UK Landlord Forum / Life

Good evening everyone, first post so please be gentle with me! I have been an avid reader of the forum for over a year since I inherited and subsequently let out my parents house and on that side all is going really well!

However my daughter is just starting her second year at Reading Uni and at Christmas we co signed on a shared flat very near to the campus.

The flat is immediately above the letting agent and is accessed from the rear of the row of shops offices via a steel fire escape style external staircase. On our visit at Christmas the only thing I could see that required attention was a corrosion hole on the centre of the top tread of the stairs, a very real trip hazard with only steel and concrete to break a fall.

I pointed this out to the agent who promised it would be fixed by July when the tenancy started - to date its not been done.

It is a purposely converted 5 bed student flat that the landlord wants let to a group of girls in particular. Obviously my daughter NEVER wears high heels, is ALWAYS stone cold sober and HATES late night returns in the dark, what pressure can I bring to bear on the agent / landlord?

I understand from research on this forum 'Defective Premises Act 1972 Under the act the landlord has an obligation to the tenant for the maintenance or repair of the premises
the landlord owes to anyone who might be affected by defects a duty to of care, reasonable in all the circumstances so they are reasonably safe from personal injury caused by a relevant defect.' but I'd rather he / she fixed the fault before any of the 5 young ladies were injured!

Thanks in advance

Keith

If that is the only thing wrong with the property then count yourself lucky! I have just finished a 3 year stint at Oxford Brookes and I can assure you that a lot of students live in far worse conditions.

As to the staircase, you should have made sure it was fixed before your daughter and you signed the contract. That is the easiest way to have avoided this whole problem, but I know from experience that student renting is never that simple.

Having said that, you could try using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and contact Reading Council. Info you need to do it is in http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/health_and_safety/hhsrs.

Just thought I'd belatedly update this blog, a couple of days after posting, a white van man turned up and fitted aluminium 5 bar tread plate over the top stair and landing, apart from 5 bar PGP being one of the slickest surfaces known to man when wet, at least something positive was done!

So who is the 'professional landlord' who read this post and was shamed into doing something about it?

Keith

What does the ethnicity of the worker matter?

While we are happy for a bit of rough-housing and serious banter on here, a bit of to-and-fro, I don't think we can condone overt racism like this. Please don't do it again.

I assume that's your sense of humour???

Only gender was mentioned and the colour of his van

Oh, why is the person's gender relevant to your 'story'? Is the implication that men don't do good work? You're on thin ice here.

Not a story, a statement of fact.

It was a man in a white van. Nothing against either, I am a man and I use a white van, but wouldn't have done a half arsed shoddy and possibly dangerous repair on the top tread of a staircase that has been done here.

I really think that you must be using this as a bit of fun - unless you're the landlord of this flat?

If there's a fault on my rental property I put it right as quickly and professionally as possible, I expect the same from the Landlord of my daughters flat.

I think you need to get your MP involved.

Quote from: knicholas on February 16, 2017, 10:28:42 PM
Not a story, a statement of fact.

It was a man in a white van. Nothing against either, I am a man and I use a white van, but wouldn't have done a half arsed shoddy and possibly dangerous repair on the top tread of a staircase that has been done here.

I really think that you must be using this as a bit of fun - unless you're the landlord of this flat?

If there's a fault on my rental property I put it right as quickly and professionally as possible, I expect the same from the Landlord of my daughters flat.

Regardless of the minor details... are you expecting the landlord to have a new step welded into the staircase? what is it exactly that you think he should do?

Hippo - you're a ****


Steve, yes a new step welded in place or even just patched would have been better, the alloy 5 bar will react against the bare steel, the steel will erode underneath and fail without warning - top step of a steel flight onto concrete, but my daughter wont be there then so won't be my problem.

You don't need to asterisk out your words. Insults can be taken on the chin.

Please escalate the situation via appropriate channels... possibly the Royal Metallurgical Society sub-branch of the Landlord's Association? They're quite effective, I hear, in dealing with, oddball, parties who aren't even living in the property they are complaining about. Or, otherwise... The Press!

Well Hippo you obviously think you need an insult - I was thinking you're a star!

I read most of your replies on this forum and am much wiser and better informed as a result.

I do get hacked off though with dealing with the problems caused by odd job men, people who've become landlords who were probably superb in their office job but shouldn't be allowed to own a screwdriver and so called professionals who aren't or just can't be arsed.

As for your last comment, no I don't live there but just have the privilege of paying the rent  If you had any experience of the corrosion between steel and alloy you would realise that in 3 or 4 years time, someone could have a very real and nasty accident when the tread collapses, but as I said it will be ok for the next 16 months so won't be my problem when it fails.

A couple of years ago I visited the bathroom in the night without turning on the light,as I had done for many years.I took an extra step and went flying through the air to the ground floor,crashing into a heavy wooden chest before coming to land with one leg facing the wrong way.Hip shattered in two places,internal injuries and soft tissue damage over much of my body.All the medics told me I was lucky to be alive,and eventually able to walk unaided.This was all on thick carpeted floor.I do not think this person is being at all unreasonable in expecting the staircase to be made safer.I am amazed that it is possible to rent property with such stairs being the only access.