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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask if I have any legal protection with my landlord in this situation?

7 replies

Flyingshame · 05/06/2018 09:46

I live in a house converted into six flats but am the only one who shares an entrance door due to a weird set up. The set up of our flats is stupid. It hasn't been converted properly and therefore silly things like my flat pays for the lights in the hall for the whole building and various other stupid stuff like that and everything has been done cheaply including the interior doors which all have big gaps underneath.

Our neighbours flat door is only a few feet from mine. The previously neighbour used to smoke heavily but we never smelt is as it was only him and he used to close his living room door.

New neighbour constantly has mates round and they all smoke heavily with the doors all open of each room and I suspect in the communal hallway when going in and out but I've never caught them doing that so can't prove it.

My child is disabled and we both have asthma and our flat absolutely stinks to the point my child has a constant cough and has had increased inhalers in the time they have been here as four or five of them all heavily smoking in a one bed flat with rubbish conversion means they might as well be smoking in the same room :( I have had to rewash clothes it's so bad.

In addition the hall is completely enclosed and so no escape from the smoke so it we go out and in we have to walk through it.

In addition to that a couple of weeks ago I suspect narcotics was involved and the smell was so bad in our flat from it that my child vomited. It was awful.
Again I suspect it was weed and other neighbours have commented they can smell it from the windows but can't prove it.

My letting agent is completely crap. All I get is they can do what they want and went they want as it's in their own flat.

But I'm seriously worried for my child's health and given how strict smoking are now aibu to expect them to come to some arrangement even if it means paying for a new door or proper insulation or an extractor and seeing they don't care is there anything I can do?

OP posts:
Shinesweetfreedom · 05/06/2018 09:53

I take it there is no chance of getting a council place.
Can you contact shelter see what they advise.
I suspect it's an Hmo but council would not pass it and are therefore unaware.Have you got a proper fire door to your flat

Flyingshame · 05/06/2018 10:03

No I've been on the list ages for council housing. Our area is awful.
I'm not sure if it's classed as hmo because most of the flats have a separate entrance.

OP posts:
RitaSpanner · 05/06/2018 10:06

Does it just come in from under the door? If so, as a temporary fix, you could try this: draft excluder

RitaSpanner · 05/06/2018 10:07

It worked really well for us when there was a bug infestation in the building and the sneaky devils were trying to squat at our place.

LifeBeginsAtGin · 05/06/2018 10:08

Get out.

Each flat should have a fire door which seals the flats off in case of fire, to slow down the spread.

Regardless of the smoking situation I would look for another flat which cares for the safety of both of you. In the mean time call the council.

specialsubject · 05/06/2018 10:12

illegal hmo, almost certainly.

assuming this is London, there is no council housing so move or put up with it. the agent cannot control the druggies if the landlord wont evict.

Flyingshame · 05/06/2018 10:31

Thanks Rita. I have bought draft excluder but it is rubbish. That one you've listed looks much better though so will order it. Tbh the doors are that poorly fitted that it could come through gaps on all four sides of the door.

It's definitely not a fire door. It's just a normal interior door. At what point does it have to have a fire door bearing in mind that only two of us share a hall.

OP posts:
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