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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To put a note in our communal entrance?

48 replies

JammyGem · 04/06/2017 13:55

We live in a house that's been converted into 6 flats. All the smoke alarms are connected, so if one goes off they all do.

The smoke alarm goes off every single day, usually about 4 or 5 times in a row... sometimes it's during the day, (not so much a problem), but sometimes its 1am in the morning...

Another neighbour asked us about the smoke alarms and whether they were connected as they weren't sure if theirs was dodgy as it kept going off when no one was on the kitchen. We've been here the longest and the other flats tend to be here for only 6 months/a year at a time, so I'm thinking the culprit may not realise they're all connected.

It's doing my head in having it go off every day. I can't tell which flat it is, o my that's it's one of the flats above us (which doesn't really narrow it down).

WIBU to just put a little note in our communal hallway saying something along the lines of: The smoke alarms in this building are all connected and so when one is set off they all go off. Accidents happen but please can we take more care so as not to disturb everyone? Thank you.

Or is that just passive-aggressive? I just want it to stop and I don't know who the culprits are!

OP posts:

Witchend · 04/06/2017 14:59

I'm not convinced that note will do anything. I doubt anyone is thinking "oh what fun, I'll set the smoke detector off" they're probably as sick of it as you are.

My parents had a smoke detector once that was so sensitive we dubbed it the "cooking detector" anything set it off-even with the door shut. Our one in our house is in the dining half of the kitchen-diner and rarely goes off-even cooking pancakes!

I think I'd go for more along the lines of contacting the management and asking them to check it isn't faulty before putting up a note at all.

Meanwhile you can at least relax in the knowledge that if one of the other flats does have a fire, you should get good notice to get out.

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/06/2017 15:00

If you wish to be completely neutral, I would say:

The smoke alarms in the building seem to be very sensitive. Please be aware that they are all connected so when an alarm is set off in one flat, the others are automatically set off in all the other flats. This will happen at any time of the day or night.

Original poster

JammyGem · 04/06/2017 15:01

Yep DH paid a deposit but we know that it's long gone. This is the same LL that left us for 5 months without hot water, and (still ongoing) 9 months with a broken washing machine. We've had damp in the flat for 2 years now, nothing done about it. He really is a crook, but he has form for evicting people when they complain, so we're planning to complain to the authorities only once we're moved into a new place.

OP posts:

ChildishGambino · 04/06/2017 15:02

I'd have to fine a way to disconnect it myself and then buy your own one. I could not handle that. I'd make good before leaving if renting.

pigsDOfly · 04/06/2017 15:03

The OP can't contact the management Witchend as she has no idea who manages the flats or who the leaseholder is.

Original poster

JammyGem · 04/06/2017 15:03

I know that people aren't deliberately setting it off, but I don't think they realise it's connected to all the other flats, so perhaps aren't being as careful as they could be. One of ours is directly outside our bedroom door so is really intrusive if it goes off at night.

OP posts:

StarUtopia · 04/06/2017 15:04

Smoke alarms shouldn't be connected...fire alarms should. i.e. if they smoke alarm has been set off with proper smoke (so not burnt toast!) and is consistent, that would set off the actual fire alarms for the building.

I would be seeing about getting this sorted. You shouldn't have to deal with full on evac every time someone wafts a candle or toast too close to the alarm! Can't you all disconnect them and just fit your own smoke alarms?

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/06/2017 15:05

Why is the deposit long gone? It has to be lodged in a tenancy deposit scheme. If you want to complain about the damp and broken washing machine/hot water, you need to do it before you leave. After the event is too late.

DontTouchTheMoustache · 04/06/2017 15:06

We used to get this when we lived in halls at uni but everytime one went off the whole building had to be evacuated as a precaution. Generally the culprit was the person who was stood outside with a bloody plate of food...

AnnieAnoniMouse · 04/06/2017 15:08

Fuck that for a joke, I'd have had an accidental slip with a pair of wire cutters.

I preferred your second note 🤣

pigsDOfly · 04/06/2017 15:14

I doubt very much that this crook has lodged OP's deposit anywhere except into his own bank account Mummy.

Sounds like the sooner you're out of there, the better OP.

Itsnotwhatitseems · 04/06/2017 15:29

I think the note is a good idea, and to be honest if anyone were to take offence it would only be the one neighbor who burns all their meals :)

Yukbuck · 04/06/2017 16:34

Surely the other flats must realise they are connected?! No way does one flat set off an alarm 5 times a day. They must realise that their alarm is going off when they aren't in the kitchen too. I'm sure they are sick of it too.

EeekWhat · 04/06/2017 17:09

Your note is perfectly ok but I prefer MummysLittleDragons one

I'd add so cam everyonebe careful not to set off thee alarms accidentally.

EastMidsMummy · 04/06/2017 17:15

FFS, passive aggressive notes aren't the answer.

Why wouldn't you go and talk to everyone. It's only five flats!

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/06/2017 17:51

If that is the case Pigs, op must report the ll. This is illegal.

Original poster

JammyGem · 04/06/2017 19:02

We could do Mummy but most likely we'll be kicked out. We'd rather report him once we're moved in somewhere else.

OP posts:

pigsDOfly · 04/06/2017 19:54

Yes it's illegal Mummy but there's an awful lot of dodgy LL there that I suspect don't give a damn about what's legal and what isn't.

It isn't legal to kick tenants out when they ask for repairs to be done, but it happens all the time.

It's also very possible that this guy is not actually the owner of the flat and is subletting it to OP and her DH. Who knows when there's no proper management going on and OP doesn't even know who the leaseholder is.

innagazing · 04/06/2017 21:25

I think you can check out who the leaseholder/owner is with land registry. You could try running the address of the property through companies house as the management company should be making annual returns (called something different now) by law.
Regarding your deposit, you should have been given written info within a month of taking up the tenancy of where the deposit is held. Failure to give this info is a fine of 10 times the rent! Other than that, I guess you'll have to take the ll to small claims court if he refuses to return it to you. Although he'll probably make spurious claims that you've damaged his flat/belongings.
Are you sure that the damp isn't lack of ventilation which is a very common problem? Diluted bleach is very goo for removing it.
Why are you still in this flat, it sounds appalling?

innagazing · 04/06/2017 21:27

It isn't legal to kick tenants out when they ask for repairs to be done, but it happens all the time.
It's immoral, but it's not illegal, so long as the statutory notice is given. Landlords can reclaim their property whenever they want, so long as the correct notice is given.

Original poster

JammyGem · 04/06/2017 23:52

At first we thought the damp may be bad ventilation as well, so we now have all so does open whenever we're in. We bought 2 10L dehumidifiers and have them going 24/7 although they do need emptying every 6 hours. Hasn't made a difference and at one point got so bad that we couldn't open or close our wooden front door!
Thanks for the tip with diluted bleach- I've found it's a real bugger to get off in some areas!

It is very cheap for our area though, only £700 for 1 bed flat, and seeing as we've only just got married and have been planning to move up north (far cheaper), it seemed silly to move in the past year when we knew we'd be out soon and it could save some money. Hopefully well be out in the next 6 weeks anyway.

OP posts:

Original poster

JammyGem · 04/06/2017 23:54

That should be all windows open. Not sure what happened there...

OP posts:

pigsDOfly · 05/06/2017 13:54

You're right Innagazing it isn't actually illegal, I used the wrong word, but a decent LL wouldn't do it. But then a decent LL would have all the necessary and legal practices in place and wouldn't expect people to pay rent to live in sub standard accommodation.

I'm a LL, it makes me really angry the way some LLs behave.

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