Hi Guys,

I was hoping for your views on my landlady and what would be the best way in dealing with her. Ill firstly give you a bit of background.

We moved into our house in November. When we came to look at the house it had been used as a squat there was graffiti all over the walls and in a bad mess.

However we decided to do the work to sort it out so we could decorate how we wanted to do it. Once we had done this we have noticed a few problems.

The boiler makes a very loud banging noise and we are pretty sure that she dosnt have a certificate for it. the toilet leaks along with one or two of the windows. There were also no smoke alarms and one of our bathroom taps and radiators doesnt work "as you know its been cold for the past night or two" We have tried to contact her for the past couple of weeks and she is ignoring us. However she also hasnt come and collected her rent!!! This is the second month the rent money for my entire house "there are 4 of us" is sat in my bank account.

I was thinking of keeping the rent and fixing the problems and telling her to be happy with that!

Or should I keep hold of the money and refuse to start paying again from the date she can legally bring the house in line with legal requirements. I know our house isnt the only one she has a few dotted round sheffield!

Any advise or thoughts would be great.

Thanks.

Darkstar

i hate landlords.
speak to C.A.B, there are 3 in sheffield (http://www.google.com/search?complete=1&hl=en&q=citizens+advice+bureau+sheffield&btnG=Google+Search&aq=t&oq=citizens+advice+bureau+s). people like this need to be stopped from leasing, should have their houses taken away and sold to first time buyers. makes me mad that i cant buy with muppets like these taking no interest in their houses tuning to ruin.

if her bolier has so safety certificate - and certainly if it's not been checked she is breaking the law.

I had one in my old house - landlord was a tightarse and didn't understand he had to spend aswell as take - i got a electric shock from the washing machine - and our boiler broke down - we had no hot water for 4 days with a baby.

I'll never rent again..

Well Im hoping to withhold the rent or stop paying till she gets it sorted as she is in breach but we wil see

any one got any ideas or dealt with things like this before.

I also know this isnt the only house so I am debating talking with other tenants in the local area. Its just by fluke i was talking to someone who had the same problems and we have found out its the same person!

although this site has been set up for landlords, i think as a tenant it will give you a lot of advice too.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/index.htm

i know friends from here were in a similar situation before christmas with regards to their bolier/heating/hot water etc although their house was rented through an agency.


best of luck,


sophie
x

Thanks Sophie. IVe called her and asked her to come round as we have things to talk about but just left her a voice mail. I hope she is ok and nothing has happened to her!

i'm pretty sure she is in breach of the agreement which is bound to be shorthold.

can you please explain I know she is in breach due to heating and boiler but how can this benefit me ?

Just had a look on the website link sophie has provided and it looks like she is in breach of Fire,Gas,Electrical and gerenal saftey standards.

What would you guys advise tried to call the CAB all morning with no answer.

oh dear !

I should contact the council and ask them what to do. She has to have a gas safety certificate provided by a Corgi registered fitter and she has to give you one of the copies. This is law. The council will have a dept that can give you advice about this. If you ring the switchboard they will advise you who to talk to, I think it's environemental Health.

ive just been having a look at the shelter website for advice for tenants, i dont know if any of this will be of use?

http://england.shelter.org.uk/policy/policy-5045.cfm


x

My Crazy Landlady sounds like yours. I've heard a lot of people in the Eccy road area have the same landlady. (she's almost like the crazy cat lady,except she isnt)

I think you should sort her out, and while you're at it, sort mine.

Hows your crusade going?

Oddly enough we do hae the same landlady.

she is going to get sorted out! she is coming round and we have asked her for our copy of our corgi certificate fo our boiler.

ummm we will see what happens

She left me a voicemail earlier actually

she said, her husband had told her that i had called her and asked for a call back! What rubbish! I havent called her, she makes this up in her head as she goes along

Crazy woman

A landlady that DOESNT collect the rent !


Whats her phone number :hihi:

I called her and asked for a call back

however this is coming from the woman who also thinks we are a couple

"Yes forumers this landlady really is crazy"

We will see what tomorrow brings.

I think we should round everyone up and find out how many laws she is actually breaking.

Hang on a mo - Darkstar, does she think that you and her are a couple ?

If so it could explain why she isnt collecting the rent !

I dont know what she thinks. as neverata says she does act like the cat lady out of the simpsons. just with no cats!

Hi is the house you said is up for sale soon in Stannington the one you have been talking about in this thread?

no its another lol my house at stannington is another one lol

Phew thats good news.

on the boiler/gas appliances she MUST provide you with a current landlords safety certificate within 28(i think, can check if you want) days. that is the law. if not you need to ask her to have it done immediatly or you will take it further(don't know where tho)

hth

well she is coming roud this morning to see me "ummm neverata seems to have gone to southampton" so looks like im going to have to sort her. I dont suppose this is a very good time to say we are looking for a housemate from June is it?

Ill get you booked in Gav if she agrees however i can imagine her knocking up her own certificate lol .

The best people to speak to would be the council.
When we had major structural issues with our rented house - see the website, MAJOR issues! - we spoke with the council, who came and took a survey of the house. They can enforce repairs to be made, and oversee work. If it's not done up to their standard, they can then carry out the works themselves and bill your landlady.
You COULD agree with her to withold rent and use that to get the house fixed, but it really is her place to do these things. That's a last resort, and you'd need to get guidelines form the council on that first as well.

Call the Tenancy Relations department on 0114 2735450, they're open 13:00 - 16:00 on mondays, tuesdays and thursdays. They should be able to talk you through your rights, and if you have your contract to hand, they can give you concrete advise as to where you stand.

Good luck!

But Southampton was much nicer then talking to the oh so crazy one!

I think we'll be poisoned by the Lead piping. Maybe it was her plan all along!

I think we should just sue her, lets get it moving!