Landlord being unreasonable?

[Wildrosa]

I’m needing to get this out, really. I’m currently renting a barn conversion that’s beside my landlord’s home. I moved in December, 2020. All bills are included in the rent but all amenities are controlled by the landlord i.e. heating etc.

Since I’ve moved in…
I don’t have bins; bins are shared and they’re usually full pretty fast so I constantly have rubbish bags at my door.
The heating hasn’t been on in close to a year. As it’s a barn conversion (high ceilings, drafts coming under doors) it gets so cold. I layer up but sometimes it’s so cold (I can see my breath) I have to cart about one portable electric heater.
I don’t have an address… I use my landlord’s.
The past couple of months outside of set hours there’s no hot water - it’s ‘hot’ from 5-8am (enough hot water for one 10 minute shower then it’s freezing cold until 5pm when again, the water only stays hot for one shower. Washing dishes, filling mop buckets etc. takes from the hot water time).

I haven’t complained about any of this before yesterday night.

Last night I had a birthday party to go to. I had to be there for 7. 5 o’clock came - no hot water. I waited about… 545, it’s still absolutely freezing cold. I message my landlord, remaining polite, apologising for messaging but could I possibly use hot water. She replies that she’s turned it on… another 45 minutes and it’s still freezing cold. I message again in frustration to tell her and say ‘it’s a nuisance’. She’s straight over, ringing my doorbell 3 times. I’m bent over the shower trying to wash my hair with the cold water so don’t answer. 20 minutes later I pop a light on and she’s ringing the bell again so I go to the door. She’s extremely rude. She said I am at the end of a cycle for use of the hot water; she doesn’t know why it’s not hot within the set hours. Then she starts, “does the doorbell not work, only I’ve been ringing…”. She then asks me if I am “aware that there’s currently an energy crisis?”. She says I had the ‘luxury’ of hot water outside of the set hours before they realised only a couple of months ago. She then suggests there’s going to be a rent review. Finally, she hands me a box of plug-in night lights and tells me I use a lot of light in the evenings.

I guess I’m asking if I am being unreasonable at all?

You're not unreasonable but I don't know why you're still there. I'd want hot water and heating on my terms.

How much longer do you have on your contract?

I'd be looking elsewhere if you can. If you are paying for utilities then you should have full access to hot water and heating on demand, she will be able to review your rent if that demand means higher utility costs but currently you seem to be paying for no or limited utilities which isn't on. I'd contact shelter for official advice.

What sort of tenancy agreement do you have?

What country are you in? This is a strange tenancy agreement

Not completely relevant, but are you being billed for council tax there?

Sounds like it may be let illegally if no separate address or services. Why can you not acquire your own bin to store sacks in?

Landlord sounds bloody awful and if you can find somewhere else to live, you should.

I’m out of my contract a year in December. I’m in Northern Ireland.

This sounds like the ghetto, please leave asap and find somewhere else

Do you have Energy Performance Certificate for the property? There's a publicly available register (it must be a G rating soon a C rating to be let).

If you don't have access to hot water and heating, write a letter with proof of postage asking for repairs to take place then after a month or so, contact your council.

Although I would look at moving as just having to deal with her would cost me more mental energy than I had to spare.

There was a post on here a few weeks back about a landlord only allowing hot water on for set times of the day. Might be worth searching for it to see if any of the advice there could help?

Please leave. Is this even legal?!

I posted this, I couldn’t get my head around the prison-like ‘set times’.

Are you paying market rent? Why did you agree to this set up?

Write it all down. While your utilities are included the landlord has control of heating and hotwater and this is inadequate for you or badly timed. I would try arranging a meeting with her to explain after you've read through your tenancy agreement. If she won't agree then find another place and give her notice.

What does your tenancy agreement say?

My guess is that the barn conversion isn't legal if it doesn't have an address.

In any case, leave!

I can't say for certain but I reckon she's not declaring warnings from rent.
Do you pay into a bank account? Is your deposit in a guarantee scheme? If not that's against the law

The fact you dont have an official address, what happens if you lost your job and had to claim assistance?

The whole amenities thing is totally against any rules at all. It's a basic right.

I would be speaking to Shelter, and to the local environmental health team and housing team. If she's not declaring it for all that time that's a huge fraud on her account.

Fuck me. That sounds horrendous. I would move.

I once lived in a similar setup but at least they didn’t begrudge me heat, light and hot water.

This doesn’t sound legal

This sounds dodgy as fuck op, I’m a landlord in NI seriously doubt this is legal. How did you find the property? Through an agency or some other route? Is your deposit in a deposit protection scheme (illegal not to on her part) is she a registered landlord? And is she declaring the income. Sounds more like a lodger style arrangement, she might be in hot water (no pun intended) if any issues arise. But in your position I’d leg it as soon as possible!

It's tough going but I can imagine your landlords have had a shock with energy prices if your usage is included in the rent.

I can imagine every that's is 'bills included' is going to change - from holiday lets, Airbnb, uni accommodation to the rare private rentals that include them.

Do you have other options?

I’ve rented in NI this is not reasonable and doesn’t sound legal, you have a right to heating and hot water or its classed as uninhabitable. If the property is uninhabitable the environmental health department at the council can issue improvement notices to the landlord which will cost her a lot more as she can’t rent until the property is compliant and she has to pay alternative accommodation for you. All in all I’d move out asap if you can.

Just pack your stuff and leave OP. They can’t pursue you as they're renting illegally! That's insane to not have heating & hot water whenever you want!

OP - what have you done about it?