Advice needed on state of rental please

Thatagirl

Hi all ! I’m completely new to this site! I’m having major difficulty with the state of my little flat (which I have been renting for nearly 6 years). It has been one thing after another since day one – the floor has subsided to the extent that the wardrobe once fell down on top of me, the shower has been leaking which now means that the bathroom floor by the shower is now rotten (I put my foot through it in May so now there’s a hole in the floor!), my oven door is falling apart so it means that I am holding it together with a wire coat hanger (not surprisingly it takes 3 times as long to cook anything!), the lino in the bathroom and the kitchen are torn and unhygienic, I’m sleeping on a bed that simply knackered (I’ve had to put planks of wood between the mattress and the base for support), and as from last Saturday my emersion has packed up which means that I have no hot water … the list goes on and on!

I know you probably think that I’m crazy for still living there but I have spent loads of my own money painting the place, putting up shelves, making it nice and I’m really happy living in the area. I’ve contacted the agent so many times but it always results in broken promises! I’ve recently phoned the Dublin Co Co and left my details for a surveyor to phone me back but they haven’t as yet! Any advice on how to deal with my lazy lard of an agent would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Ste.phen

Call Threshold, seriously!

http://threshold.ie/

They'll give you good, proper advice on what to do next. Calling the housing standards dept of teh council was probably a good idea, if they ever come out to inspect.

Glittergirl

Are you mad or what? Myself and my husband have a one-bed flat in Dublin city center for the past 5 years now and are renting it out. We have this managed with a management agency and every month .... I mean EVERY month, there is something getting fixed/repaired etc. We had to fix the boiler last month, the light in the oven etc. etc.

We don't mind paying for stuff if they genuinely need fixing as we certainly don't want our flat to be falling down and we want our tenants to be happy.

My point is ..... if you are renting, it is up to the flammin' landlord/management agency to get these things fixed for crying out loud?

I'd say start looking for a new place. Sounds like a health hazzard there???

The_Conductor

As glittergirl says- any property will require constant attention and maintenance. It very much sounds like you have a hobby landlord, who really hasn't got a clue what their obligations are towards their tenants or what their legal obligations are. From your description above, it also sounds as though the apartment is just this side of being condemned. As suggested above- I would call Threshold immediately- I would also call the environmental health officer of the local council.

Thatagirl

Thanks guys for your advice – it is very much appreciated! The flat is in exactly the same state one week later - I’m still without hot water and there has been no contact from my lazy lard landlord! I have emailed and contacted Threshold a week ago but they haven’t responded! However, the surveyor from Dublin Co. Co. phoned me this morning and she is going to write out to my landlord and give him about 1.5 weeks before they do a “routine” inspection of all the flats in the house! I think this is the best route to go – hit the lazy lard where it hurts!

Thanks again!
Stinky