I'm hoping for some advice regarding a landlord's responsibility to keep accommodation safe for children. I hope that this is the right place to post!
We live in rented accommodation connected to my husband's job. We do not choose our accommodation, it is allocated to us.
We have recently moved to a new home and I am concerned for the safety of my 3-year-old and 10-month-old because of a number of issues.
- The cover on the electric cooker is missing, meaning that the electric hobs can not be protected when hot. I am worried that my 3-year-old could burn himself as they remain very hot for some time.
- The staircase banisters consist of two horizontal bars of wood. The gap from the floor to the bottom of the first bar is 22cm. The landing banister has been boarded off but not on the stairs. It is a long drop!
- There is a thin metal shelf approximately one metre high. It has a hard edge, which is dented and therefore very sharp. My 3-year-old has already bumped into it, nearly cutting his cheek.
Please could you tell me if I am being unrealistic in expecting these issues to be fixed. Is the landlord under any obligation legally to fix them? The letting is managed by a large private letting company and it is notorious for avoiding repairs.
Thank you for your help!