Renting my first apartment in Ireland... Are these acceptable?

Panline

Hello,

I've been renting an apartment in Dublin for 2 months. It is not expensive -700E and I live with my significant other-, and it is very well located, but:

- The windows are not isolated and the apartment is very windy and

- we have central heating and the landlord only heatsfor 6 hours a day (3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the night).

- As a result, the apartment is very cold. Our bathroom is only 11°C (it is the coldest room, always damp because there is not heating at all in it). Our "hottest" room is out living room, and it is only 15.5°C. Our bedroom is at best 13°C.

- He installed a 2E coin-operated electricity meter and is re-selling the electricity at the rate of 30cts per kW. It is almost twice the standard rate of 17cts per kW I noticed when I looked at the price of electricity in Ireland in average.

- We have immersion, which is pretty common, but ours is not insulated at all. The water won't stay hot for more than 30 minutes

- Speaking of hot water, sometimes it just doesn't come to our shower. The immersion is on, the water is hot and we can get it at our kitchen sink. But it won't come at our shower. There is no pressure at all, and when I say no pressure, I mean that sometimes, you are under the shower and the water just stops comig. So you have the choice between not showering and showering with very cold water. But at that there are still hot water and we know it because we can have it in our sink, It just doesn't come to the shower.



We are really wondering whether this apartment is suitable to live in. We already tried to talk to the landlord but it takes lots of efforts like 5 or 6 reminders to get anything done. We are not from Ireland and we are wondering whether these conditions are acceptable here, if our complains are legitimate. We don't want to be "that" couple of foreigners who complain about everything that is not "like home".

Please, please advise us. We wish we could just leave a notice and change place but we would loose our deposit. We have to stay in it at least until March in order not to loose it, but the winter will be very difficult. It is already very difficult to live in it given it is so cold everywhere.

Do you think it is normal? If it is not, what can we do? Can we seek help from anything?

Thanks a lot in advance,
Pauline

Stheno

They are not acceptable, is your tenancy registered with the PRTB?

Panline

I don't even know

jd

Panline wrote: »

I don't even know

Check here
https://www.prtb.ie/public_registrations.aspx

Panline

jd wrote: »

Check here
https://www.prtb.ie/public_registrations.aspx

Thanks but I can't download the file, I am redirected to the home page when I try. I tried to set up an account but even with an account I can't download it.

Edit: I downloaded it now, checking.

Panline

It isn't in the list of registred accomodation https://www.prtb.ie/public_registrations.aspx

cruizer101

Yeah that websites bit funny, try the excel files and not clicking on map that was only one that worked for me.

Anyway my advice would be to get out, that is no where near acceptable. You'll find somewhere else far better, maybe smaller maybe not as good location but the winter isn't going to get any warmer and by sounds of it landlord is a complete chancer.

I'm not 100% sure but think i remember hearing before that its illegal to resell electricity at higher price. And restricting the heating is ridiculous.

Have a look on daft.ie to see whats available

Panline

I wish I could Cruizer and I'm not saying I can't but the landlord said we would loose the deposit if we live now. He said if we move out in the 1st 6 months we loose the deposit and after the 6 1st month we don't loose it except if we caused any serious damage to the apartment. That is the only reason why I'm not saying right away that I leave.

Agent Smith

how long have you left?

Panline

4 months from now. we could leave just after the winter.

Just checked the temperature of my bedroom: 13C right now. I don't even want to know how low it can be at night, but at least now I understand why I wake up frozen. We are using two bed-sheets since yesterday.

the_syco

Panline wrote: »

- The windows are not isolated and the apartment is very windy and

- As a result, the apartment is very cold. Our bathroom is only 11°C (it is the coldest room, always damp because there is not heating at all in it). Our "hottest" room is out living room, and it is only 15.5°C. Our bedroom is at best 13°C.

This is not normal, and if it's this bad now, you're going to be rightly fúcked if it snows!

When you signed the tenancy contract, did the landlord have a BER? http://www.seai.ie/Your_Building/BER/Householders/

Also have a read of this; http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/repairs_maintenance_and_minimum_physical_standards.html - there may be something there that could help ye.

Panline

Hi,

Thanks everyone for all your help. I read the minimum standards that the landlord has to respect but it doesn't seem like he is breaking any of these rules. Still, I don't think the apartment is suitable to live, especially because of the cold and the lack of hot water in the shower.

I just checked the lease and there is nothing, no mention at all of how to quit the apartment. No mention of these 6 months within which he keeps the deposit. Does anyone know what he is talking about? I really think it could be useful for us to speak with people who really know their stuff. Is there any association that can help people like us / advise us?

No BER mentioned either, nor in the lease or ever.

sassyj

Try here for advice ,
http://www.threshold.ie/advice/

the_syco

Panline wrote: »

I just checked the lease and there is nothing, no mention at all of how to quit the apartment. No mention of these 6 months within which he keeps the deposit. Does anyone know what he is talking about?

Never heard about it before, but as it's not in the contract, he'll probably "forget" about the 6 month clause.

As said, goto Threshold.