Multi millionaire landlord not doing basic maintenance

[QueenofIceCream]

Lived in current property for 9 years, always paid full rent on time, agreed to rent increases, keep house very clean and in good order.

Landlord lives in a £4 million pound house and is worth close to £30 mill but ignores repair requests and has never done any basic maintenance (house is now 30 years old) as such house is now falling apart.

We have a dangerous plug socket that actually burnt through the washing machine plug causing a burning smell or I wouldn’t have noticed. It was reported 3 weeks ago but nothing done.

Washing machine and dishwasher were here when we moved in and on tenancy it says landlord should repair or replace but he refused so we had to buy ourselves.

Carpet was falling off the stairs and I chased it for 2 years, then got it done myself, taking it off the rent which he was not happy about.

Currrently shower is leaking through lounge ceiling, kitchen cupboards hanging off, back door coming out of frame, patio door popping out of frame so can’t be opened, garden fence almost falling down, laminate flooring splitting.

Yesterday the built in oven stopped working so have no oven.

I know for sure he’ll ignore for ages, leaving me unable to cook other than on hob, and I’ll end up having to buy one myself.

Can’t move as can’t afford it.

AIBU to think he is a low life scumbag!

Have you got a current EICR? It's a requirement every 5 years in England. Contact Shelter for specific advice.

Is there a letting agent?

Scotland is much stricter.

We do have a current EICR but last year there were sparks and smoke coming out of the fuse box so an electrician was sent and had to do some re wiring.

Plug socket actually cracked and burnt so family friendly in the business thinks it was done incorrectly. Oven running off the same wiring and is tripping the electrics so possibly related.

Have spoken to Shelter before and they said can’t use rent to cover repairs but LL just ignores requests.

Probably on his yacht living it up and doesn’t give a damn! He does a lot for charity too apparently!

Really don’t understand why LL are still not regulated in this country and there’s not a system for repairs similar to the deposit scheme. LL should pay for it with percentage of rent. It’s disgusting they can get away with it. Especially nowadays where some many people are forced to rent due to house prices.

The rich shafting the poor will never end.

This makes me furious OP. Lots of landlords just want the money, they are not interested in the responsibility it comes with and the law is on their side. Tenants have hardly any rights in England and it's so unfair. I feel for you I really do. Our landlord never sorts anything either. Been in flat for 16 months and for 4 of those either had no heating, hot water or a combination of both and no pressure from letting agency on him to replace dodgy boiler. Forget simple things like fixing the loo flush, he will lie to the agency that he will sort it but never does. I don't have the strength to keep chasing, we will move as soon as we can. Our landlord owns several properties, it's all about the money for him. It's heartbreaking not being able to afford a home over people who can just remortgage and having this crap to deal with on top makes me so angry.

I would inform landlord in one letter that you have requested X,Y and X be repaired on such a dates and as yet you have not had any response. If you don't have a response with dates for repairs within 14 days you will contact the local council. They will then come and look and are able to do the repairs and bill the landlord (at a much higher rate than if he did them himself).

P.S - yes he is a scumbag

Is your rent way below market rate now that rental market has gone so high?
I agree get advice from shelter but he might not be repairing the property because he want you out so he can do the repairs and then achieve full market rent.

Rent probably about £100 below market.Tenancy renewed last month so he has a chance to get us out then!

That's not how it works now.
The only way he can get you out is if you stop paying rent or he sells the place.
Even then it can take years.

Ive never heard of that one

Your local environmental health can assist with forcing landlords to make property safe.
Speak to shelter for advice though.
Be proactive in reporting and taking action.

I had a somewhat similar situation.

Our ex-landlord has several rental properties worth £500-600k each (flats in London). He took weeks to sort basic things out, and over several tenancies has left the flat fall into disrepair. Things like the kitchen and bathroom are extremely dated and he always does the cheapest fix - he pays his mate to bodge it.

When we moved out he tried to claim back from our deposit for things like mould (we’d reported to him many times…. the property has rising damp) and discoloured grouting in the bathroom (30 year old bathroom, professionally cleaned but grouting is just aged).

So not quite an answer to your question but my advice is keep lots of records, keep contacting him in writing - just in case he blames you for any of the issues when you move out.

Do we have the same landlord because, same! I’ve stopped caring, I won’t do his work and fix/replace I just explain to visitors.
Also am pretty sure my deposit wasn’t protected as no paperwork received and nothing comes up when I’ve searched, once I can afford to move I’ll be taking him to court, the whole place should be condemned! He even refused to change my locks when I was burgled and couldn’t afford to, I would have paid him back over a few weeks but still said no. Yet he’s a multimillionaire!

Llord are liable to have an electrical safety check completed every 5 years & gas safety inspection every year by qualified engineers who provide safety certificates for every property

Report him to the council, they're actually pretty good at making landlords do repairs.

It's a crap system though, we briefly rented a few years back and the landlord was absolutely notorious for dodgy bodge jobs but got away with it. I forced him to get as much fixed as possible by getting the council involved because I didn't care if he evicted me and wanted it sorted for the next person but it was still atrocious and he absolutely went for the deposit when we moved out. Bastard. I can't imagine knowingly treating another person like that.

Which lowlife bastards are voting that you are being unreasonable? Clearly shitty landlords themselves.

Could you tell him you aren't laying anymore until he pays up? Or take photos of the shitty place, enlarge them and attach the pictures to his expensive house so his neighbours know what he is doing?

I'd be tempted by the last option to be honest. Although anything you do could end up with you bring evicted, but then who would willingly live there after?

Call the fire service and ask for a household safety inspection. Landlords are supposed to do fire risk inspections. They can force the landlord to do some repairs. The environmental health department will also step in with an enforcement plan. Your electrical appliances should have been PAT tested for health & safety compliance. Buildings insurance would be void if they knew about the poor conditions and lack of maintenance. I would also look into the EPC. If your landlord is lazy, he probably didn't get one and it is against the law.

You need to contact the Environmental health team at your local council. Ask for someone to come out and do a HHSRS inspection.

It’s a good idea and the right route to follow. However, when I rented, my LL was very similar. We would get electric shocks from the pill
cord in the bathroom and water would drip through the ceilings to name two of many things. Anyway, environmental health came out and ‘because it wasn’t raining that day’ and the woman could see the drips with her own eyes she couldn’t report it as a hazard! This was despite us having video evidence.

He evicted me after I complained to the council which I now know is an illegal revenge eviction. We moved out on the same day as one of our other neighbours who lived in the same block who were having all the same issues we were. I don’t get why landlords let their assets get into such disrepair 🤷‍♀️

Why do you think he’s a millionaire…..coz he doesn’t spend his money!! I am sure that there are required basic repairs, try asking Citizens Advice.

From experience. Withhold the rent. Deduct anything you had to pay that was his duty. Works a charm. He can’t make you leave it takes forever for that to happen. So don’t be scared. He will lose in court. You are spoiling him.

LL here and i fix things immediattely. My tenants are fsntastic and wont to keep them. My property is an investment. He sounds a know. That sounds dangerous. Can you phone him first then put everything in writing ask him when he can get things fixed as it's urgent. Phone him after you have sent the email. Be blunt Keep asking what day will you send a tradespeople out. This is unlawful.