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Hi all,
very sorry but this is a bit of a longwinded one....
Back on oct 5th 2012 we moved into a private rented property. We paid deposit and a months rent upfront. the months rent was short by £80 which we were due to pay a week later but within 2 days the cooker broke and the landlord told us to go buy one instead of paying the £80.
When myself and my partner initally moved in my friend at the time came with us. A week later she got sacked from her job and refused to sign on so couldnt pay her rent. we asked her to leave as it was not our job to support her and she kept bringing over her boyfriend for the whole week using our utilities and not offering to pay even thou he had his own place. On the day she moved out we had the police in attendance as she threatened to bring a local gang over.
In jan 2013 my hours at my work were cut to just 16 a week. we claimed hb and got a little help towards the rent. we explained to landlord what happened and he seemed to be understanding saying just pay what u can and catch up when your hours go up.
when we first moved in the landlord told us he had to do repairs. they were:
repair rotten floor in conservatory
repair damp lino in kitchen
repair leaking porch
repair leaking shower.
He promised these would be done in weeks and they werent. same excuse oh i need dry weather (well not gonna happen in britain in winter!!)
the floor in conservatory was re layed but he never stuck the lino down so we now have bugs coming in and again its damp.
kitchen lino damp is very bad its halfway across the floor.
side porch leakes that much its boomd on the ceiling and there are funghi growing where the leaks are.
we wrote to the landlord in feb asking about the repairs and also our concerns there was no carbon monoxide detector when there is a gas fire in the house.
he wrote back a letter and turned into landlord from hell. he basically said cause we were in arrears we were cheeky asking for repairs. he accused us of trying to cause a fight with my friend who had to leave and thats why the police were there(even thou we called him that day and told him everything.)
he said we had cats there without his permission when i very clearly asked if they accept animals before the viewing and they said yes as long as its not a big dog.
he also said carbon detctor was not his fault the last tenants took it and he didnt notice (p*ss poor excuse)
he also sent us a section 21. to evict. this was invalid as i had since found he failed to protect my deposit. I sent him a message explaining why his notice was invalid due to not protecting my deposit. he then protected it and did a new section 21. we have written proof from the dps proving deposit was not protected till feb 13 2013 not within 30 days of tenancy start.
he has now sents us more documents saying he is applying for possesion from the courts from 23 may 2013.
the council see us as a low priorty even thou we have documents from doc showing with our mental health issues if we were made homeless it will have detrimental effect to my health.
I have now started a full time job but it will be a month before pay. so i have no time to save up a months rent and deposit that quick.
i have sent the landlord several texts about repairs and trying to sort this but all have gone unanswered. i have photographic evidence of the bad state of repairs to.
how long does it take through the courts before i have to really leave? do i have a case to fight back? very worried about being homeless as i will essentially lose my job as well as neither of us have family or friends we can stay with.?
many thanks
sorry its long had to give you all a clear picture
very sorry but this is a bit of a longwinded one....
Back on oct 5th 2012 we moved into a private rented property. We paid deposit and a months rent upfront. the months rent was short by £80 which we were due to pay a week later but within 2 days the cooker broke and the landlord told us to go buy one instead of paying the £80.
When myself and my partner initally moved in my friend at the time came with us. A week later she got sacked from her job and refused to sign on so couldnt pay her rent. we asked her to leave as it was not our job to support her and she kept bringing over her boyfriend for the whole week using our utilities and not offering to pay even thou he had his own place. On the day she moved out we had the police in attendance as she threatened to bring a local gang over.
In jan 2013 my hours at my work were cut to just 16 a week. we claimed hb and got a little help towards the rent. we explained to landlord what happened and he seemed to be understanding saying just pay what u can and catch up when your hours go up.
when we first moved in the landlord told us he had to do repairs. they were:
repair rotten floor in conservatory
repair damp lino in kitchen
repair leaking porch
repair leaking shower.
He promised these would be done in weeks and they werent. same excuse oh i need dry weather (well not gonna happen in britain in winter!!)
the floor in conservatory was re layed but he never stuck the lino down so we now have bugs coming in and again its damp.
kitchen lino damp is very bad its halfway across the floor.
side porch leakes that much its boomd on the ceiling and there are funghi growing where the leaks are.
we wrote to the landlord in feb asking about the repairs and also our concerns there was no carbon monoxide detector when there is a gas fire in the house.
he wrote back a letter and turned into landlord from hell. he basically said cause we were in arrears we were cheeky asking for repairs. he accused us of trying to cause a fight with my friend who had to leave and thats why the police were there(even thou we called him that day and told him everything.)
he said we had cats there without his permission when i very clearly asked if they accept animals before the viewing and they said yes as long as its not a big dog.
he also said carbon detctor was not his fault the last tenants took it and he didnt notice (p*ss poor excuse)
he also sent us a section 21. to evict. this was invalid as i had since found he failed to protect my deposit. I sent him a message explaining why his notice was invalid due to not protecting my deposit. he then protected it and did a new section 21. we have written proof from the dps proving deposit was not protected till feb 13 2013 not within 30 days of tenancy start.
he has now sents us more documents saying he is applying for possesion from the courts from 23 may 2013.
the council see us as a low priorty even thou we have documents from doc showing with our mental health issues if we were made homeless it will have detrimental effect to my health.
I have now started a full time job but it will be a month before pay. so i have no time to save up a months rent and deposit that quick.
i have sent the landlord several texts about repairs and trying to sort this but all have gone unanswered. i have photographic evidence of the bad state of repairs to.
how long does it take through the courts before i have to really leave? do i have a case to fight back? very worried about being homeless as i will essentially lose my job as well as neither of us have family or friends we can stay with.?
many thanks
sorry its long had to give you all a clear picture
