Tapton - Student Agency - Question(s) -

Vini · 11-07-2005, 10:16

my girlfriend has just moved into a house which tapton own, she lives with 3 others. (2 of them are yet to move in)

theyve been in a week and the house has lots of problems.

the girls cannot open the back door, the lock and door in general is ridiculously stiff
the top of the oven has had something burnt onto it, now everytime we use it, the top remains burn and it stinks (looks like plastic)
the hoover was broke upon arrival (but has been taken to be fixed)
the smoke alarm is beeping as if low battery, yet it doesnt have a battery or space for one, the other smoke alarm doesnt work, period.
they have snail trails IN THE HOUSE. despite hoovering/wiping the trails up, theyre back, bigger and more of the next day.
cupboard under the sink has completely fallen in
only 2 phone sockets work
dining room table chairs are broken, only 2 have 4 legs and are safe.

i was wondering if anyone has dealt with tapton before? the reason being is theyre apparently hard to get hold of...

i get the impression theyre like - its only students we dont have to sort it out. but its horrible, unliveable and not nice.

the residents told tapton via inspection sheet about most of the problems, but my gf thinks that is sufficient and doesnt like to follow things up. the problem is not all of the issues (such as the cooker) was noticeable or problematic upon 'inspection' its only when you come to cook that the plasticky fumes get let off.

i was therefore going to call tapton and see what they say.

would it be worth calling the trading standards? or is there a 'trading standards equivalent' in the housing industry?

jimmy · 11-07-2005, 12:30

Is this university owned accommodation then? If it is then they are contractually obligated to fix most of these problems.

Why not contact university housing:

http://www.shef.ac.uk/housing/contact.html

0114 222 6041

Vini · 11-07-2005, 13:23

Quote:

Originally posted by jimmy
Is this university owned accommodation then? If it is then they are contractually obligated to fix most of these problems.

Why not contact university housing:

http://www.shef.ac.uk/housing/contact.html

0114 222 6041

theyre hallam students, would the above number matter?

indie_sheff · 11-07-2005, 13:44

http://www.shu.ac.uk/accommodation/helpadvice.html

this is for hallam students

Vini · 11-07-2005, 14:23

called tapton who were unprepared to do anything about the snails. a bit shocking really, i bet they dont live with snails in their living rooms.

mentioned the fact the cooker top sets on fire due to melted gubbins on the top each time its used and not really interested either, they said had to be put in writing. ok fair enough, writing with a solicitors signature...

jimmy · 11-07-2005, 15:10

Oh I thought it was associated with Tapton Hall of Residents (i.e. Sheffield University) - not an external housing company. Sorry.

I get the odd slug in the living room due to wooden floors and a warm cellar. just put a bit of salt around the edge of the room. Should get rid of em.

I think the cooker is probably illegal.

Vini · 11-07-2005, 15:59

we salted the floor last night, sure enough that stopped the trails on the carpet, but now even more unhygenically theyre all over the kitchen.

will have to issue the salt brigade tonight.

the problem is, tapton dont give a flying duck. theyre 150% profit mongers, money money money.

RichD · 11-07-2005, 22:39

I once lived in a house let by Tapton, and they were worse than useless. Not only did we have many of the same problems (snail trails etc) but when I phoned them to complain about the kitchen being damp, exemplified by removing dishes from the cupboard to find them visibly wet - the patronising b***h on the phone had the nerve to ask me if I was sure I'd dried them properly.

Nothing got done for us in that house. The snails, the damp kitchen, the wasps nest in the attic - I actually left early to move into my next place which had conveniently been vacated early. Then, to rub salt in the wound, I stopped by a month or so later to see if I'd had any mail that I'd forgotten to redirect (the new tenants were in by that time) and they'd put a brand new bloody kitchen in!! So obviously they DID believe me, but couldn't be bothered to do anything about it because I was locked into a contract for 12 months.

Vini · 12-07-2005, 08:28

how easy would it be for them to void the illegal pre-dated cheques they have given to tapton, and start looking for somewhere else.

DaisyBoo · 13-07-2005, 10:51

Quote:

Originally posted by Vini
how easy would it be for them to void the illegal pre-dated cheques they have given to tapton, and start looking for somewhere else.

As far as i am aware pre-dated cheques are not illegal. I think you will find most student property companies will ask for payment this way.

green_ben · 29-07-2005, 20:26

I lived in a house owned by Tapton estates in my second year at university and have to agree that they were absolutely useless. The ceiling leaked but despite telling them on numerous occasions they did nothing! Also they kept £200 of our deposit to have the house "industrially cleaned" but when we went round to collect mail when we had moved out the girls who had since moved in said the house was filthy when they first moved in?? Very odd.
The woman in the office was very patronising and they didn't even supply us with a bin because we were "students and would only break it"!
Our hoover was broken on arrival and we were told to take it to darts in crookesmoor even though we lived on whitham road and had no transport!
Absolutely RUBBISH!

Shine · 29-07-2005, 20:39

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/index.asp?pgid=13532

It is the law that if you notify your landlord of defects in their accommodation, and they fail to rectify them in a reasonable period, then you are entitled to compensation.

It is no different because you are students (hell, you're paying far more than ordinary private tenants), it's just that students are more likely to put up with it and less likely to make a fuss.

Speak to the people at your local Citizen's Advice Bureau and/or the private sector housing people.

Make sure you do everything in writing and keep copies of all your correspondence.

Good luck!

