Stingy landlord?

[Doglover321]

Hi everyone, I’m sharing a flat with my boyfriend and we have huge mold and drainage issues. Mold covers the exterior and interior of the property, and the toilet and shower are both thoroughly blocked. The landlord visited following a hole in the ground floor flat’s ceiling (due to our shower flooding), and has told us a plumber will be visiting today - two days after the event!! He says we will have to pay rather than him. Surely this is something a landlord would usually pay for? He also told us that in the meantime we would have to use the swimming pool showers if we needed to shower. TIA for any thoughts.

@Doglover321 sorry but what country are you in??? In scotland the landlords must be registered so contact the council and jump through hoops and keep flats up to scratch. in england, contact your council and they will definitely do something about it!

I didn’t know that it was us. We tried unblocking the toilet ourselves using multiple different methods. Seems the poo must have been really far down!

And having discovered the cause I’m sure my boyfriend will be happy to pay now

Ok read your update, yes unless it’s down to poor plumbing (we had a right angle in a toilet pipe once) that ones on you.
the mold though. That’s what I’d be talking to shelter about

I think some folks have rushed in to say it’s the landlord.

for poo and hair it’s you’re responsibility.

Landlord should pay. Don’t you hand over a penny!

If depends, is she heating the property properly and airing it. So many people don’t do so then get mould due to that and think it’s the landlords fault. It might be, and there is a leak or something, but again, why it’s mouldy is key.

The blocked shower is definitely not a landlord issue - you should have noticed the shower drain slowing and either used drain cleaner or a good old plunger. The toilet issue it depended where the blockage is. If it is outside that flat you may have a case it if it is solely just poo and toilet paper sorry but I pretty much think that is down to you.

Yep, windows in all areas are open for several hours each day despite it being November and cold. We’ve also got a storage heater (no radiators in this property - landlord’s choice - grr!!) ,which is rubbish but switched on occasionally. The mold is all over the exterior of the block

If the property is through an agency they would probably ask the landlord to pay this time and ask the plumber to state the cause and then decide if you should reimburse or not.
Two days isn't long for a repair for a shower but I think a loo is an emergency repair so would need to be done in 24 hours - however if it's your fault you would be paying more because of that

OP never, ever, hang one of those toilet block cages over the loo rim.

Poo doesn't block toilets. Those ^^ do if they fall in and they get flushed accidentally. Happened to me (tenant) and I got and paid a plumber to unblock.

Too much loo roll can also block.

Clean the hair out of the shower trap once a week.

Ok reading more….the shower leak to downstairs should be the landlord.

Blocked toilet and hair in the drain should be you - how is that even happening? You should using those drain hair catcher things and tbh I have never had a toilet get blocked because of poo. If you’re flushing pads or wipes or anything else then that’s for you to solve.

Mould - if you’re heating the property and airing it out (which you should be) and it’s mouldy then its the landlord but if you’re not doing those things then you’ve caused the mould yourself.

For future poops there is like a gas canister type plunger you can buy from b&q works everytime. Hair obviously clean out the trap regularly.

cant believe you actually called the landlord because you blocked the toilet lol

Are you putting the heating on enough? If not, that can cause mould and damp.

Both of those are tenants responsibility part of weekly cleaning really. I skoosh the toilet with the bucket of water from mopping the floors every time and the shower trap and timescale are regular weekly bathroom jobs. I'm a tenant too.

Then you need to pay.

I'd invest in portable oil filled radiators if you can afford it, exterior and interior mold is for landlord to sort out, take photos and ask what action he will take, speak to shelter and the council. Shower and toilet block is yours to sort out.

Update: there are no radiators in the property, just this one rubbish storage heater which we do use if it gets very cold. But have always been very good at airing the property for several hours each day, even in chilly November. Windows are wide open as we speak

You need warm air in the flat and fresh air ventilation, it needs warming up.

haven't you got your own heaters you use? oil filled radiators etc?

Ok you need to get heaters, fan, electric, whatever, but the lack of heat is likely causing the mould.

TBH you are supposed to clear hair out of the drain and avoid blocking the loo as part of general care of the property, so I understand that LL would want you to cover the cost of fixing a build up in the drain and loo. Sanitary products are the worst offenders in sewage pipes. But he should have landlord's insurance to cover the damage to the downstairs flat so don't agree to pay for that.
As tenants you are required to heat and air the house to a reasonable level to avoid damp and mould, but you can't possibly be responsible for the mould on the outside of the building, and it could be a sign that the whole building is damp in which case there isn't much you can do by opening windows and putting the heating on.
It sounds a miserable place to live; is it possible to find an alternative place to rent locally? I agree with PP that going via an estate agent is safer.

My flat is really prone to condensation, I got a dehumidifier that runs overnight, absolute game changer, really is worth it.

If I was your landlord after this I'd be seriously concerned about how you are maintaining my property and ask for an inspection ASAP.

I think you should pay for plumber for loo and shower and make good any damage caused by leaking shower. I don't understand how you've let it overflow, it would have been obvious. A hidden leak would be landlord responsibility.

As far as damp goes that needs sorting too. I'd expect my tenant to let me know if there was mold and then for us to sort it out together. I'd never allow my property to be devalued by damp / mold issues. If landlord won't work with you on this report them to council. Mold is terrible for your health.

If I were your landlord, I would be fuming and would not be renewing your contract. Be aware that this is a real possibility; prepare yourself.

• Mould on the outside sounds like there are issues…this is LL’s responsibility.

However, your responsibilities as a tenant include:

• Keeping the flat warm in the winter and allowing for ventilation.
• Running a dehumidifier if you’re drying laundry in the flat, or if you notice lots of damp, eg on the insides of the windows. Dry the insides of the windows daily with a towel.
• Once you notice that a sink is slowly draining, buy some sink unblocker and use it per the instructions on the pack. DO NOT ALLOW A SHOWER TO RUN OVER THE EDGES AND ONTO THE FLOOR.
• Do not flush lots of loo roll down the toilet; do a flush mid-poo if you need it.

This is pretty basic, common-sense stuff, OP. You cannot destroy someone else’s property, even if they are a “stingy landlord”. I voted YABU because your negligence caused this.