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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to expect my Landlord to pay for me to be rehomed

54 replies

CopperHandle · 09/10/2017 17:49

Landlord owns my property and the property next door. He is well known to be cheap, cut corners and grab money. I'm paying way above the odds for my house as it is and the longer I live here, the more problems rear their head.
My neighbour has been complaining to Landlord for months about damp and mold in her bathroom, to which he claims he cannot afford to fix. She rents directly from him, me through an agency.
I've been living here for 3 months and, so far, the boiler has failed twice, the washing machine has died and the house is just generally poorly maintained. Many of the doors do not close, for example, and the walls are stained.

I've come home from work today to find that the ceiling of the kitchen has collapsed. It is clearly from extreme damp and the pieces littering the floor and hanging from the ceiling are coated in black mold.

I call the agency who tell me I must report it online, with photos, and they'll take a look tomorrow morning and "hopefully" get a contractor out, after talking to the landlord.

I point out that its unlikely to be safe to be in the house, the kitchen at the very least. They just repeat to report online.

AIBU in thinking that Im going to have to be rehomed? Half the ceiling in the kitchen is gone and there's clearly a huge underlying damp problem.

Landlord will do anything he can to wriggle out of paying for anything, so I know this is going to be an uphill battle.

Sad
OP posts:
TheQueenOfWands · 09/10/2017 17:50

Phone Shelter.

They have excellent advise.

abbsisspartacus · 09/10/2017 17:51

Report online contact shelter and environmental health?

MagicMarkers · 09/10/2017 17:52

What does it say in your tenancy agreement about repairs or if the property becomes uninhabitable?

Hs2Issue · 09/10/2017 17:53

Councils can issue enforcement notices to landlords to make them undertake work so it might be worth contacting your council as well.

CopperHandle · 09/10/2017 17:55

I had no idea what to do with myself when I saw it!

to expect my Landlord to pay for me to be rehomed
OP posts:
HeebieJeebies456 · 09/10/2017 18:00

Read the T&C's in your contract with the agency.
They should be responsible for rehoming you whilst this gets sorted, as keeping on top of the maintenance is their responsibility.
Your rental contract is with them - how they manage their relationship with the landlord is not your responsibility.

If they don't offer to pay/find elsewhere for you, then tell them in writing that you will be using the 'rent' to pay for alternative accomodation.

Both LL and agency have broken basic health n saftey laws here, so contact the council/env health and CAB for legal advice.
You need the legal advice especially if being forced to pay for alt acc you end up in rent arrears.

BarbarianMum · 09/10/2017 18:02

Definitely call shelter for advise. And environmental health at the council if it's not sorted out in a timely manner.

Why are you paying over the odds for a substandard property though?

MatildaTheCat · 09/10/2017 18:03

It sounds very unlikely indeed that the LL will pay for you to be housed elsewhere. Press for immediate repairs and definitely consult Shelter for advice or CAB. They will be able to advise you on wording of letters.

Then if at all possible move as soon as humanly possible. The house looks as if it needs a ton of work which he isn't going to do. May I ask why you are paying over the odds?

Rachie1973 · 09/10/2017 18:05

They can generally get out of rehousing if the repairs can be done relatively quickly. We had a fire that gutted our upstairs, but the downstairs rooms were 'habitable' so we had to live in them for 3 months.

HeebieJeebies456 · 09/10/2017 18:06

Ask your agency for a copy of ALL gas,elec and safety inspection certificates.
These should have been updated annually.

For now, they need to send someone over asap to check the electricty and make sure it's safe...which may mean switching it off.
If they drag their heels, you can ring your local fire station on the non-emerg number and ask them if they'd mind checking it for you.
Sounds OTT but i'd rather be safe switching on light switches/kettle etc after this

PurplePillowCase · 09/10/2017 18:11

call the agency again.
tell them the house is inhabitable and you need alternative accomodation at least for tonight.

NewPapaGuinea · 09/10/2017 18:17

Doesn't insurance cover for such events?

AgathaOHara · 09/10/2017 18:17

Contact the council....Environmental Health asap and then the landlord/tenant relations manager. (Not sure what the exact title of the latter is but every council has one and they get involved in disputes between private tenants and landlords).

Your landlord has a statutory duty towards you....NOT the agent as a poster upthread said, the landlord. Your contract is with him, not them. (They have a contract with him).

PurplePillowCase · 09/10/2017 18:17

if the ll has insurance...

notreallythere · 09/10/2017 18:22

This happened to me in a student house at uni. My housemate's bedroom ceiling partially collapsed from damp - onto the bed while she was sitting on it Shock We called the landlord and they gave us the "We'll log it with maintenance" without any real urgency. It was only when we kicked up a fuss that my housemate could have been knocked on the head with a chunk of plaster that they got their act together Hmm

Whocansay · 09/10/2017 18:22

I let a flat. It got flooded, so the tenants clearly couldn't stay there. I put my tenants up in a hotel until it was fixed and claimed on my insurance.

The agency should be fighting your corner, not protecting this asshat.

AgathaOHara · 09/10/2017 18:25

To answer your actual question...should your landlord rehouse you?...the actual answer at the moment is no - unless you have sound evidence that your home is unfit or dangerous. To get evidence like that you need an emergency inspection from the council.

Your LL's duty towards you is to effect a repair in a reasonable time frame. If he doesn't do it then you can sue for inconvenience and/or the costs of alternative accommodation.

But please, OP, you and your neighbour MUST talk to the council about the condition of the two properties. They can serve him with a notice to repair and, also, can protect you from any possible revenge eviction.

wowfudge · 09/10/2017 18:28

As long as the mess is cleared up and the rest of the ceiling is safe, including electrics, there's no need for you to rehomed. The info about the LL is largely irrelevant, I'm afraid. Check your tenancy agreement and insist that it is kept to.

It isn't down to the agents to re-home you - that would be the LL's decision. Is it a flat or a house btw?

HaudYerWheeshtBawbag · 09/10/2017 18:28

What texture is the ceiling that has just come down? artex, smooth?

Contact shelter.

But in answer to your OP, YABU to expect him to pay to rehome you, however YADNBU to expect him to make your home safe to live in.

innagazing · 09/10/2017 18:29

Buildings insurance won't cover it if it's due to poor maintenance. If it's due to an undetected leak for example, insurance will normally pay to repair the damage done, but not the actual cause of the leak.

If you're overpaying for a dump, why did you take the tenancy on in the first place? I hope your tenancy is only for six months?

lostinpost · 09/10/2017 18:30

As others have said, phone Shelter asap 0808 800 4444 (freephone).

lostinpost · 09/10/2017 18:32

Definitely also call the Council Environmental Health Department. If you have black mould they might declare it uninhabitable.

Slimthistime · 09/10/2017 18:34

agree, call Shelter

my main concern is that there's an ongoing problem upstairs so it is dangerous - till assessed anyway - you shouldn't have to stay there while worrying which bit of ceiling will collapse next.

lostinpost · 09/10/2017 18:34

Sorry but why is she being unreasonable in expecting her landlord to rehome her temporarily while he fixes the problems? If she is paying rent to live in an uninhabitable and dangerous place, that is the least she should expect or he should give her a refund and her deposit back.

ottersHateFeminists · 09/10/2017 18:36

Why would you be paid to be rehomed?

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