Ragamvffyn
18-08-2010, 12:57 PM
Hey, this is my first post so I hope I've got everything right!
I'm a Tenant in what I have discovered is a HMO property (I didn't realize when we signed the tenancy agreement), I live in the ground floor flat and upstairs is a 3 bedroom two-story apartment.
Problem the first.....
When we moved in we were told that we would have use of the basement and two hall closets. The extra space is the reason why we picked this place, everywhere else we'ed seen had no storage space.
Around 1 month ago a HMO inspector turned up, and wanted to look around our flat, which is the first I heard of my home even being part of a HMO! He made some rather stupid complaints, for instance I had a bag of recycling rubbish I had not put outside and he complained at me about how I shouldn't keep rubbish in the house, even though I pointed out that I just hadn't had chance to put it out. He also whined about us having a couple of cardboard boxes about - we had only moved in 3 weeks prior which said he knew(?).
We were then told that we can use either of the closet as they are 'under the stairs' - which they aren't; they are under upstairs' hall. Or the basement because the stairs are internal, under upstairs' stairs and wooden so we could get trapped in the event of a fire. I pointed out that we have a second entrance with concrete stairs in the back garden, but somehow i'm still foolish enough to get trapped down their.
As we were told we would have access and they are not as the council claim they are do we have any comeback for appeal?
Problem the second...
I was told by my landlord that the second inspection would be on the 15th August, which I noticed is a Sunday - he double checked thinking it may actually be the 16th. But indeed his paperwork said the 15th. He rang on Friday the 13th to inform me that the inspection officer had not showed up to an inspection at another property and when he contacted the council they informed him that all his inspection had been re-arranged but they hadn't bothered to inform him. He then told us that our inspection was re-arranged for the 26th.
At the moment I will not be home on that date so my partner has arranged with his work to have that day off - I believe he had to use one of his holiday days to do it.
A couple of hours ago I got a text message from my landlord to inform me that they are in fact coming tomorrow at some point. My partner is in work all day tomorrow and he can't change his hours at such stupidly short notice. I am not in tomorrow either - I can change my plans partially but I have to leave the house mid afternoon for a meeting. I've contacted the landlord and the council to find out what time they are supposed to be showing up and neither knew! The council are apparently going to ring me back (I doubt that somehow....)
If they do ring back can I insist they come on the 26th as that is the date we have made arrangements for? I'm not amused as they just can't expect people to change plans at short notice because they've changed their minds on some whim. If they show up when we are both out can they make the landlord let them in? I'd rather not have some random person wondering around my flat without one of us being here.
Sorry it's a bit long!
R
I'm a Tenant in what I have discovered is a HMO property (I didn't realize when we signed the tenancy agreement), I live in the ground floor flat and upstairs is a 3 bedroom two-story apartment.
Problem the first.....
When we moved in we were told that we would have use of the basement and two hall closets. The extra space is the reason why we picked this place, everywhere else we'ed seen had no storage space.
Around 1 month ago a HMO inspector turned up, and wanted to look around our flat, which is the first I heard of my home even being part of a HMO! He made some rather stupid complaints, for instance I had a bag of recycling rubbish I had not put outside and he complained at me about how I shouldn't keep rubbish in the house, even though I pointed out that I just hadn't had chance to put it out. He also whined about us having a couple of cardboard boxes about - we had only moved in 3 weeks prior which said he knew(?).
We were then told that we can use either of the closet as they are 'under the stairs' - which they aren't; they are under upstairs' hall. Or the basement because the stairs are internal, under upstairs' stairs and wooden so we could get trapped in the event of a fire. I pointed out that we have a second entrance with concrete stairs in the back garden, but somehow i'm still foolish enough to get trapped down their.
As we were told we would have access and they are not as the council claim they are do we have any comeback for appeal?
Problem the second...
I was told by my landlord that the second inspection would be on the 15th August, which I noticed is a Sunday - he double checked thinking it may actually be the 16th. But indeed his paperwork said the 15th. He rang on Friday the 13th to inform me that the inspection officer had not showed up to an inspection at another property and when he contacted the council they informed him that all his inspection had been re-arranged but they hadn't bothered to inform him. He then told us that our inspection was re-arranged for the 26th.
At the moment I will not be home on that date so my partner has arranged with his work to have that day off - I believe he had to use one of his holiday days to do it.
A couple of hours ago I got a text message from my landlord to inform me that they are in fact coming tomorrow at some point. My partner is in work all day tomorrow and he can't change his hours at such stupidly short notice. I am not in tomorrow either - I can change my plans partially but I have to leave the house mid afternoon for a meeting. I've contacted the landlord and the council to find out what time they are supposed to be showing up and neither knew! The council are apparently going to ring me back (I doubt that somehow....)
If they do ring back can I insist they come on the 26th as that is the date we have made arrangements for? I'm not amused as they just can't expect people to change plans at short notice because they've changed their minds on some whim. If they show up when we are both out can they make the landlord let them in? I'd rather not have some random person wondering around my flat without one of us being here.
Sorry it's a bit long!
R