Moved to new house - advice needed

[Eshaar]

I moved to a new rented house today. There are so many issues. During viewing, we told multiple times to clean the house as i am having a new born. I was told it will be fine.

1. Kitchen sink is leaking
2. Bathrooms are not cleaned
3. Blinds are dirty
4. Fridge shelves are broken
5. Some Lights are not working
6. Smoke alarm battery is out
7. No bins outside
8. Washing machine is dirty

The agent said he is not managing the property and for everything i have to contact the landlord. The landlord said he is not been to this property at all.

I am with new born struggling to find peace in this new home. I feel like i made a wrong decision couldn't sleep and crying.

Does landlord responsible to set these things right? Please advise.

Do you have a proper tenancy agreement? Is the agent a proper one with an office you can visit? Or is it just someone on the end of a phone?

These are usually the agents' job. Did you pay a deposit? Is it in the deposit safety scheme?

Yes. Its a proper agency and the agent said they are not managing the property. So for everything i have to ask the landlord.

Yes, paid deposit and in the agreement it is mentioned that its been held under government approved tenancy deposit scheme.

Was a professional inventory taken with photos? You normally have 7 days to add photos and comments to the inventory. When you leave the property, you leave it in the same condition.
The items you mention aren't anything that you can't take care of by visiting a hardware store or by cleaning. When you move out, they won't deduct from your deposit if any light bulbs are out, or if the bathrooms, blinds or washing machine are dirty. Like for like. In the UK, rental properties aren't always handed over in hotel-like condition. But as long as it doesn't affect your deposit, isn't dangerous and your have all essentials, then it's fine. If the sink is leaking, that should be reported and the landlord needs to get if fixed.

1. Kitchen sink is leaking - landlord needs to address unless your oh is handy with a wrench?
2. Bathrooms are not cleaned - clean them
3. Blinds are dirty - 1 clean them
4. Fridge shelves are broken - speak to landlord but maybe necessary to make do to some extent depending on how many are broken, refer to landlord
5. Some Lights are not working - light bulbs? If not speak to landlord
6. Smoke alarm battery is out —put one in!
7. No bins outsideuse bags
8. Washing machine is dirty —get machine cleaner

Tbh surely you'd have expected to clean regardless of whether dirt was visible?

Contact the council and explain you have just moved in and there are no bins. They should supply you with new ones. Put your house/flat no. on them.

Kitchen sink leaking

If it is from the pipe under the sink ?

Temporarily place a bowl or empty food tin to catch any water under the pipe

You may be able to tighten it with your hand if is loose

Find the "stop cock" for the water, incase you need to turn the water source off.

Just on the bin point, not all councils provide bins (mine didn’t- we had to buy a wheelie bin)

I would of only accepted it once it had been done. Out your letting agency across social media with the photos, that may give them the kick up the arse they need.

It is always a little unsettling to move into a new place

Try to make one room cosy to start with

It takes time to make somewhere feel like home

Good luck

Come on now OP, you could have most of this sorted by the end of today:

1. Kitchen sink is leaking - Contact landlord/letting agency
2. Bathrooms are not cleaned - Clean them
3. Blinds are dirty - Clean/wash them
4. Fridge shelves are broken - Contact landlord letting agency when contacting about sink
5. Some Lights are not working - Light bulbs?
6. Smoke alarm battery is out - Put a new one in
7. No bins outside - Use bags for now and report to landlord letting agency when reporting about sink & fridge.
8. Washing machine is dirty - Get one of those washing machine cleaner detergent/solutions

I understand that it's upsetting, but most of these issues are easily resolved, you'll feel much better when they are quickly dealt with, do it today.

Don’t get me wrong OP these issues aren’t right- you can sort many yourself, personally though I wouldn’t have moved in before it had been professionally cleaned. You can try arguing with your landlord, seek approval to book a professional clean/ get a plumber and take it off the rent etc.

Is it the pipe under the kitchen sink leaking, or did you mean the tap is dripping?

Clean the things you can clean yourself.

Check that you don’t just need new bulbs in the lights.

Check the battery in the smoke alarm.

Report the sink.

Take photos

If you need wheelie bins ring the council and tell them you haven’t any.

Most landlords with any sense of professionalism would have had the flat cleaned properly. If it was in that state when you viewed you could have made it a condition on signing the lease. You should also have an inventory done - otherwise how is the return of deposit going to work?
I rented out a flat using an agency and they did an inventory. I managed it and when tenant moved out I inspected it with him present and there were no issues. However I had the carpets cleaned and did some touch up painting. Wear and tear is normal but broken things should be taken note of.

Do take pictures of everything you think is an issue, firstly to show the landlord to get him to deal with the things that are unreasonable for you to do, eg replace fridge shelves, fix the sink, and secondly for when you leave the flat at the end of your tenancy. Obviously you won’t leave the flat in the same state, but if by chance the LL gets arsey about the deposit you have ammunition. I would also take photos of anything else they might challenge at EOT like scuff marks on the paint work, worn carpet etc.

Thanks all. TBH these are not the only issues. During viewing, we told multiple times to clean the house. They agreed and when we moved in they said its been cleaned and disinfected. When i moved in the agent dint even come inside and said he is responsible for only finding people for rent. We went in and to the shock its in very bad state. Bathroom no one would enter that. Its very smelly and very bad state.

We dint include this as a condition in our contract as we thought its the basic and every landlord would do for the tenant. Providing a clean house.

Yes, as others mentioned somethings can be taken care by ourselves. But now with my health condition, i dont want to do and aggravate it. I can call cleaners and get it cleaned by why do i have to spent when its the landlords responsibility. I thought as its all basic stuff every landlord should do.

If it was that bad, you should’ve checked before you signed for the flat.

Hi @Flvq - we mentioned that while viewing and we were promised everything will be perfect. We trusted the words.

That was naive. Sorry.

Do you have a partner? Can they not clean?