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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To move and through things at my landlord

71 replies

brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 17:55

Sorry posting here for traffic

having dinner with my DC and DD notices smoke coming out of a plug in the wall, I then notice the plug is turning brown very fast, so I turn the sockets off in the fuse box pull the plug out by this time it's in flames !! Any who contain it quickly and no one is hurt thank god so glad we weren't out of sleeping.

I have lived in this property for less than 12 Months and in this time we have had a gas leak and all large electrical items in the kitchen have broken and needed replacing.

I'm not an electric savvy person but surely there is something wrong with the electrics ? Shouldn't the fuse box of tripped if the dam plug was on fire ?

My landlord wants us to wait till he can come out on Sunday to put the sockets back on that's not possible how will I cook etc..

I want to move AIBU am I being a drama queen?

OP posts:
Oldraver · 14/02/2018 22:46

at the kitchen is wired to the house Why ? Most houses pre 2000 would of been wired this way. Many houses only have one ring for the whole house.

Yes I believe current regulations say new wiring should have a seperate kitchen ring but many households dont.

It just could be shoddy wiring...We had a dishwasher socket go pop and the wiring in th socket had been pinched...the neighbour (house built at same time0 had the same problem

Original poster
brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 22:51

I think the problem is that it didn't go pop, it just continued to burn and for some bizarre reason the fuse box didn't kick in !

OP posts:
PersianCatLady · 14/02/2018 22:52

In ENGLAND, the LL does not need to provide an electrical safety certificate -
www.gov.uk/private-renting/your-landlords-safety-responsibilities

Original poster
brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 22:59

Ok so do I sit tight and prove it's unsafe or say I'm leaving ASAP and hope he doesn't try and prove it's safe by doing his own work or something ?

OP posts:
FannyWisdom · 14/02/2018 23:01

Do you have any insurance you can claim on?

It sounds like the LL wants you to pay for all his repairs and live in the dangers.
Shelter and any Welsh equivalent can give accurate advice that's current.
Take photos of everything including the fuse box.

What a tosser.

AdoraBell · 14/02/2018 23:01

I’m not a LL or estate agent so might have this wrong, but WTF can they accept that they cannot find the certificate?

And YANBU, I would be inclined call an emergency electrician in and bill the LL, in the meantime if it’s an option for you stay in a hotel, and bill the LL.

AdoraBell · 14/02/2018 23:03

Take pictures in your phone, plug and socket.

Original poster
brewsandbooks · 14/02/2018 23:07

I have contents insurance but that's all.

It's not that he wants me to pay because when I said to EA that I'm im not waiting till Sunday and will pay for my own electrician she said landlord does not want any electricians here as he is an electrician and will sort it ASAP . That's what worries if he comes in says it's fine ect and then I can't use breech of contract as an excuse to leave... but like I have said friends DH is an electrician and couldn't believe the state of the wiring etc and said it would fail a safety check on the spot !!

I think call EH and rent smart first thing and go from there?

I just want to leave now keep thinking how much worse it could of been because of the fuse box not tripping

OP posts:
specialsubject · 15/02/2018 09:21

Contents insurance is all a tenant needs. If a place is unsafe a landlord either allows early end to the contract or should have insurance for other accommodation.

thecatneuterer · 15/02/2018 09:35

There is no law saying landlords have to have an electrical safety certificate unless it is a house in multiple occupation.

That doesn't of course mean it's fine to let somewhere that is unsafe.

Original poster
brewsandbooks · 15/02/2018 14:55

Update.

Called rent smart EH and CA this morning they all told me the landlord can't do any maintenance here as the estate agents are managing the property..... I told the estate agents this and they found a loop hole and hired the LL as the contractor. So he calls me asked me to said pictures and and said it's the plug not the house electrics and that's it... he not coming out , no safety check nothing !

I don't know what to do ?

