UK Landlord Forum / Life

Hi

I new to this and was wanting as much advice as possible please? Me and my partner moved into a private rented property 5 months ago. Since we moved in we haven't had any heating or hot water. Despite asking him several times he just says the house is what it is and that he can't afford to repair the boiler. The house is freezing!! You can even see your breath it's that cold. We gave him a £500 deposit which hasn't been paid into a secure account, which I have found out that legally he must do? He also fitted a gas cooker, after we bombarded him with messages to replace the one he admittedly got from a skip! After he had installed it, he put washing up liquid on the end of a pipe thing and said that no gas was coming out so was fine?! We haven't seen any gas certificates or anything like that? The last time I asked him if he could get someone to come and have a look at the boiler he called me and was extremely abusive, and then said if you want heat il tell you what il do il burn the F@*#ing house down. Which was very intimidating. We informed the police of this but they didn't wasn't to aggravate the situation any further and just logged it down. He also does not want any trace of the rent, so we have to pay him cash in hand every month. We have signed a contract with him, which he printed off the Internet and we do get hand written receipts for the money handed over every month. An environmental health officer has just been to do an inspection and has said it's not satisfactory. Any advice on what I can do next?

Is this a council house?  Is he sub letting it? 

There is a whole litany of problems here.  First off the law is definitely on your side in many many different ways.  There is so much information on the main site about all the issues you've raised from a landlords point of view, I'd spent some time reading up about it and seeing how screwed the landlord will be. 

Stop paying the rent, he can't evict you legally, if he gains unlawful entry you can do him for trespass, I'd change the locks aswell, you're legally entitled to do this.  with the deposit not being paid into a deposit scheme this means you can claim for 3 X the deposit amount from him which is a nice little earner for you.  This sounds like a scumbag landlord if ever I did hear one.

Give ARLA a ring, I'm sure they'd be very interested and also keep a log of his dodgy behavior.  http://www.arla.co.uk/

Wow, this is awful.

Katie, I hope this sorts itself out, that man is scum, and should be sorted out.

Is there a local paper where by he can be named and shamed?

It's hard I know as these types can be rather intimidating.

I hope it works out.

Sounds like the landlord that gives us all a bad name!
Technically you are wrong to withhold rent - two wrongs, etc.
However, after so long in the property I double the landlord will sort everything - I suggest you write a comprehensive letter clearly and succinctly noting all the faults, dates of letter/mail to back up. Just clear concise facts, no emotion.  Finally state you will vacate the property one month from (whatever date) and please accept our deposit of (£xxx) which you are holding, as our last months rent. And go.
I know, technically you cannot use your deposit as last months rent, but I doubt you'd get it back anyway, just move on and hopefully find yourselves a better landlord  - we are out there, trust me!!
Good luck.