Bedsit not up to standard

Technocentral

Council official came last week to place I live, place has 2 shared toilets for 5 people, no laundry facilities etc, how long before landlord has to fix up or sell?

MouseTail

I'm sorry to hear that, whilst its great rogue Landlords are being forced to comply, it is sh1tty for tenants in the units to face this uncertainty. I would imagine you have a bit of time, an improvement notice must be served giving LL time to rectify before a prohibition notice.
I would start looking straight away though, if LL has not had the money to inclination to bring the house up to standards that were brought in 2 years ago, and had a long lead in time, he is unlikely to do it now. More likely in a rising market he will sell than upgrade, if he upgrades, I am not sure of the legislation regarding whether he must provide housing for the original tenants. Maybe contact Threshold, although their advice can be a bit hit and miss on non standard issues such as this. FLAC might be better.

hfallada

I think DCC give 90 days to fix non-urgent things like air vents for ventiliation or a broken gutter. But they expect certain things like Fire standards to be met immediately.

I imagine your LL wasnt bother meeting standards, as the chances of getting inspected from DCC are extremely rare unless you are in an area with lots of Pre-63s or a tenant calls them on you. I imagine your LL could simply get rid of the bedsit element and convert it to a house share, as there is minimal standards for a stand alone house. But either way I imagine LL might have to evict someone to put a kitchen somewhere. Also expect a rent increase to cover the upgrade cost

Technocentral

Thanks, I assume standard 30 days notice applies though?

Greenmachine

Shared toilet have been illegal a long time now other than in a house share.

MouseTail

Technocentral wrote: »

Thanks, I assume standard 30 days notice applies though?

There doesn't seem to be a legal definition of 'set timeframe'. I would think 30 days is short to expect someone to get the finance together and work done to comply.

Technocentral

Sorry meant 30 days for tenants to quit as is standard.

campingcarist

Technocentral wrote: »

Sorry meant 30 days for tenants to quit as is standard.

If there is no fixed term agreement then the landlord can serve a Termination Notice, reason: he have extensive modifications to the property, and notice period depends on how long the tenant has been in place. That is, unless the Council's notice to vacate overrides the RTA 2004, which it probably does.

Mrs OBumble

If toilets are the only issue, then one option for the LL is to simply evict 3 of ye, and keep the other two with one toilet each.

I know of some who've done things like that, or have created a "shared house" out of what was previously a set of bedsits.

Technocentral

campingcarist wrote: »

If there is no fixed term agreement then the landlord can serve a Termination Notice, reason: he have extensive modifications to the property, and notice period depends on how long the tenant has been in place. That is, unless the Council's notice to vacate overrides the RTA 2004, which it probably does.

Lease is up in May, I presume he has to give at least 30 days notice, how can people be supposed to find accommodation in less than 30 days?

cerastes

Technocentral wrote: »

Lease is up in May, I presume he has to give at least 30 days notice, how can people be supposed to find accommodation in less than 30 days?

Thats not the councils concern, all they need to know is you are safe out on youre arses in the freezing cold, at least then you wont have to share a toilet or potentially burn to death, they have done you a favour here, cant you see?

I dont have such a place, but I cannot see how a bedsit is an issue and isnt a viable rental option for some people. As much as I wouldnt want to share certain facilities, it seems like it could be a cheaper viable rental option.
Its along with requiring landlords to provide microwaves (who wants to use some grotty microwave as some people/tenants treat their own stuff badly enough) and 4 ring hobs for a property that shouldnt require them.

Id say, the landlord should chuck out the appropriate numbers to match the toilets and either sell or re do the place to in the meantime or turn it into a less secure house share with one shared kitchen and other facilities, none of which is better for the tenant.

Could access to laundry facilities not mean there is a a nearby functioning launderette? I dont see why not, this makes much more sense than providing a basic cheap washing machine for each unit where that would be overkill or a basic cheap washing machine for the entire group, whereas a launderette is a business that solely uses industrial washing machines, and will quickly have access to other machines in the business unit.