OP has said the carpets haven't been replaced in 15years. That's absolutely shocking. The LL has responsibilities and should of replaced it when it was first reported 2 years ago.

Bloody hell a carpet lasting 10 years is good going.

As a landlord I'm saying take legal action and sue! This is a absolute piss take.

I bought cheap cord carpet in my property it's hard wearing but I didn't pay for underlay when my tenant left after a year the indentations in the lounge were so bad I replaced at my own cost, my own fault for doing it on the cheap.

I'd check your contract op as mine states all repairs must be done in a timely manor (2 years is not timely)

As to the people saying you should replace, why should you. It's not your house you pay rent and the responsibility lies with him. He sounds a right cowboy!

MrsSchadenfreude · 09/01/2017 22:32

Flickery, we were in the same situation as you re stair carpet. Landlord initially reluctant to replace (we were already leaving in two months and he wanted to renovate the house) or even remove. Didn't want us to do either. I said if any of us had an accident, I would sue his arse off. He, rather huffily, said he would take legal advice. The stair carpet got replaced that afternoon. It didn't match the rest of the house, but I didn't care, all I wanted was safe.

nonameqt · 09/01/2017 22:33

Contact Citizens advice bureau. There is a health and safety issue here especially now there is an injury. I think you can also contact your local environmental health.

Want2bSupermum · 09/01/2017 22:42

OP - I am sorry your LL is an idiot. I am a LL and fixing carpet on stairs is such a simple job as I make sure the carpet is laid in small sections and keep back any remnants. That way when one piece comes loose I just replace that one small piece.

Anyway, I would email the LL and tell them that your DD has fallen over the carpet and fell down the stairs, potentially breaking her coccyx. At this point, none of the fixes have worked and the carpet needs to be replaced ASAP. If not replaced by Jan 27st you will be fixing it yourself and withholding the funds from your February rent and sending them a copy of the receipt showing full payment made.

In the meantime get a quote for the job so you know what the cost will be. Select standard LL carpet (which isn't the cheapest as it will only need replacing in six months) and the best padding for under.

Whywonttheyletmeusemyusername · 09/01/2017 22:45

My dads higher than all your dads - he's in heaven. Can't get much higher than that !!! Rouge - shut up. OP - sincerely hope your daughter gets well soon, and bloody well go for it - I would. And seeing as my dads higher than everybody else's, I would expect you to take MY advice, cos its obviously the best !!!!

Cherrysoup · 09/01/2017 22:47

Blimey, my tenant told me the same thing(brand new carpet) and we went straight to the fitter and got him to go round the next day. Far too dangerous to leave. Just rip it up, you don't need carpet on stairs.