Dont know what to do feels like I got no power with housing safety
Hi everyone.
I am partially disabled, and have been living in a privately rented flat now for nearly 20 years, its in a poor location, not disabled friendly, and poor living conditions, but have stayed here mainly because the council said I wasnt eligible for housing and anything on the private rental market is much more expensive, way above LHA rates, even this property is above LHA rates.
However things have been steadily getting worse and in recent weeks its escalated.
Please let me explain the current problems.
Almost three weeks ago part of my kitchen ceiling collapse, the part above where I would be if washing the dishes, luckily I wasnt doing that at the time. This was caused by a water leak in the flat upstairs.
The initial mess was lots of dirt and bits of ceiling around that part of the kitchen and some also went in the cupboard next to it. Whilst unfortunate and potentially enough to severely injure me the damage was limited.
From this point onwards how it was handled by my landlord it has escalated, they arranged for someone to clean out the rubbish, and although the collapse was right next to the kitchen window, they decided to carry it through my property out of the door loose, not even in a bag, the result was the floor is absolutely dirty in the hallway and the entire kitchen now, cardboard had to be put down so I wasnt walking on it, they didnt put this down, I did.
They fixed the flood (or so they thought ) the next day in the flat above me, and then told me I had to wait a week for drying off process although the dripping stopped immediately. During this week the hole was in the ceiling. No out of bounds or anything was placed so I was still free to move around if I wanted.
At the end of the next week, they sent their handyman (the guy who seems to do everything for them, they never use professional contractors unless for safety checks), he removed a lot of the old plaster, it went all over the kitchen, replaced the panel that collapsed, and put new plaster up. After he left, there was plaster all over the kitchen, my microwave was smeared in it as if he tried to wipe it clean.
I cleaned a lot of it up including the microwave with limescale remover, was in a lot of pain so had to keep stopping but eventually did the microwave and surfaces. I dont know if the microwave works at this point as it hasnt been tried.
After this hassle, I tried to talk them out of repainting as I knew it would be a mess, but the painter got sent round anyway, and he did the entire kitchen, although he used coverings over the kitchen surfaces, there was still paint over the cupboards, sink, tiles etc. this unlike the plaster is much harder to clean so I have left it.
Last weekend on sunday, the leak started again and was dripping down the wall because the new panel forced the water that way, my timer for my gas boiler which is powered by electric is not sealed flush against the wall, the water went through the gap and I lost all mains power.
The ceiling was probably at risk of collapsing again, but luckily my neighbour upstairs reacted, he shut off his water supply to help me. We had a long chat, we swapped phone numbers and he offered to get food for me from the shop.
Meanwhile we were both trying to ring the emergency maintenance number for my landlord, no answer, I also have my landlord's direct number, no answer. After an hour and a half they answered, I was told a plumber and electrician would be sent out. 5 hours later I rang back, and was told sometime this evening. When it was clearly getting dark I rang back again and they had nothing to offer me.
Then about 30 mins after the last call as I was about to leave to go to a hotel the handyman turned up, he told me he wasnt contacted until about 30 mins previous, and was unaware of an electrician been called, I even listened to him ring to check. He said in his own words "I am the plumber and electrician".
Since the water leak was already stopped, he started examining the electric problem, I told him I wanted an electrician he wasnt qualified but he ignored me, at this time the mains trip switch was able to be turned back on although no power came back, I started recording on my phone discreetly and he proceeded to turn the shower trip off instead of the mains, insisting he knows what he is doing, he then dried the wires behind the socket he removed, and the power he came back on, he was clearly surprised as he thought he had turned the right trip off, the then turned the trip off, put the socket back on with masking tape, turned the power back on, said it was fixed and left.
Monday morning I rang the landlords office, told them I want a qualified electrician, the manager kept telling me its not necessary, I asked her what qualifications she has to decide that, she said the handyman is qualified to make the decision, I asked for his credentials and she said it is what it is. About an hour later he turns up to say he is finishing the work on the socket, I refused to let him in but he forced his way past me, he tripped the power (right switch this time), sealed the socket (although not the gap where the timer was), and then left.
I emailed my landlord's manager today, I asked for copies of safety certificates with contact details of professionals who did the work, proof of my deposit in a protection scheme, and if there was any offer of compensation. I itemised all expenses, replaced spoilt food, cleaning materials, replaced co2 detector, replaced broken pots, and that the proerty is not safe to live in for coming up to 3 weeks.
The reply I got was the property is habitable, the problems reported fixed, electrician was deemed not needed, and is policy to not offer compensation, my landlord is the biggest landlord in my city, he lets out to 100s of people, mostly students. They also said they wont clean up their own mess, no cleaners, and no comment now on the floor. (they previously said would do the floor).
The law seems to offer me nothing from what I have looked at, if I withhold rent I can be evicted regardless of reason, I have reported to the council who said will get back to me, I have also been told by the council if I voluntarily leave or withhold rent I am voluntary homeless and wont house me, the shelter website says I should be homeless before I am eligible to ring them, so what do I do.
I am washing my dishes in the bath sitting on my raised toilet seat killing in pain, I have to lift the drying pots out of the bath to have a bath, I am using a portable oven in my bedroom, my living room is full of kitchen stuff, the paint they used I think might be rotten with toxic fumes as well, even with window open, its very strong. My perching stool is in living room as well not really able to use it now, and no washing machine to use as covered in plaster and paint.
