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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be upset by landlord?

62 replies

DumbledoresArmy · 27/01/2017 07:51

So we rent off my uncle.
When we moved in we were promised 'don't worry I'll look after you'.

We are renting a larger house for a bit cheaper, however, we have no tenancy agreement, he's not done a gas safety check for years, we had to really clean the house & get rid of some of his broken left belongings when we moved in. We've had to re carpet most rooms as the carpets were awful & had holes & mound on.
There's a hole in the porch going into the loft he won't fix. Windows upstairs don't open, French doors don't open, we had to supply our own fire alarms, we've put in a 6ft fence as the other was broken & we've changed the boggy mess of a garden into a nice lawned area.... I could go on tbh.
Yesterday he came around and has said he is putting our rent up. Again something he said he wouldn't do. He insists he needs to to cover costs & make it worth while for him.

I understand he's completely allowed to do this but I feel like we're being mugged off!

OP posts:
OliviaStabler · 27/01/2017 09:29

How much off market value is the rise he is asking for?

neweymcnewname · 27/01/2017 09:30

Yes, when you report things, the regulator s often don't inform you about what action you take.
I reported a local business for a different illegal practice - the regulator emailed saying they would not let me know what the result was, it wasn't their policy. The next day they sent me a survey about how good I felt their communication with me had been - I didn't score them very highly!

So the HSE may yet act...

specialsubject · 27/01/2017 09:46

You report lack of gas safe via the form on the HSE website.

It was cheap so you chose to accept a dump. Now choose to move. Give one months written notice.

CripsSandwiches · 27/01/2017 09:48

Just move out. You might be getting it a bit cheaper but it doesn't sound worth the hassle. I'd rather live in a smaller place that wasn't mouldy and unsafe.

usernumbernonsense · 27/01/2017 09:53

Word of warning - I reported a LL who failed to do a gas safety check and they didn't give a shit! Nothing was done.

usernumbernonsense · 27/01/2017 09:53

Posted too soon. I would look into getting out of there and find somewhere else. Easier said than done I know.

OneWithTheForce · 27/01/2017 09:57

Refuse to pay the increase and let him evict you. It'll cost him a Fortune and take months. Gives you time to save up deposit for new place. He may decide it's cheaper to let you carry on living there at current rate.

Ciutadella · 27/01/2017 09:57

usernumber did you get any communication from the HSE at all when you reported - just wondering if they might have prosecuted without your knowing?

usernumbernonsense · 27/01/2017 10:04

Ciutadella Yes I exchanged a number of heated emails with him Blush
The reason stated was that because I could only give the LL name and not the address where he was actually living - even though he used the tenants address for all his own correspondence! I was furious but no, nothing was done.

LIZS · 27/01/2017 10:11

Try Shelter for advice. If you can demonstrate a regular payment of rent, bills in your name etc it should still be a contract. Maybe if you told him you need to take advice from council re. maintenance he would act better to avoid authorities taking too much interest in tax, mortgage , insurance etc

Original poster
DumbledoresArmy · 27/01/2017 10:21

He works for the council Confused

OP posts:
HeavenlyEyes · 27/01/2017 10:23

That doesn't mean he is above the law.

LIZS · 27/01/2017 10:25

In what capacity? Fraudulent use of the address might be a serious issue for starters.

Oldraver · 27/01/2017 10:30

We are renting a larger house for a bit cheaper, How much are you saving on your rent ? Does it cover what you have paid out. ?

A boiler service shouldn't cost a lot, I would get it done and bill him. It is his responsibility to do a boiler check but I wouldn't be waiting for him to get around to it.

Original poster
DumbledoresArmy · 27/01/2017 11:45

I think we probably save about £20-£25 a month on rent taking into account what we've paid out on carpets etc.

OP posts:
HeavenlyEyes · 27/01/2017 11:49

A safety check is what £50? Why don't you get one done and deduct it from the rent. And why are you paying for carpets too?

Dizzywizz · 27/01/2017 11:51

As pp said he is a landlord and you do have an agreement as you pay him rent. He can only put the rent up once a year. He needs to do a gas safety. If you can't ask him or he won't do it - arrange it yourself!! Should be £100 ish . A boiler service is also useful. Keep yourselves safe.

Hellmouth · 27/01/2017 11:57

YANBU to be upset but YABU to have agreed to rent from him without a proper agreement in place. In my experience, family members tend to think they can get away with more as they are doing you a "favour". You have learned a valuable lesson, and hopefully you'll make sure things are done properly next time.

TheMaddHugger · 27/01/2017 11:59

DumbledoresArmy Fri 27-Jan-17 11:45:43
I think we probably save about £20-£25 a month on rent taking into account what we've paid out on carpets etc.

OP, It's time to move, You really are Not getting it cheeper.
specialsubject · 27/01/2017 12:51

eviction costs (several hundred quid, £2k if solicitor used) are down to the tenant. In practice this is rarely enforced, and I understand may not always result in a CCJ, but it could do.

ethelb · 27/01/2017 13:08

Melj1213 why is he owed a living simply because he is a property owner?

It sounds like he couldn't shift this dump onto someone else so why does OP owe her uncle her tenancy?

ethelb · 27/01/2017 13:14

By the way lets just do a little myth busting.

  1. the uncle can put up the rent whenever, by however much he wants as the op will be assumed to be on a rolling contract legally.
  2. the OP will be in a very weak position legally if she withholds rent to pay for maintenace her ll should be doing. It sucks, but thats what happens when you live in a feudal system run by the property owning classes.
Ncbecauseitshard · 27/01/2017 13:34

He has to officially serve notice of increased rent, he can't just say he wants it.
You can say no to a formal increase and he can suck it up or give you notice.
Given you don't have a written tenancy agreement, so you haven't agreed to an annual increase at a set rate or anything.

maddiemookins16mum · 27/01/2017 13:40

I feel for you Op but if you have kids (or even if you don't) a gas safety check is so important (especially if he is not looking after the place anyway). Things won't improve, you need to focus on saving up for fees/deposit and get the hell out of there for you own safety and also to give you some proper tenant protection, at the moment you have little if any.

AntiHop · 27/01/2017 13:46

A while back, my dp and I were looking for somewhere to rent. We found a really affordable place but the landlady made it clear that she was illegally subletting. There would be no safety checks, we would not be allowed to register to vote etc. It was tempting to move in as the rent was so cheap. But I decided against it as I would not be able to feel settled if I was denied my rights and protections.

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