Housing Repairs

underpass909's picture
Thu, 10/14/2010 - 18:03
by underpass909

Hello all. I have a friend whom rents there home from the council.

Now the problem is that they have had a leak in the roof through no fault of theres. The man came out and could not find anything so off he went.

They now have a wet patch, mould, damp and a garstly smell. They are still waiting for this particular council to come out and put it right. They are not asking for much but now can not use that room at all plus they have two kids as well.

Is there anyone who may be higher up in the council they could speak to about this or is there some organisation that could give this council a kick up the backside.

All suggestions and comments welcome.

William

sellotape100m's picture
Sun, 10/17/2010 - 19:32
by sellotape100m

That is not good for a council tenant. You would expect a lot better from the council. I was thinking to myself that I personally would have thought that if someone has to rent then they would be better off with a local council of the area they are in. Urm, in this case then they may not be.

Damp, mould etc is not good for anyones health at all. They council needs to be putting this right as soon as possible.

I would say chase them up again and if the people you know can get a digital camera and take lots of photos and may be get someone to print them off or put them on a cd and make sure they keep a copy as well.

If no joy there then I would suggest going to the housing department and say you want to make an official complaint about the state of the home and if they are not going to do anything then you are going to seek legal advice. If paying for legal advice is not an option then it would be well worth a trip to the citizens advice beura as they will be able to give lots of really great advice for free and hopefully the will be able to get this poor situation sorted once and for all.

It is a matter of a health problem now for them.

Good luck

Oliver

Oliver

bodgeitfornow's picture
Fri, 11/05/2010 - 19:36
by bodgeitfornow

If the council of the house the people you know rent from are still having no joy then see about legal advice as they can not live in conditions like that. This 2010 not 1810.

They could go to the C.A.B if a solicitor is to costly as they will also be able to advise.

Good luck Wink

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  • cuold you please find me wulvern housing repairs number crewe?

    back yard man hole
    if you call 01270 503500 you will be answered by the customer services desk there who are also the repairs department, so you just ring up and report your repair (that's once you've got through the call queue!).

  • Is selling off Social housing a bad thing in order to pay for debts & repairs?

    How can they guarantee the safety of tenants & their homes under a new management ?
    Selling off social housing is a good idea short-term but a very bad one long-term.

    We need to think not only of people who need housing now, but also to have something available to meet future need. If the social housing system has been dismantled there will be nothing left for the next generation.

  • How much money can an UK citizen living in UK receive from abroad for house repairs, with no tax liability?

    I am an Indian national and want to send some moeny to my daughter in UK for meeting household expenses. Can she receive Pds.25K without attracting tax liability?
    There is no gift tax in the UK - you can send as much as you want, but make sure it is well documented, ie she can show where it came from.

  • Does a Housing Association have to do repairs, even if it's not in the contract you signed?


    It all comes down to what repairs you are talking about. Some, like a hot water supply, are required by law. Others, are not.

  • How do i get my Housing Association to carry out a repair?

    I am due to move house soon (as you know this can be a stressful time) and i have viewed the property which is in need of quiet a few repairs. One of them is rotting kitchen cupboards which the maintenence manager feels doesn't need replacing therefore wont do so but, i feel they are in really bad condition as the backs of the cupboards are broken exposing the damp concrete walls & pipes as well as the front of them rotting due to water spillage not wiped hence the rotting!!! I would like to know if i anyone could give me information on wether or not this would be a health & saftey issue on which my landlord would have to replace these cupboards? Or if anyone knows of a way in which they would be forced to change them with any legality info? Any help appreciated.
    I would also like to add (which i forgot to mention earlier) i have two children (1 boy 11 & 1 girl 9) & i live currently in a two bed house therefore i needed to upsize to a 3 bed. I've been on the waiting list for 7yrs and was in desperate need for a 3 bed as they were both sharing a room. My current landlord (who is also my new landlord) knew this and know i was desperate to move so i guess knowing my situation has me over a barrel & i feel won't carry out this repair knowing that i would accept the property even though the cupboards are in this state (which this would save them money) and as i'm not in a position to be choosey will have no choice but to accept. (Thanks to those who've already responded).
    This answer only applies if you are in England or Wales.
    Under s11 of the Landlord and tenant Act 1985 your landlord has to keep in repair certain aspects of the property; these do NOT include the kitchen cupboards but DO include leaking pipes. If the pipes are leaking and have caused rot, this IS something the landlord should deal with. Damp walls are a tricky issue and may or may not fall within s.11. The other thing to look at is the tenancy agreement, as the landlord may have agreed to repair more than just what s. 11 says. However, whether something needs repair is generally a matter of degree. You may think it needs repair, the landlord, who has to pay for it, may disagree!
    You have a few options -
    1. Don't move there (not a good one, I'm sure)
    2. Install new cupboards yourself, or do them up if you can.
    3. Write to the landlord explaining the extent of the problem and the reasons why you say it needs dealing with. Enclose photos. Threaten to withhold rent unless it's done.
    4. Get legal advice. Go to a CAB with photos of the kitchen. Or go to your council who may have a private landlord section. Take photographs. DON'T go to firms who may knock on your door saying they'll do it on a no win no fee basis. They will sign you up to expensive insurance and finance deals and won't do a good job.

