Absent Landlords.

Ianto.W. · 21-03-2007, 15:34

My youngest daughter lives in a rented house owned by a person in the south of England, this property is managed by a company in Stockport, the gas combi boiler has broke down on countless occasions, the repair people say the boiler is leaking water and blowing the gas out, in effect it needs replacing. The landlord is reluctant to fork out for a new boiler so she and her 3 children are being passed from the management co to the repair co like a yoyo, how would you address this ridiculous situation.

lancsdave · 21-03-2007, 15:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ianto.W.

My youngest daughter lives in a rented house owned by a person in the south of England, this property is managed by a company in Stockport, the gas combi boiler has broke down on countless occasions, the repair people say the boiler is leaking water and blowing the gas out, in effect it needs replacing. The landlord is reluctant to fork out for a new boiler so she and her 3 children are being passed from the management co to the repair co like a yoyo, how would you address this ridiculous situation.

She has my sympathy, not too dissimilar to my situation now and it seems to be very difficlut to find an answer.

***Mr D*** · 21-03-2007, 15:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ianto.W.

how would you address this ridiculous situation.

Very strongly.

Hope its not leaking any harmfull fumes into the propery.

chav1 · 21-03-2007, 15:48

if she recieves housing benefit tell te council to stop making teh payments to teh landlord until it is fixed, she is entitled to do this

if she pays her own rent simply stop paying it and if tehy threaten eviction point out that it can take the courts up to 1 year to get her out

lancsdave · 21-03-2007, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

if she recieves housing benefit tell te council to stop making teh payments to teh landlord until it is fixed, she is entitled to do this

if she pays her own rent simply stop paying it and if tehy threaten eviction point out that it can take the courts up to 1 year to get her out

6 weeks for eviction process as far as I've been told.

chav1 · 21-03-2007, 15:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancsdave

6 weeks for eviction process as far as I've been told.

not if you make it difficult as hell especialy if your a squatter it took months for my mate to get somone out of his house and tehy left it trashed

depends how awkward you are preppared to be

i personaly would stop paying teh rent and use what i save to rent somewhere else

lancsdave · 21-03-2007, 15:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by chav1

not if you make it difficult as hell especialy if your a squatter it took months for my mate to get somone out of his house and tehy left it trashed

depends how awkward you are preppared to be

i personaly would stop paying teh rent and use what i save to rent somewhere else

It's difficult to be awkward and try things like squatting when there are kids in the house.

entwisi · 21-03-2007, 16:00

Talk to CAB to start with. I would reckon that a letter giving then say 4 weeks to fix it or she will get it done and withhold rent untill the bill has been paid sounds like a reasonable plan of action. CAB will be able to tell her if it is the owners responsibility (Which I reckon it is) or the management companies.

Lolly · 21-03-2007, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancsdave

It's difficult to be awkward and try things like squatting when there are kids in the house.

She doesn't need to start squatting. Just refuse to pay the rent. They aren't holding up their end of the contract so why should she! She just needs to keep records of everything that goes wrong and all the times shes got in contact with her landlord/company that manages it. So if they go for an eviction they don't have a leg to stand on. My parents did it in the past and it worked for them.

accymel · 21-03-2007, 16:08

Actually not that simple im afraid Ian, i already tried my old colleagues at the cab there is little that u can do other than look for somewhere else or contact the HSE or take a private small claims suit. When all this cuffufell with the housing law implimented after 1997 we thought that included Private landlords - seems they are law onto themselves as far as scrupilous landlords!!! There seems little protection for private tennants!

As i was told:
You dont pay the rent - despite the repairs issue then you breach the contract so gives them more the case to evict you [quicker]. You can get the repair done yourself & charge the landlord & in writing inform that the money will be deducted off the rent to cover cost of repair. Keep copies of all correspondance. Generally tho they have u over a barrel anyway cos they are usually short term lease tenancies upon review on renewal & if they so wish can terminate the contract then, you'll only have to look for somewhere else to live.

Lolly · 21-03-2007, 16:12

It may have changed now, but it worked for my parents a few years ago. As soon as they stopped paying rent they were straight round to fix the boiler.

But the suggestion Mel made seems to be the best, to get the repairs done and then charge the landlord.

accymel · 21-03-2007, 16:17

Thats what i was told a few weeks ago enquiring on behalf of lancsdave as i used to work there, so really no things havent changed not even since i last private rented 14 years ago

Yes ianto's daughter could try that KEEP IT IN WRITING KEEP RECEIPTS, but if its a case of needing a new boiler then that could prove rather difficult to pay out right for it & ensuring the ability to get the money back from landlord would be the next tricky bit.

chav1 · 21-03-2007, 16:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancsdave

It's difficult to be awkward and try things like squatting when there are kids in the house.

i didnt say she shoud squat i said she shuodl hold back the rent and the 6 week thing is noncense a landlord cant throw you out for withholding rent because vital repairs need doing teh courts would laugh at him

you do have to pay teh rent eventualy though which personaly i think is wrong , if a landlord is been awkward it should hurt him financialy

send a letter stating you want teh repairs doing within 24 hours or the rent stops until it is fixed , if it was somthing minor i would say a week but heating is vital in this weather especialy with kids

accymel · 21-03-2007, 16:26

Now with this problem cropping up now twice locally i wonder if an email to Greg Pope will help highlight this situ ????

[email protected]

Something needs to be done, there are landlord companies & privates taking money & running from their obligations.

Just an idea.

chav1 · 21-03-2007, 16:32

there wouldnt be so many private landlords needed if the council hadnt sold off all tehir properties in teh first place

all most landlords care about is getting mortgages paid on properties and selling them once teh value goes up and its teh poor sods living in them that have to go without basic things like heating just so it dosnt cut into the landlords proffits

a lot of landlords barely cover mortgages and teh houses pay for themselves via the housing benefit and they cant afford a new boiler as they live in a lot of cases off a standard wage which runs their house , everything is fine while the rents getting paid but once somthing is needed likea major repair liek a new boiler they dont have the money to do it and as long as its not them going without heating they are in no rush to get it sorted