Renting a house - whats our entitlement (nasty landlord)

padr81

About 3 weeks before christmas my g/f opted to take a new house on condition with the landlord that it was tidied up. We were due to move in a week before christmas but when we arrived their was nothing done with the house, being homeless with 2 kids over christmas, we decided to move in on condition that the house was done 1st week in january which was promised.

The house was in terrible condition, first off we had to sweep up the kitchen ceiling as half it was all over the floor. Had to scrub mould outta the fridge as the door was left closed for the time the house was vacant. We did that much.

As we come to the end of January theres being nothing done.

-the kitchen ceiling has still not being plastered
-The garden shed is still full of rubbish from the previous tenants and theres no sign of it being moved.
-The ensuite shower is still leaking through the living room roof.
-The walls are filthy and we can't clean them ourselves cause if you rub them with a cloth the paint comes off the wall, we tried to get a cleaning company in and even they said they won't touch it as the walls are unwashable.
-The washing machine broke down a week ago, when my girlfriend went in to pay the rent yesterday, she mentioned that she needed it as the laundry bills for 2 kids (one aged 3, one aged 2) were massive, he muttered something about "not my problem" or some**** saying he'd ordered the new one today.
-we've still not got a rentbook or anything from him, not even signed the lease as the night my g/f was supposed to he left here sitting in the house on her own from 6p.m. till 9 oclock, as he went drinking with one of his mates.

The day we moved in we took pictures of all the problems, with the ceiling, the dirty walls, the shower leaks on the sitting room ceiling and the rubbish in the shed.

I know it'd be easy to just up and leave but I don't want to move the kids again, I don't drive and moving costs a fortune, the day before we were due to move in we had the tank filled with heating oil and as neither of us are working we are claiming rent allowance and we're only allowed move every 18 months or something. Anyone got any idea of who we could contact or anything we can get done about it. this guy is trading under one of the biggest irish property companies. would it be a good idea to contact them directly and make a complaint above his head. Someone else mentioned Threshold but as far as I'm aware they only do Galway in the west.

I was considering refusing to pay rent until the house is done but I dunno how legal that is.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as we can't even have visitors to the house cause we're afraid if they see the dirt of the walls they'll say its us who don't clean etc...

Cathmandooo

Threshold look after all of Ireland.

www.threshold.ie

I'd contact them immediately and ask their advice. It sounds like your house is in poor condition.

From their website:

Standards
Your landlord must, by law, ensure that your home complies with certain minimum standards (e.g. free from damp, in good structural repair, hot and cold water, adequate means of heating and ventilation, appliances in good working order, electrical wiring, gas, pipes in good repair). If your home does not comply with these standards, report it to your local authority or the Private Residential Tenancies Board. An inspection will be carried out and the landlord ordered to do any necessary repairs. Contact Threshold, the Private Residential Tenancies Board or your local authority for further advice.

Victor

First step: go to Threshold. www.threshold.ie

padr81 wrote: »

as neither of us are working we are claiming rent allowance and we're only allowed move every 18 months or something.

You might talk to the community welfare officer and explain that there are problems and hte landlords hasn't sorted them.

this guy is trading under one of the biggest irish property companies. would it be a good idea to contact them directly and make a complaint above his head.

If the company own the property, then write to him giving him a deadline and then go over his head. And go to Threshold, the council housing department and the PRTB also

I was considering refusing to pay rent until the house is done but I dunno how legal that is.

This is potentially playing into his hands and detrimental to you, so don't do that.