Vini · 05-10-2005, 12:52

well a blast from the past.

they have snail trails IN THE HOUSE. despite hoovering/wiping the trails up, theyre back, bigger and more of the next day.
cupboard under the sink has completely fallen in
dining room table chairs are broken, only 2 have 4 legs and are safe.

girlfriend says the above are still to be sorted.

and since moving in more problems/defects have become apparent.

guttering above the front door, leaks in rain. light rain or heavy rain it leaks, directly under the front door wetting you as you walk in.

this obviously couldnt be reported at the time of moving in due to the fact it was summer and we didnt have rain!

as things are still going on with their house, i decided to call Tapton today and find out what was what.

i spoke to Richard, who was been very arrogant.

i started the call by asking for an update on the property, ie. whats going to be done when. and he was like? what needs doing?

i read the list out. he then said he had no reports of a cupboard fallen in, and the fact that 3 handy men had been out and this had not been mentioned to them meant he wasnt going to do anything about it. he also said that because it wasnt mentioned to them, he didnt know what to do, as it could be the case that the current tennants have broken it. ie. accusing them!

i said do you not have the photos which were sent along with the walk in sheet. he said not to hand.

slugs, he cant do anything about, because the council cant do anything about it.

chairs - he said the chairs have been on order since 26/07... ok why the long wait? they getting them made by beavers?

the guttering, he said if he sent a guy out to look at the guttering and it wasnt cracked, the tennants would have to foot the bill.

thats fair enough im sure, but there shouldnt be water running from out of the gutter to the floor directly under the door. pretty sure this is a leak/crack, but theyre scared to follow it up due to the charge mentioned.

anyone know any way to get things done, within your rights ?

put it this way, i wouldnt use tapton ever again! and if there was a way to spread the word and hopefully put others off using them, then i would!

sheff_minx · 05-10-2005, 13:13

As the girlfriend living in the house, I have e-mailed them to say that their treatment of us has been unacceptable and that we have been in touch with Agentwatch and Hallam Housing.

I have also threatened to withhold rent as we are legally entitled to do (we have lived here for more than 3 months and problems reported the day we moved in still have not been fixed) and recited a few things from the site that was posted by Shine.

Also anybody who decides to look round the house with a view to renting it next year will be told exactly how we have been treated.

As vini said, any legal advice would be much appreciated

Vini · 17-10-2005, 12:03

still not getting anywhere fast, just thought this should be near the top so other students can consider there options when it comes to moving into a shared house/tapton owned house.

Avalon · 17-10-2005, 12:13

I would withold rent until the problems are sorted personally. Id also take photos of the snails, and post them all over the uni and say "this is what Tapton expects us to live with"....that ought to shift them!

Kthebean · 17-10-2005, 12:19

Thanks for the warning!

I would suggest writing to them detailing all the problems. Photocopy the letter with the date on it, and claim that you're also sending a copy to your parents solicitor (claiming you have pushy, legal eagle type parents tends to shift landlords into gear, even if its not true!)

If they still dont do anything take copies of your correspondence to the uni and ask for some help and advice.

Unless you can actually afford legal wranglings I wouldn't advise withholding your rent. Chances are unless you get it to court they will simply keep your bonds and you'll be living with the snails til the end of your eviction

Vini · 17-10-2005, 12:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Avalon
I would withold rent until the problems are sorted personally. Id also take photos of the snails, and post them all over the uni and say "this is what Tapton expects us to live with"....that ought to shift them!

flyers and photos and posters will be made up after christmas, for distribution to the students.

my mate runs a marketing company which used for getting information accross to both SHU and UoS students, so im sure he will be of great help.

i just want other people to know how rubbish tapton are, how they seem to just shrug you off. they know your a student, and think they know what students are like.

at the minute a report is being written for distribution and many companies such as watchdog/agentwatch and student housing assoc have already been contacted.

they cant be allowed to treat people like they do.

sheff_minx · 17-10-2005, 12:32

Update:

We had a lovely man called Tony out on Wednesday. He carries out work for Tapton fairly regularly but is not employed by them. He fixed our ceiling (which had a biiiiig crack in it) and then fixed the kitchen cupboard and fitted a piece of wood in a gap between the two corner units. (He had not been told by Tapton to do this, but I had received an e-mail from them about 10mins before he left saying that if we wanted the problems fixed, we should ask him to do them).

So the only problem we have now is the leaking gutter (which Tony went up to have a look at - waiting to hear whether he's said anything to Tapton yet though.)

Things are looking up but we have lived here nearly 4 months now which I still think is an unacceptable time frame (especially as legal threats made as advised by housemates dad who is a solicitor were the only thing that got them to shift their butts!)

We have also been given the responsibility of showing prospective tennants around the property for next year... Tapton may be surprised to find that they have difficulty letting this house next year... I wonder why

mjlacey21 · 19-10-2005, 09:09

the snail trails in the house thing isn't really a big deal at all.

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/show...slugs+in+house

When i was a student the sneaky blighters managed to find a way into every house we lived in. Occasionally if i came home at about 5am I would catch them at it and make them pay for trespassing but they never did any harm.

I know it's not right or anything, but you don't get the same type of treatment renting a student house as you do renting as 'normal' house. It's like they know as standard a lot of groups will only live there for a year maximum anyway, plus I know enought students that have trashed their rented houses, so while it's harsh on you it's probably not a priority for them to sort.

we used to rent with Salis on Eccy Rd. Me and my housemate both had mould covering 1 wall in our rooms by the end of the year, the fridge kept breaking and there were loads of minor problems. We complained loads and they never did anything and then had the cheek to take half our deposits for things like 'washing and drying' the ceiling!