I Hate My Fucking Landlord

zumba 1232011-10-20 12:09:29 today my boiler was serviced it was fine but have been waiting 2 years for a new gas flue for chimney so i can use gas fire he promised an electric one now to expensive he wants to do the flue himself plumber told him it against the law so no fire for me, thinking of not paying rent he is a t**t with load of cash i hate the w****r told me he not spending money for a tennant 43

Dion2011-11-09 03:38:56 It seems it would make sense that any superior animal to the planet would realize that all the other superior animals born to the planet had a right to be here and have his or her own section of land. What gives some asshole the right to have all the land and make slaves of others? Responsible population measures would assure that there would be plenty for all. Even when land is given some asshole has to build the biggest damn tent he can to take up more of the planet. The next thing you know the guy is building statues of himself so everyone can see the ego driven madness of men. The protesters all over the planet right now need a place to start OCCUPY or (squat) seems to be first on the aggenda and rightly so. I don't think because some asshole in the 13 century had parents that, "supposedly WORKED HARD FOR THE HALF OF THE WORLD THAT IS THERES" by mere royal birth to planet. Oh how we all jumped up and rejoiced that such people are born to rule ruthlessly over us and make slaves of us. You know the very defination of a slave is man that can't own land. So I know landlords are killing people all over the world and believe me will slip into third world country tyranny even here the most supposed civilized nations. Why? So I say give us liberty from the tyranny of landlords or give us all death. I'm sick of paying people to be self centered and evil. If we can't do any better as civilization? WE SHOULD BE EXTINCT. I don't recomend killing landlords as many are thinking is the only way to get their greedy little hands off the land but I do think the french revolution was a success at first. Until the greedy new landlords managed to weasle themselves back into power. 44

Armin2011-11-09 10:23:02 @Dion

Fact is, that everyone can own land, or property. All what it takes is for you to have a decent job and money for a deposit. That's literally all that it takes. It's just money.

In order to get enough money on an average income, you must live frugally. Very frugally. Might have to live with the parents or house share for 5 years, eat nothing but value food, not go on holidays, ride a 125 or bicycle to work. You have to slowly methodically build credit and a few years before you're buying take out a medium sized unsecured loan so you can bolster your deposit 'war chest'.

Yes, property in the UK is expensive compared to the rest of the world. But it's also a very desirable place to live. But it's not TOO EXPENSIVE. An average salary earner can still get on the housing ladder (perhaps not in the South East), but it takes careful planning and SACRIFICE.

What you are representing is the people who want to own property the EASY way, who have a sense of entitlement that they have a RIGHT to own property.

AU CONTRAIRE! You have to EARN that right. You do that through hard work and careful planning.

Put less money in your crack pipe, that'd be good first step! 45

Mr X2011-11-09 12:53:51 Spot on Armin, you took the words right out of my mouth.

Dion your post was a little extreme.

"You know the very defination of a slave is man that can't own land" - Really? There is me thinking a slave was someone owned by another individual.

Secondly, "can't" or "wont"? Truth is anyone can own land in this country. They just have to stop complaining, appreciate the opportunities we have in this country and start hustlin'.

Do you think all landlords were just given a property portfolio?

Giving everyone a right to land will be a big slap in the face for all those that have worked hard to achieve what they have. Luckily that will never happen. 46

Dion Anthony Fields2011-11-10 04:08:06 I appreciate both you comments but working hard for it? Some never work a day in there life and recieve it from birth while a disabled person who can't work hard for it because he lost the dna pool gets squat. I feel the hustlin part makes us dispicable animals they are cruel because they don't know any better. Mr. X I think the truth hurts and your hands are just a greed stricten as the rest of the world.

Jesus teaches to give up worldly possessions like this. He had no place to lay his head to call his own here. Jesus just didn't hustle enough I guess? His free healthcare plan was totally outrageous too I must admit. If its a slap in the face Mr X maybe thats what is needed? Its better that then more bloodshed. Look at all the problems in the world Mr X most of them are because people own the land and take advantage of the weaker people.

Evolutions, "only the strong shall survive" is demonic and puts us on the level of the animals and frankly we will not survive it. Many thought slavery in this country was cool and even Godly because, rich people are greedy. The chances of a rich person making it to heaven is like a camel jumping through the eye of a needle. Now either Jesus talked a bunch of nonsense or your totally wrong. I'm going with Jesus.

Your right though I am extreme though as I and many other have been hurt by landlords sometimes even physically hurt. So I'm going to be a bit extreme. If it wasn't so lopsided today maybe I wouldn't be so extreme? The fact is its out of balance and has been for a long time and more blood will be spilled for the greed of the rich in this country and others.

Take for example diamonds. We have so much blood being spilled over diamonds and evil done. De Beers has enough diamonds it could release them all and make them virtually worthless they are artifically kept rare. So for the sake of keeping people slaves to others and luxary for the few we keep allowing this blood to be spilled and wars to be fought using them. Now to me this just isn't worth it. I don't think any amount of diamonds are worth a single human life.

If we are to survive in the long run Mr X greed as a motivater has to go. We have to be in this together. If we did survive we would eventually become a threat to God Himself. Some how I don't think God will allow us to become a threat to Himself and all that is good. Change or become extinct its that simple it won't work and shouldn't work for the litteral sake of all thats good in the universe. 47

Dion Anthony Fields2011-11-10 04:28:55 As for your comment on the crack pipe Armin I'll let that slide. While I want to really hate landlords my belief in Jesus really doesn't permit it because it hurts me more then it does them. Oh but I want to as I have been hurt by them and continue to be hurt by them.

