So I moved into a recently renovated rental property in mid July. We'd waited months for property to be ready and literally it was everything we wanted. Bar no hot water and landlord not responding to calls/texts until three days later. Long story short there's been a lot of issues with house and landlord is very slow to respond. I.e. There's still a snag list of over 12 things that need doing/replacing from kitchen cupboard handles to a shower waste pipe.
Overnight Saturday we noticed toilet was slow to flush and needed extra flushes/bleach to fully flush. Bathroom is in an extension past kitchen downstairs and in rear garden near a concrete slab. Partner on Sunday morning took toilet off wall to check for blockages in U bend but nothing. He could see in the drainage pipe a build up of silicon but nothing else. He then called landlord to advise of this and that he with reasonable amount of experience believed that if there was any blockage it needed to be rodded from inside. Landlord sent labourers an hour or so later (100% not plumbers) they couldn't find a manhole outside or even a drain where toilet links to. After umming and ahhing they start using a spade from our garden to break into paving slabs of path and eventually the concrete slab. Within half an hour or so they break through and find waste pipe from toilet. They broke our spade and retrieved one from their truck at one point. Smashed through waste pipe enough to be able to spot blockage of toilet paper, rodded this and all was then fine. It should be said at this point hole is a few feet wide and 3-4 feet deep. Labourers at one point asked myself and partner if this could wait until tomorrow as they had other things to be doing. We both said no. Labourers stated they would be back the next day to fix situation.
Later that day DP was called by landlord (LL) who claims labourers have said that it was a complete roll of toilet roll that caused blockage so we need to pay labourers bill and arrange repair. He disagreed that was the case even though she insisted.
Yesterday I searched citizen's advice and Shelter websites both advised that drainage/waste/toilet is all covered by The Landlord Act 1985 etc. I informed landlord of this via text and she disagreed stating again that it was a whole roll of toilet paper not normal usage.
I then spoke to a friend who is also a private landlord who advised me to call Environmental Health and check whether landlord has licence from Rent Smart Wales. LL hasn't had her licence approved yet and EH officer said he would come to view situation tomorrow (today).
EH officer came out today and has advised that he's already going to meet her at another property on Thursday and will be informally telling her that she needs to resolve situation. He took lots of notes regarding other things that are breeches in house inc no gas safety certificate.
Rent Smart have told me her licence hasn't been assessed yet as this complaint will now register as complaint before approved.
I'm now very concerned she'll try to evict as us, or at best harass us and send us bills for ineffectual jobs. Not to mention the hole plus mounds of earth in my garden.
Sorry for the really long post I'm just looking for some advice and reassurance I guess.