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Hi everyone had some great help off this site before regarding CT issues always looking in but can't seem to find any advice for my current predicament. It's a bit of a long one so please bear with me.
I was renting a ground floor flat from the private rent section of Bromford Housing. I had numerous problems with them in terms of repairs being reported, escalated or carried out. Even getting senior members of departments to return my calls was a chore. I would always ask for a workman to ring me when he was on the way to visit the property so I could guarantee someone being there to let them in however this never happened resulting in delays to repairs. In one instance the heating element in my cooker blew tripping the switch etc and leaving me without a cooker. I reported it and was told it wasn't an emergency this was on the Friday I asked how I was supposed to cook for myself and my kids over the weekend and was told to buy takeaways or just use the hob and someone would be out on the Monday. After taking a day off work no-one arrived and the issue wasn't resolved until late on the Tuesday. The property above me (Bromford owned) had a leak under the bath which affected my bathroom ceiling this was repaired however the problem re-occured and also started rotting the bathroom/hallway wall as the leak from upstairs was never fully resolved. I started to have an oily substance rise through the carpets (I did some research and discovered before flats the area was a chemical factory) after reporting this I was told carpets were nothing to do with them and were my responsibiity. I asked for some help with cost of replacing as when I did eventually leave I wouldn't be taking the flooring with me and they refused They did send an environmental officer however again no warning was given after being told the office would arrane an appointment I didn't hear anything again. There was also various issues regading the washer/dryer being repaired 4 times before I demanded a replacement and this was finally provided. Finally my property was due an annual inspection for necessary repairs etc at the start of the year to guarantee being in I arranged this for a Saturday being told between 8-12. On two seperate occasions I waited in until 1.30 and no-one ever showed. I also reported anti-social behaviour including having a settee slashed while waiting to get it into the property to be told there was nothing they could do without proof of who carried it out.
Cut to April this year I was offered a job in a different part of the country which would put me closer to my kids however my enloyer wanted me to start and move the following week. I contacted Bromford via phone and e-mail to enquire and see if we could reach an agreement over the notice to leave as I needed to move urgently but never had a reply until the day before I moved only being told I would have to pay rent up until a month after the date I first gave notice. This would come to around £288. I moved that weekend giving the flat a full clean the only things I never managed to do is repaint two walls or replace carpet (still with oily substance and general wear and tear.) I hand posted all keys and a letter detailing all the issues above and leaving contact details if they wanted to speak to me in April. I stated as I was leaving early I was happy to forgo any return on my deposit (£500) and for it to go towards the final rent payment with the extra however they saw fit.
Having had no contact I assumed the matter dealt with until around 3 weeks ago the finance officer contacted me saying I owed almost £1300 made up of £288 rent ans the rest rechargeable repairs. To say I was shocked is an understatement. They hadn't received my deposit from the DPS, this has now been resolved bringing the amount allegedly outstanding down to just under £800. The repairs listed were:
Cleaning £180 (as said I thouroughly cleaned the flat before leaving and was always in a good standard of cleanliness during my tenancy)
Decorating £751 ( I accept the two walls needed doing but no other wall had ever been changed)
Carpet replacement £17
lock change £42.86 (all keys were returned)
Plaster replace £15.83 (again I would say this was due to the leak and damp from above.
I am still in contact with a neighbour from the flat who told me someone else moved into the property around a month later after I left. The survey Bromford carried out was done without any contact or myself being there to dispute any claims for cost had they conacted me I would have arramged to meet and go around with them. I also believe had they managed to attend one of the property inspections arranged before I left these thins could have been pointed out and dealt with. I am wondering if I have any grounds to dispute these costs based on the problems I had with them during my tenency, annual inspections not being carried out (I was there for four years and never had a single inspection) and also them carrying out the work without contacting myself to discuss or to ask me to be present while assessing the property.
Sorry for such a long post any advice will be hugely appreciated and thanks in advance
I was renting a ground floor flat from the private rent section of Bromford Housing. I had numerous problems with them in terms of repairs being reported, escalated or carried out. Even getting senior members of departments to return my calls was a chore. I would always ask for a workman to ring me when he was on the way to visit the property so I could guarantee someone being there to let them in however this never happened resulting in delays to repairs. In one instance the heating element in my cooker blew tripping the switch etc and leaving me without a cooker. I reported it and was told it wasn't an emergency this was on the Friday I asked how I was supposed to cook for myself and my kids over the weekend and was told to buy takeaways or just use the hob and someone would be out on the Monday. After taking a day off work no-one arrived and the issue wasn't resolved until late on the Tuesday. The property above me (Bromford owned) had a leak under the bath which affected my bathroom ceiling this was repaired however the problem re-occured and also started rotting the bathroom/hallway wall as the leak from upstairs was never fully resolved. I started to have an oily substance rise through the carpets (I did some research and discovered before flats the area was a chemical factory) after reporting this I was told carpets were nothing to do with them and were my responsibiity. I asked for some help with cost of replacing as when I did eventually leave I wouldn't be taking the flooring with me and they refused They did send an environmental officer however again no warning was given after being told the office would arrane an appointment I didn't hear anything again. There was also various issues regading the washer/dryer being repaired 4 times before I demanded a replacement and this was finally provided. Finally my property was due an annual inspection for necessary repairs etc at the start of the year to guarantee being in I arranged this for a Saturday being told between 8-12. On two seperate occasions I waited in until 1.30 and no-one ever showed. I also reported anti-social behaviour including having a settee slashed while waiting to get it into the property to be told there was nothing they could do without proof of who carried it out.
Cut to April this year I was offered a job in a different part of the country which would put me closer to my kids however my enloyer wanted me to start and move the following week. I contacted Bromford via phone and e-mail to enquire and see if we could reach an agreement over the notice to leave as I needed to move urgently but never had a reply until the day before I moved only being told I would have to pay rent up until a month after the date I first gave notice. This would come to around £288. I moved that weekend giving the flat a full clean the only things I never managed to do is repaint two walls or replace carpet (still with oily substance and general wear and tear.) I hand posted all keys and a letter detailing all the issues above and leaving contact details if they wanted to speak to me in April. I stated as I was leaving early I was happy to forgo any return on my deposit (£500) and for it to go towards the final rent payment with the extra however they saw fit.
Having had no contact I assumed the matter dealt with until around 3 weeks ago the finance officer contacted me saying I owed almost £1300 made up of £288 rent ans the rest rechargeable repairs. To say I was shocked is an understatement. They hadn't received my deposit from the DPS, this has now been resolved bringing the amount allegedly outstanding down to just under £800. The repairs listed were:
Cleaning £180 (as said I thouroughly cleaned the flat before leaving and was always in a good standard of cleanliness during my tenancy)
Decorating £751 ( I accept the two walls needed doing but no other wall had ever been changed)
Carpet replacement £17
lock change £42.86 (all keys were returned)
Plaster replace £15.83 (again I would say this was due to the leak and damp from above.
I am still in contact with a neighbour from the flat who told me someone else moved into the property around a month later after I left. The survey Bromford carried out was done without any contact or myself being there to dispute any claims for cost had they conacted me I would have arramged to meet and go around with them. I also believe had they managed to attend one of the property inspections arranged before I left these thins could have been pointed out and dealt with. I am wondering if I have any grounds to dispute these costs based on the problems I had with them during my tenency, annual inspections not being carried out (I was there for four years and never had a single inspection) and also them carrying out the work without contacting myself to discuss or to ask me to be present while assessing the property.
Sorry for such a long post any advice will be hugely appreciated and thanks in advance
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