Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Other subjects
Original poster

No hot water for 6 WHOLE WEEKS!!!!! What are we going to do???

28 replies

TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 10:25

We live in a rented house, which we pay through the nose for. We chase the landlord daily to get it fixed, but to no avail. We have thought about witholding our rent, but we are a)scared shiutless of our landlord, who is huge and has a reputation for talking with his fists, and b) we can't afford to pay out nearly 2 grand in deposits for somewhere else if he kicks us out for non payment of rent.

I am sick to daeth of having cold showers in the winter. It's getting me down so much. We are current;ly having to boil kettles for the DSs bath, which is a right PITA.

What can we do?????

We have been waiting for it to be sorted since the very beginning of Nov.

This is the 5th time it has broken down since August.

OP posts:
TheBlonde · 17/12/2006 10:29

shelter have info about rights etc
this

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 10:51

Thanks TB.

There's some good advice on there.

The only thing that worries me is that he is likely to become difficult if we keep chasing him to repair the boiler (which is as old as the hills)

Ogh God, I can't be doing with this anymore. We are really unhappy. I want to move

OP posts:
Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 11:00

In the meantime, however, we still have to have a shower in cold water, which is just bloody depressing.

I can't face another day of this tbh. I jusy want to cry.

Silly thing to cry about, I know.

OP posts:
TheBlonde · 17/12/2006 11:12

What about suggesting to him you get it fixed and deduct the money from your rent?

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 11:14

ok, we have just rang the landlord again.

He said "I'll get someone round, but it'll tajke a few days"

I don;t want to wait a few days!!!!! I can see this going in until after Christams.

I am actually crying now.

OP posts:
Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 11:16

DP suggested that to him, but he said that he would get somone round to us the next day (which was 3 weeks ago)

Thing is, we have to tread carefully, because if we withold rent etc, then he can evict us. I know we can appeal, but I dont know if I can cope with a battle tbh.

I just wish we had some money for a deposit for somwhere else.

OP posts:
Earlybird · 17/12/2006 11:41

What a terrible and depressing situation. It won't help here and now, but in the longterm, can you think of giving notice and moving? It's no good to have a landlord who you're afraid of and who doesn't take care of basic things in a timely fashion.

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 11:44

We are going to have to move Earlybird. We just need to save up a deposit first, which will take ages

I wish we could move now! If there was any way, I'd pack up our stuff and be out of here, and I would love every last moment of the stress that moving house casues!

OP posts:
mamalino · 17/12/2006 11:45

If you have the money and this has been going on for this long, could you organise a repair yourself and deduct it from your rent? Let your landlord know you are planning to do this. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act he is responsible for providing hot water and heating. I recommend you go to Citizens Advice asap. Do you have a signed tenancy agreement?

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 11:48

Yes we do. I was thinking that the CAB was probably our next port of call.

If we do get the repair done it'll be another month now, as we have just paid this months rent, and DP won't get paid nowuntil after Xmas.

Fuckity fuck

OP posts:
Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 17/12/2006 14:52

Sorry to harp on about it even more....

DP and I have decided that we are going to move house anyway after Xmas. We'll find the deposit from somewhere

Howvever, we still have no hot water in the meantime. Does anyone have any tips on how I can persuade the landlord to sort it without getting my kneecaps blown off?

OP posts:
Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 18/12/2006 11:40

Ok, I'm here moaning again.

Just rang landlord again, and I think his phone has been cut off, as it said his number wasn't recognised. We only have a mob number for him.

We still have no hot water.

WTF am I going to do?

OP posts:
DingDongDraculaOnHigh · 18/12/2006 11:42

Can you not borrow the money to get the repair done? CAll the bank and explain the situation

How much will it cost?

TooTickyDoves · 18/12/2006 11:43

So sorry. We've been in this situation before. Do you have heating? And how old are your DSs?

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 18/12/2006 11:45

I think I will have to get DP onto the bank. We really can't afford it though, and any extra orepayments will cripple us.

DS1 has just turned 2 and DS2 is 15 weeks.

I just want to cry

OP posts:
Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 18/12/2006 11:46

Our heating works at the mo, btw, but it is intermittent. It always has been ever since we moved in.

OP posts:
LIZS · 18/12/2006 11:48

No letting agent to intervene? Speak to CAB and perhaps send a recorded delivery letter outlining the situation and what you expect to be done and by when. Presumably you don't have an immersion heater as a back up either

expatinscotland · 18/12/2006 11:48

WTF?!

In our tenancy agreement, no hot water is a violation of their (the landlord's) part of the lease.

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 18/12/2006 11:50

The immersion thingy doesn't work either.

He has violated the terms of the tenancy, but we can't contact the fucking bastard.

I've rang DP at work, and he's going to try and sort something out.

I facking hate renting

OP posts:
TooTickyDoves · 18/12/2006 11:51

Go to your health visitor, get social services involved if necessary. Poor poor you. Bang on the counter, as my grandmother would say. Make your situation known. You should not have to pay out yourselves and these things are expensive fgs!

expatinscotland · 18/12/2006 11:52

I do, too, walrus. But it's a fact of life for so many of us.

Is his mobile not on?

Have you tried the CAB and Shelter?

I'm disgusted by this sham of a landlord.

Also, our council has a service to report rogue landlords like this, as all landlords here in Edinburgh must be registered.

Check your council's website!

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 18/12/2006 11:55

I feel like smashing his poxy house up.

It's a shithole anyway. Asd soon as we have the money, we'll be out of here faster than piss with running shoes on.

DP is on the case. Hopefully, we'll get something sorted asap

OP posts:
LIZS · 18/12/2006 12:02

Have you even got a valid Gas Safety Certificate and electricity inspection ? The Council may be able to help even if you rent privately , as the orivate landlord still has to fulfil criteria to maintain the essential services such as water , heating , light etc. Environmental Health, for one , can intervene if that is not the case. Yours is not fulfilling his legal obligations and could be sued.

Original poster
TinselgalacticWalrus · 18/12/2006 12:05

We do have a gas safety cert, and I think we are due for the annual inspection after xmas sometime, iirc.

I've told DP to investigate what the council will do, as I know if I follow it up myself, I'll lose my rag at some point.

Even thinking about it makes the red mist descend

OP posts:
DingDongDraculaOnHigh · 18/12/2006 12:05

Could you not raise money for the move by withholding rent? It will take him ages to evict you esp as you have valid grounds for withholding rent by which time you will have the deposit together.

Swipe left for the next trending thread