Termination of Tenancy

CiaranC33

I am currently 7 months in to a 1 year lease. A deposit was paid and rent is paid on a weekly basis. The accommodation is cold and mould has grown on some of my clothes. The house is heated by oil and is on a timer which comes on in the morning and again in the evening for an hour which sends heat to the heaters in the rooms. The house also has an oil range which was converted from solid fuel before I had moved in. The oil range emits fumes which leaves my clothes smelling of kerosene so I don’t spend time in this room. As the house has no attic insulation the heat just escapes through the roof as soon as the timer oil heating timer switches off.
The landlord agreed to insulate the attic and said he would get a plumber to look at the range. A plumber looked at the range before on two separate occasions and the smell of kerosene still persists from the range. I don’t wish to stay on in the house as I feel it is bad for my health. I wish to terminate my contract.
What rights do I have? And what procedures should I take?

Cathmandooo

So the attic is now insulated and your landlord has had someone look at the range twice, as per your request?

You'll either have to find tenants to take over your lease, or you'll have to forfeit your deposit and risk having to pay the remaining rent.

Talking to your landlord is your first course of action. Explain the smell is still there, request a termination of your lease if it can't be fixed. See what he/she says to that.

CiaranC33

Hi Cathmandooo,
Thanks for the response. The landlord agreed to insulate the attic but has not done it yet. A plumber has look at the range twice as per my request but the smell of kerosene is still there. The fumes from the range are a major concern and im sure there is grounds for termination of my lease.
I have called my landlord and he insists that I fulfill my side of the contact. I mentioned the insulation (which he will install), the fumes (which he will get a plumber to look at) but one thing i forgot to mention was that when the lease was sign both partys agreed that double glazed windows would be installed and to date only half have been put in and he refuses to install the remaining stating that I am not paying enough rent. Surely he is in breech of contact here. No?

tara73

I would consider contacting prtb.
tell the ll you can't continue living in these property as it is a risk to your health, which is true from your descriptions. make your point very clear.
if he's not understanding and is not willing to pay back the deposit let him know about your intention to involve the prtb and go from there.

CiaranC33

Thanks for the advice. I got in contact with my landlord and explained my suitation with the smell of fumes from the range and agreed it would have to be looked at and said if I wanted to leave I could do so. Thank again for your help guys.