OP posts:
PositivelyPERF · 15/02/2018 15:05

All further contact with the LL and estate agents should be done through emails, then you have evidence of any discussion. Contact them again and say you are not happy that the work is not being done by the estate agent, hopefully they’ll refer back to you mentioning the fact they contracted the LL to do the work. A further email to the LL telling him your not happy with his refusal to do the work and hopefully he’ll respond confirming that you asked him to fix it. Go back to EH and CA and tell them they’re refusing to do the work. This time you’ll have evidence.

PositivelyPERF · 15/02/2018 15:07

Even if it’s only the plug, you’re not qualified to fix it and he could hold you responsible in case of a fire. You’d also lose your security for tampering with the electrics. Don’t give up. That’s what they’re banking on.

meredintofpandiculation · 15/02/2018 15:25

I'm not an electrician ... but ... old system was fuses in plugs, bigger fuse in the fuse box. Too much current = fuse wire overheats and burns through = current can no longer get through. So whatever caused your fire might not have meant too much current at fuse box.

New system is to have a re-settable trip switch in fuse box, one for every circuit. It works by checking the current going "in" through the live wire and returning through the neutral - if these aren't in balance, then it trips. If your fire was caused by a spike in the current, this wouldn't have been picked up because both live and neutral would have had the spike.

specialsubject · 15/02/2018 15:38

Ffs . so much for licensing schemes, that's awful. Your landlord and agent are laughing in the face of the rules.

I can only suggest a complaint to environmental health, an update to rent smart ( rent dumb? What's the point - no protection for you at all) and getting out asap.

milliemolliemou · 15/02/2018 15:48

Insist on an electrical safety certificate NOT carried out by your landlord. As PP have said, take photos of the damage. I'm a LL and I bloody well make sure my tenants are safe with regular safety checks. Email your agents and landlord so there's a checkable trail. And you have gas in the place too? Crack on girl. Contact your local council and explain your concerns. And let the agents and landlord know that#s what you'll be doing. Have you got a fire extinguisher or fire blanket? why is your fire alarm not working? So much wrong here. Good luck

milliemolliemou · 15/02/2018 15:57

Pinkpony Not sure where you're coming from but an EPC is only valid for 5 years in England. When my tenants blew a fuse by overloading it I had the whole place redone and a new EPC issued. Safety for them, safety for me. As for gas .....

Original poster
brewsandbooks · 15/02/2018 16:06

Millie I couldn't agree with you more but I really have tried , I said I didn't want the landlord coming ( not that he is ) but they found this loop hole and said they can contract who they like and it's him.

Iv found some electricians to come and do one but they need approval from LL first and I can see that being messy!

Really thought I was doing well this morning and then they hit me with the loop hole LL won't come out even as contracted electrician.

Looking to just move but next to no property's in my area

OP posts:
WhiteWalkersWife · 15/02/2018 16:44

Thats a massive conflict of interest and given the poor state he has already done... Personally id tell the estate agent its a massive conflict of interest and you want to know what ombudsman they are registered with to complain about their use of loopholes and their disregard for tenant safety.

Have you spoken to update environmental health and spoken to CAB?

specialsubject · 15/02/2018 16:49

Just to clarify - an epc is an energy performance cert, legal requirement for all sold and rented properties but nothing to do with electrical safety.

Op is in wales, where landlords must be licensed. Electrical safety certs not mandatory but rental properties must be safe or landlord can be and should be in trouble.

Smoke alarms ( not fire alarms) also compulsory.

Notevilstepmother · 15/02/2018 16:50

As pp said an energy performance certificate isn’t anything to do with electricity Safety.

specialsubject · 15/02/2018 16:54

Also from that link, rent smart should stop just pocketing money and investigate this issue.

Original poster
brewsandbooks · 15/02/2018 17:31

So Iv taken the advice and have emailed EA starring the we want a electric safety check we think it's a conflict of interest for LL to do it but are willing to fit the bill out selfs we jus need permission so it will be a waiting game for that.

Rent smart have not been very helpful when I called about the loop hole they said it's not right but nothing they can do and also turns out that LL wasn't registered with rent smart till 4 Months into our tendency !

I'm just shocked that LL deemed the property safe off pictures he must be one hell of an electrician

OP posts:
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