Landlord's legal responsibilities?????

[JanH]

DD2 has been living in a student house in Manc this year - 9 occupants, total annual rent c £36K

The landlord has been pretty crap all along, eg the boiler kept conking out unless they kept it lit for months on end so their gas bill has been much higher than necessary etc and when they rang he fobbed them off - eventually, finally, one of them gave a parent his phone no (I asked DD2 but she fobbed me off), that parent rang and then he got the boiler fixed instead of patched up (not replaced even so...)

The house has been burgled repeatedly. DD2 lost her laptop in one burglary, other laptops, mobile phones and purses have gone too. The house only has a Yale-type lock, not a deadlock.

Tonight the house has been walked into again, in a half-hour window while the sole occupant at the time was out - yet another laptop has gone and they don't know what else.

I have asked DD2 to ring me tomorrow with the landlord's phone no and intend to ring him and also complain to the uni letting service, CAB, newspapers etc but FFS, what else can we do? Can the kids legally withhold the last 2-3 months rent to make up for the stuff they lost because he never bothered to put a deadlock on?

help?

Jan - really sorry to hear about your dd's experience. Unfortunately student accommodation in Manchester is notorious for burglary, as I'm sure is the case in other University cities. So whilst I think it's a good idea to tell the university letting office about the landlord, I'm not sure you'll have much response to the break in issue, particularly taking it to the newspapers. Also have no idea of the legalities of withholding rent, certainly because of any break in.

One group of friends I knew were burgled nine times in eighteen months at their shared house in Victoria Park, with the burglars actually leaving things behind on their final two visits (?!). It tends to be the larger student houses that suffer the break ins, as opposed to those with 2/3/4 beds, because they're most expensive to maintain so the security is usually not as good. Also larger houses mean more visitors passing through and (most importantly) there's more stuff available to steal, one stereo & one PC in each bedroom. Assuming that this isn't dd's final year, it would seriously be worth considering a much smaller place next time.

Realise that this paints a sorry picture but hope that dd is able to find a better place soon.

Don't they have insurance to replace the things that were stolen?

Hi JanH,

The landlord has to hold a certificat to state the boiler is in good working order, which is done yearly, He should also have house insureance to claim back the missing posettions. Not sure that insurance would cover it if it was only a Yale lock though tbh.

As for holding back the rent, I'd say ask a solicitor, they do a free half hour appointment, your dd could go throught the no win no fee in reclaiming money owed etc.

Sorry not to have been more help but in all I'd suggest looking for another accommodation.

Oh blimey - thanks for reply, ww.

Yes, that pretty much matches up with what has happened - but it doesn't cost any more to put a deadlock on a 9-person house than a 4-person house, does it? (Aprt from number of keys)

Have already advised DD2 to withhold last month's rent on assumption that she will lose her deposit given landlord's attitude - am still tempted to advise withholding last 2 months and pay him a bit here and there to fob him off.

She has a smaller house lined up for next year but hasn't signed agreement yet - I'm tempted to make decent locks a condition of her signing (except that one housemate has already paid everyone's deposit...)

Thanks Jodie & Hillary too, you weren't there when I started reply

If is possible for them to put their own lock on the door if the landlord won't? I know they shouldn't have to but if it would help then it's worth it.

When DD2's laptop was taken she was asleep in her room - someone walked in and took it - she now hides the (replacement) laptopn and bolts her door from the inisde but that's no help when she's out.

Tonight she had been in briefly with her overnight bag from home, and gone out again; the burglars emptied her overnight bag and used it to remove what they stole.

Yes, it probably would be cheaper for them to put a proper lock on the front door - can they deduct that from the rent?

house insurance may not count. you can insure a house against your OWN possessions only, so anyone else's stuff wouldn't be covered.

but you should look up what has to be in place on a rented property in terms of security. there are lots of rules if you're renting a place with regards to other aspects (ie safety glass etc etc) so security issues may be covered too

I'm not sure but I imagine it would be reasonable to do so, if you inform landlord. Could she also put a lock on the outside of her door?

hm - I thought there might possibly be some sort of joint insurance that could be taken out when people are housesharing or just insure yourself and own possesions.

bloody hell, that's scary!

After the last laptop went we took out an Endsleigh policy for her (£190 pa) but nothing of hers went this time!

Totally agree that it wouldn't cost any more to fix the necessary security to a larger house but you do tend to find that they are generally not maintained as well. I would point out that I moved to Manchester as a student seventeen years ago, living at ten different addresses in my first ten years. To date, I'm pleased to say that I have not experienced a break in, so hope that you take some consolation in knowing that it can be OK because there must be nothing worse than seeing these things happen to your dd.

I'm a Landlord and I recommend the Which? Guide to Renting and Letting.