Home Home, Law & Money
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨

Is this illegal?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I trekked all the way down to London from North Wales (over 200 miles) today to collect keys for my flat. The contract asks for rent from the 21st July, I moved in today.

However the flat is filthy... And by filthy I mean that it's been torn apart... A radiator is not attached to the wall, but lying in the middle of a room, there is cigarette on the windowcills, wood rot on one of the windows, one of the doors doesn't close, half the furnature is gone, windows have not been replaced on the shed and there is litter in the unkept (but potentially lovely) garden. Now the tennancy agreement says that it's the landlord's responsibility to fix these things... WE DON'T EVEN HAVE WATER! Angry

So the landlord is yet to sign the tennancy agreement... Why are we paying him rent then through a letting agency?

I really don't understand... We signed a contract with the letting agency, but surely it's illegal to rent out an uninhabitable property. Huh

Does this ring any bells with anyone? Am I right to think this is dodgey?

I'm a student and this was a small student lettings company. Thinking of getting them struck off from accomodation advertising. Not dealt with letting agents before.

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Very very dodgy. Not sure who you should go to first, but the council / people who deal with houses should be able to point you in the right direction. A landlord has to provide a suitable and habitable environment by law if he's selling it as a living space.

    You could always try reclaiming the money and going somewhere else.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Environmental Health at your local council Sel.

    Make a formal complaint to the lettings agency first, in writing, and ask them to rehouse you somewhere habitable whilst the work is carried out.

    :yes:

    Hope it gets sorted out soon.
    x
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There may be someone at your student union that can give you some advice. I would withhold rent until it's fixed but you can't live without water and I'm pretty certain that is a legal requirement!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Did you see the property first and then it got made dirty? That's awful. Complain complain complain, not sure who to though!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah pretty sure there is a legal responsibility to provide water.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    No, never deliberately withold rent. You are then breaking the contract which has legal implications.

    When dealing with cowboys though if theyve not fulfilled their part of the bargain if you hand over cash getting a refund can sometimes be impossible. (As Namaste knows with friends in the past!)

    But hopefully it can all be resolved amicably, but you will find companies that will happily take your hard earned cash but then not give a shit about the service they provide.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    No, never deliberately withold rent. You are then breaking the contract which has legal implications.

    Aren't they doing the same?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
Sign In or Register to comment.