  • Why are local authorities slow to repair their housing stock?

    I have to wait for yonks for repairs to my council house. I'm a council tenant and proud to be. Quite annoying, because I pay my rent without fail every month.
    simple they want your money but not to spend it i am also awaiting repairs

  • Can I sue my housing association for not repairing the leaky roof and damp I've been reporting for two years?

    I live in a housing association property and have been reporting to them about my damp, leaky roof, no insulation and next to no felt for TWO YEARS!They have given us several dates that they will 'repair' it by, however nothing has happened. Last week we spoke to the MP for our district he contacted the relevent people directly and they agreed to have it done by yesterday- however nothing has been done even now. please help with any advice or law knowledge- we are looking to set up a legal case against them!! thank you
    Hi
    Yes you can take legal action against the Housing Association, but I would advise you to get legal advice. If you have a law centre near you they should be able to help. If not you might qualify for legal aid or a local solicitor might act for you on a 'pro bono' (free) basis. The law centre is the best option. Consider all the other advice you get here as well, but don't do this by yourself - you do need legal advice to be successful. Good Luck - you deserve to live in a dry warm house!

  • Housing grants for repairs.?

    I hope i have put this in the right section,sorry if i have not.

    My mother and father applied for and got a grant from the council to do their home up,new roof etc,rewiring,in 2000.It took a few years to pass.The grant was accepted and the building works etc and signing off that the work was completed was May 25th 2005(all jobs had been finished to the correct standard).

    My mother has all the documents and contracts signed at the time.It is her understanding,going by the REGULATORY REFORM ORDER 2002--SUMMARY OF GRANTS DOCUMENTS she was given then,that has long has she lives in the property for 3 years after completion,May 25th 2005,it is ok to sell.
    My father passed away November 2005,so now,has far as my mother is concerned the condition of the grant has been met,May 25th 2008.With my father passing away,my mother no longer wants to stay in the house,she wants to sell and move back to the West Midlands where all her family live.

    Does she have to inform the council of her intentions to sell the property(which by the way is privately owned by my mother,low income though being pensioner).
    Will she have to pay back any of the cost of the grant/refurbishment etc.

    Any help would assist greatly,because if my mother had to pay back any costs from the sale of her house(terraced),towards the grant,she would not have much money left to by another in the midlands?
    The RRO effectively freed up local councils to decide their own policies in relation to housing assistance, completely scrapping the national regime that existed from 1996.

    Most councils did, however, choose to continue with schemes that were broadly similar to the 1996 provisions. This usually means that if the property is sold within a given number of years a percentage of the grant has to be repaid - usually on a sliding scale. The terms that you mention seem to be in line with those imposed by a large number of authorities, and it would appear that your mother is free to sell without having to repay any of the grant.

    The council will, however, give detailed advice and, hopefully, confirm the position is as I mention.

  • My friend has a 25% share in a house which now has major structual repairs?

    The remaining 75% is owned by a housing association. She needs the exteriour walls replaced, new wall ties, cavity trays, windows, joists strapped. This obviously is a major cost to her. The housing association say that they are not responsible for costs. She believes that her insurance will not cover this repair but also suspects that she has subsidence. The house Insurance loss adjustor has written a report and she disagrees with this. Has anyone any suggestions on how to proceed now
    The housing association is responsible for paying 75% of the bill if not all of it, get your friend to speak to citizens advice. They will put her on to the right governing body and they in turn will pressure the HA. they will try to wrangle their way out of paying for anything but with a stake as big as 75%, how can they expect her to pay for it all and them gain at the end once the jobs done and the house value rockets as a consequence.

    It's not logical and they can't get away with it. Good luck