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Original poster

Can't get through to shelter, please help mumsnet-our landlord is taking us for fools

28 replies

TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 18:30

We have now been without a working boiler for 3 weeks (tomorrow). We live in a small terrace me, dp and dd (21 months) been here 3.5 years.

So we first started contacting landlord on Mon 3rd, couldn't get hold of him. Eventually the next day we rang the letting agent (house os only let NOT managed throguh them) They said he was on holiday but as it was an emergency they would get someone out to us within 24hrs. Thurs 6th plumbing company came did a full diagnosis 'it's fucked' and then perpared a quote, LL was present for this aswell just turned up returned from his holiday apparently.

So then he starts saying that he doesn't actually own the property at all and he just acts as a 'representative' for some guy in Austrailia, for this reason, as he has to put the quotes to this guy and wait to hear back yadda yadda we could be looking at up to a 3 week wait (this conversation is Thursday 6th). It all sounded a bit far fetched but I said ok (regret not making more of a fuss now).

We hear nothing and no response to our queries until Tues 18th when he puts a note through our door saying British Gas are coming to do a quote this thurs afternoon so one of us will have to be in. I had to take unpaid leave from work to be there and everything.

Again, he turns up to chat to the engineer guy. This time he says something about the guy who owns the house actually being his brother and this time it's not Australia it's Hong Kong. So he is still stalling. Say's he wants to get one more quote to compare and then decide who to go with. This is really unreasonable as we have a 1 year old who we cannot bath in our own house!!!

Spoke to my Dad who said this whole thing sounds ridiculous and he prompted me to pay £3 to check the land registry to see who owns the house. Unsurprisingly it actually is our LL and his wife who have been owners since 1998.

So basically he is completely mugging us off right?

Where do we stand legally on this? We want to get it sorted asap obviously as living without heating and hot water is miserable. We do actually have an electric shower but it is like a dribble so hardly effective.

Is there an official amount of time that this MUST be completed in? Also am I right thinking this is a completely urgent problem?

What now?

THANKS

OP posts:
soverylucky · 21/06/2013 18:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:14

Thanks sovery...me too

OP posts:
LIZS · 21/06/2013 19:21

The ll has to give you his contact details within a fixed period of the start of the tenancy . Has he cut any other corners ? I don't think there is a statutory period for repairs although hot water is a basic . Do you have an immersion heater ? The council will have a Private Lettings department or you could try CAB, Trading Standards or Shelter for advice on wording a letter which you can send recorded.

PurplePidjin · 21/06/2013 19:26

Bump for someone who can advise :)

frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:34

Do you not have an immersion that can heat the hot water? I thought all houses did but maybe not.

Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:34

We have all his contact numbers. He just doesn't answer and has no voicemail set up on any of them. This is why we often send texts, he never replies but then when we do eventually see him he will mention something that was put in a text so we know he gets them.
Immersion not working either, yet another thing on the list.
I feel so mad that he has been trying to shirk responsibility making out it is not even his house and he is just a gopher for his 'brother'. Clearly he's just skint and is trying to buy himself time?

OP posts:
frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:35

And you can probably manage without heating now surely?

frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:36

Why not get a quote yourself for the immersion as it may be just a cheap job? Perhaps a faulty wire or something. At least it would then give you water (although obviously you would have to get landlords permission to get the job done).

Or get a quote for it and ask LL if you can get it done and he takes the bill.

Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:37

It's more the hot water that I am missing tbh, not ideal with a toddler

OP posts:
frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:38

Or you can go to the local council and talk to their private sector housing officers. They should be-able to help or advise.

Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:38

Interesting frog will look into getting someone to check that this weekend. Thing is we are hard up now ourselves so haven't really got the spare cash to be paying out upfront

OP posts:
Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:38

Do you think I should tell him I know that he does really own the house?

OP posts:
frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:41

Tiny - I understand it is difficult. What about asking LL if you can get a quote for immersion in-case it is a simple job, and get his agreement to pay for it.

I'm not sure what the rules are re access to hot water but expect it is a requirement for a house to be habitable. Therefore ring you council monday. I am sure they will help.

