To not want to pay for landlords electrics

[Crazyhousewife]

My landlord has been a first class nightmare for 3 months of being living here. Last month he turned up at my parents house because my rent is paid 2 weeks late with universal credit and then my local authority pays the top up two weeks after that. He quoted my parents 1350 which I stated was incorrect but he mentioned that he had , had to pay 600.00 for the electrics (were never done before I moved in and he had removed the trip switches so it failed and electrician had loads of work to do to it as he said it was a category 1 fail on many things). I did look at rectifying the rent being late with universal credit and paying it upfront myself until I found out he was billing me for the electrics. Well fast forward today he has told universal credit he wants payments paid to him and that I’m in arrears of 1350.00 this was what he quoted last month so I’m presuming that’s when he contacted them. I’ve sent payments recently, one as recent for the top up on the 5th for 150.00 but he is wanting 1350.00 for me to pay out of universal credit which isn’t owed, then 600.00 this month and then seeing the 150 top up as extras and the 750.00 extras on top of his electric bill being paid. The guy is a nightmare. His mail is still coming here so I don’t think it’s supposed to be rented out(the house I’m in) and I’ve had to file charges with the police for harassment. Where do I go from here? My local authority have just washed there hands of the whole situation because they have inspections next month for the licensing and my landlord has done nothing. I have loads of repairs outstanding and when the outdoor tap outside started leaking, it leaked into the house so I think there must be some gaps in the brick work. He is selling up and in quite a bit of debt to mother and paying for repairs but why should I be paying his debt and repairs off when I pay 600.00 a month to him for rent (high in my area as most 3 bedrooms are 450-500).

Can you break it down a bit. Being in arrears even because uc etc is not paid upfront is not acceptable. Did you pay a month in advance and deposit? Is £1350 for the current month and a month in advance? Your complaint about repairs and harassment seem confusing. A dripping outdoor tap is not high priority,

Hang on. So he had to make improvements to the consumer unit (electrics) and is trying to make you pay for that? That is batshit.

Unless he can prove you caused damage requiring the work then it is 100% his responsibility as landlord. What a knob.

He shouldn’t bill you for the electrics but you should pay your rent in full and on time so you are both being unreasonable.

He sounds like a nightmare landlord but you sound like a nightmare tenant.

Agreed he shouldn't be trying to bill you for the electrics but your rent was 2 weeks late for partial payment and then another 2 weeks later for the rest of it? That's a month late? Unless I'm misunderstanding.

Sounds like he's getting fed up of your unreliable/irregular payments and is just trying to get money off you where he can.

You reported him to the police because he's not redirected his mail?

I'd be sending his post back 'not at this address '

Pay your rent for a start. Month 2 and you are already 2 weeks late?

The electrics should be safe, and it is his responsibility to ensure that, and pay for it.
His post should be redirected.

Your rent should be paid in full, on time.

I'd say you both have reason to be annoyed with the other.

1. You absolutely should not pay for electric work.

1. You absolutely must pay your rent on time.

1. Chasing you for rent arrears is not Harrassment.

1. His mail being delivered to your address is annoying. Tell him to set up redirection and that in 2 weeks you will start to return to sender. It us no indication that he is doing anything illegal though.

He is billing me an extra 750.00 after the rent. The rent was 2 and half weeks late with universal credit and I was going to put a month upfront so it would mean I was always in constant credit. However now he is billing me for repairs I’m worried any credit will be gone with repairs, which are not down to me to pay for.

It was because he never did it before I moved in and when the energy company came round to put a smart meter in they refused to touch it and then an electrician came round and failed. The electrician stated that the landlord had tampered with it. Had been in about 6 weeks at this point. Only been in the tenancy for 3 months.

I went to rectify the situation but because of the bills for repairs I don’t want to post any credit to repairs. It’s been like this for 3 months. Nothing in the house works and it is getting dangerous and after 6 weeks when the electrics failed the council were looking at emergency accommodation so I’ve never had chance to sorr anything with the whole situation

No I reported him to the police because he has been coming round the house all the time since I moved in. Even when the rent was sorted, he would either come round or call daily. He has been sitting outside the house for 40 minutes, asking when relatives can do the repairs on the house (I’ve advised I’m not getting relatives to do them), stated he is doing repairs when comes round and never does them and when the electrics failed he wouldn’t allow the energy company to put a smart meter in as he was annoyed they flagged up issues

Can you speak to Shelter and see what they advise?

Also, speak to universal credit and ensure payments are made directly to you.

Tell him you're not paying for electrical work or any repairs needed to make the house liveable. You pay rent in return for a safe, useable home to live in.

Your rent should be paid in full and on time so if you can ensure you're up to date, do that, but send a message accompanying the payment explaining it is for rent only and include the dates it covers. You need to be very clear it is for rent and not repairs.

If he goes to your parents house again, ask them to contact police about harassment. He has no right to speak to them about a dispute with you!

Also, sorry if I'm getting confused - is this a council house or private landlord?
If it's private, how long is your contract for and does it have a break clause? I'd be looking to move asap if possible.

It sounds like the house electrics failed the EICR which is now a legal requirement a LL must meet. And he is now refusing to have a professional electrician fix it unless OP pays for it. That alone is illegal breach of the tenancy contract by the LL and enough for the OP as a tenant to leave the property with no penalty.

OP speak to Shelter about winding up the lease because the property doesn’t have a valid EICR pass.

But, yes, you need to get up to date on your rent payments. I wouldn’t go so far as to pay in advance (be in credit), but you can’t have rent arrears.