UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi just wanting abit of a advice really. I took a house from a lettings agent on 10/11/14, which will make it four weeks on Monday. There is numerous repairs needed but to name a few the gas was capped to the hob and the electric oven was broken so I removed it and said I would replace it. It's took them until today to put in a new hob so nearly four weeks with no way of eating in the house. The draft that fomes from the front door as it has loads of gaps is unreal the heating has to be constantly on. I have no access trough the back as the back gate is unsafe and I can't move it. I'm 8 and a half months pregnant aswell by the way. I have no general waste bins the recycle and garden bin are full of previous tenants rubbish dirty nappies etc. the first two days I had no boiler. The door to the loft is unsafe it's another thing that lets draft in. The radiator in the kitchen doesn't work. The gas and electric metres are outside and doors are broken to them. There was holes in all the walls. Ive had to fill them all, the electrician had to replace a load of switches as they were all painted. Ive basically paid this months rent before I moved in but I am not going to pay next months, am I within my rights as I couldn't live here? Or I will pay half? Also the kitchen units under the sink were rotted they took them out and replaced them after about two days but with two odd units so the kitchen is all mismatched. And they aren't making any attempts to sort it. Bear in mind this is a new build house I have paid 550 depost and 550 rent upfront on. I need to replace all the inside doors, sort out a new back fence, regrout the tiles in the kitchen floor. Ive been scrubbing paint off tiles since I got the keys, the house was absolutely rotten with the last tenants rubbish in when I took the keys also so i e been cleaning someone's dirt. At this stage in my oregnancy I should be resting however ive got people on decorating house is up the wall. If I don't pay my rent or only pay half what will happen?

Oh Also the heating and hot water have to be on constant as the boiler is broken

Read this...

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/tenants_repairs_and_improvements/tenants_doing_repairs

...please note that part that says - "If your landlord won't carry out repairs, you do not have the right to withhold rent." - this is from Shelter - an organisation who are always firmly on the side of the Tenant. So please do not withhold rent.

It seems, from my reading, that the Landlord is not refusing to do repairs, just that they are ongoing. There is always a reasonable timeframe for Landlords to do repairs before you consider doing them yourself (paying someone else to do them and reclaiming those costs from the rent) and a strict process that must be followed.

Keep paying your rent. Keep pressing for the repairs to be completed.

I will not ask you why you decided to take the property in the first place.