ThatGhastlyWoman · 21/06/2013 19:43

Second calling the Council- I don't think he is staying on the right side of regs or even the law, by the sound of it. Also, see if there are any private tenants action groups in your area, they might be quicker than Shelter.

coribells · 21/06/2013 19:44

I work in a private sector housing dept at a local council. You should call your local council , there is likely to be a landlord liaison officer or some such person who can help resolve disputes over repairs in rented properties. They will advise you on where you stand and may even approach your landlord onyournbehalf.

Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:45

Ok. Monday. Private sector housing officers. Got it, thanks

OP posts:
frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:45

Not sure if this is up-to-date but gives an idea of what councils are working to (the following extract is taken from a council website somewhere (I cant remember which one!)):

The legislation covering unfit houses was replaced in April 2006 under the Housing Act 2004.
The requirements used to determine fitness for habitation are:

it is structurally stable;
it is free from serious disrepair;
it is free from dampness prejudicial to the health of the occupants (if any);
it has adequate provision for lighting, heating and ventilation;
it has an adequate piped supply of wholesome water; there are satisfactory facilities in the dwelling
for the preparation and cooking of food, including a sink with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water;
it has a suitably located water closet for the exclusive use of the occupants (if any);
it has, for the exclusive use of the occupants (if any), a suitably located fixed bath or shower and a wash hand basin each of which is provided with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water; and
it has an effective system for the draining of foul water and surface water.

In deciding whether the dwelling house is fit or not, the authority should determine for each of the statutory requirements in turn and what would be the Most Satisfactory Course of Action (MSCA) . The authority must decide on the following if the property was found to be unfit:

A repair notice
a closing order
a demolition order
include the property in a clearance area or
frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:46

Hope that helps!

Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:52

So technically with what you've just posted it would be unfit due to not hot water at sinks for food prep and hand washing? The whole thing is just so inconvenient. Have been boiling the kettle loads and loads of times for everything. I just want to wash my hands and face with hot water¬!!

OP posts:
primallass · 21/06/2013 19:52

Why not get a quote yourself for the immersion as it may be just a cheap job?

If it is a combi boiler there will be no water tank so no immersion.

specialsubject · 21/06/2013 19:52

clearly dodgy as your landlord is ducking and diving. So long term you need to move on.

there is no fixed time frame, just 'reasonable'. Pissing you about for three weeks with no action is not reasonable.

more immediately:

the immersion may just be a broken thermostat, might be worth investigating - takes a minute to fix and costs about £10. That would give you hot water and solve the immediate problem - you don't need heating at the moment if you are in the UK.

if the shower is an 'instant heat' one it will not be powerful - but is it really just a dribble? Is the shower head blocked?

document all calls, send a note saying what you want done and when. Don't with-hold rent (two wrongs don't make a right) but if you get his agreement you can pay for repairs and deduct that cost from the rent.

frogwatcher42 · 21/06/2013 19:55

I would suspect that is the case but I am not a housing officer at a council !!

Shame this conversation wasn't taking place a couple of hours ago when the councils were open.

Call first thing monday and hopefully you will get good advice. I suppose the only problem is if the LL takes offence at you going to the council. I know he shouldn't legally, but there has been publicity over tenants being given notice after complaining about living conditions.

But I pesonally would take the risk! Or start another thread calling for a housing officer to 'talk' to you!

Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:57

In terms of the immersion. There is still a water tank in the bathroom, the broken boiler is a combi but a really shit old one, the plumber that came said it was pretty old and it was a cheap one. If you turn on the switch for the immersion nada happens.

Shower is just terrible water pressure I thought? Yeah It's a bit like somebody weeing on you from quite a few holes!

Yes, our house is crap

OP posts:
Original poster
TinyDiamond · 21/06/2013 19:59

I'm taking offence at all his outlandish lies! He's treating us like idiots we've been here 3.5years no issues from us, only one repair he has had to do (and that took him an entire YEAR to sort) everything else we just sort out ourselves as he's so difficult to contact

OP posts:
PrincessScrumpy · 21/06/2013 20:00

I would want a discount on the rent for the time without hot water, as one of the up sides of living in rented accommodation is that you don't have to worry about this stuff.

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