Your in the UK? Well that is the birth of royal landlords I'm in the US. Your raised over there to give royal welfare checks to people because of their dna. I as American find that barbariac. The protesters will not stop in your country or in ours one day the landlord will be extinct and if they never are? God doesn't exist or lets evil run rampant. Greed is not the way I see God motivating us its through love and if we can't be motivated through love instead of greed? I don't think we deserve to survive as a species and I pray to God that He will make us extinct if we continue to use greed as a motivator.


Landlords will be extinct one day because we will never see peace without that happening. One person ruling over another is just sick PERIOD. It always has been and always will be if we can't all be free whats the use really? I'm sorry you can't see the evil vile ways of your beliefs and hands. Maybe your not children of God and want good for all and not for the few who"SUPOSSEDLY WORK HARD". You know all is given by God and the only thing you can earn from God in the bible is a trip to hell. EARNINGS are evil and vile too. We must turn from these things to become a great society worthy of surviving.


We have a long way to go. One day we must find away to not kill anything to become a great society but if we continue to not even move in that direction because the greed of man is to great? We don't deserve the grace God has given us so far. God is about life,freedom and the greatest of all love. How do most landlords practice love? They don't in most cases and that should tell you both that these are not the ways of God and should one day be abolished as we progress as a species. 48

Armin2011-11-10 09:18:45 Dion,

Okay, I apologise about the crack pipe remark. Paraphrasing Karl Marx it seems that you've already found a drug more suitable for you.

I personally think that you're loopy, i.e. a bit mad. But probably harmlessly so. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but forgive me if I decline to interact with you any further for I think it would be a waste of time. Cheerio! 49

Dion2011-11-10 21:48:04 Well Armin I'm not unmovable on the subject. I want to believe the lie that is the free market. I think just as we used to eat with just our hands that its nescessity is coming to an end. I never read Karl but I don't believe in dictatorship or republics just straight democracy. what i'm suggesting is so huge though it does come off mad. Its like my other opinion on ending making drugs illegal. In the end I believe in freedom with its only borders only happening if what you directly hurt another. I'm more fond of Jesus as I haven't read anything of Karl Marx.

thanks for the comments anyway. I have thought this out but still there would be a bunch of tiny holes in my whole theroy for it to work. In the end I guess if it isn't broke as they say don't fix it. I think and you have to admit this too Armin, with these protesters all over the world it maybe broke? Anything other then what I'm suggesting is just putting a band aid on the problem as I said as long as you have landlords you'll have slavery in some form. You have to figure Armin that one day a child will be able to create a atom with an ink pen if we keep advancing.

Now if everyone has an atom bomb that chooses to make one what kind of society will we have to have in order to live with each other? An equal one is the answer. One where everyone is happy and equal we don't have that and as long as we don't we will always have conflict. Why? One person is always going to feel like the victim. I feel like a victim and that people with your thoughts have victimized me and the greedys you all get guess what? The amount of people that feel like victims goes up. Correct?

So if your greed is left unchecked unbalanced wars will come as you can clearly see its not brain surgery. If your allowed to keep victimizing people because your, i don't know say you all are "the superior race" as the Nazi's claimed to be. What kind of future would you expect to see from that kind of thinking? Bleek if you ask me..... So even if you win the arguement for all eternity here Armin you still lose and so do we.

Your loss though according to Jesus will be far more damaging though. I think those that victimized without thoughts for the ones they victimized should suffer some kind of judgement in the next world. If God is Just thats what will happen. So by saving you we all get saved in the end. Whats so bad about losing your stuff and gaining eternal life?

If what your saying is correct? I wish I would have died along time ago and saved myself from all the minimum wage work I did to help you all build your empire. Where would ya be then if all the poor bastards you all want to use as slaves just up and died. You'd have to make slaves of each other. Its sick, I'm not loopy I'm enlightened though if your not a spiritual person or one that beleives in the God of the bible it may look like I am. I want everyone to have an equal chance at life and right now thats not possible some are born sick some are born to dysfunctional poor parenting.

Whats so bad about giving everyone and equal chance at life? If you believe that everyone gets the same chance well one of us is living in a fantasy land. We try to balance things out now by doing more for the disabled. Why? because its the right thing to do. Those with dispicable parenting growing up though? Your just screwed hope you get lucky. Well I didn't get lucky like you or others. The boss didn't ever take a special liking to me.

I worked hard and got the guarantee I'd be working hard till I dropped dead with nothing in my pocket. I didn't know hard workers stay in the same spot because they are usefull in those spots why move em it ain't broke. So I wasn't that charming had a dysfunctional ma. Work all I want the slavery will never get better. Well I think BS myself. I did the same jobs and more work and got? TO STAY PUT ALL MY LIFE WITH NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT.


As "Lover Boy" said when I was younger, "only the lucky ones get to steal the show, only the lucky ones really get to know". I never realized how true that was until just recently when I heard that song again.

The part of the song I really like too says, "If your a beautiful girl everything is prearranged, your whole life it comes to you for free, you wear it well it comes so naturally". That is the smug way I feel about those that get the lucky breaks in life. Feet never touch the ground and you can sit in judgement of all the rest without ever have walking in their shoes.

Oh but for the grace of God your not in my shape Armin. Tweak you biology a bit put in another country and a very poor family and you'd change your mind about landlords in a hurry. You'd know that victimization is a very wicked thing indeed. 50

Sarah Lise Vickers2012-01-05 18:13:36 ...mine is someone I know..treats friends and people
generally, not very well, lets say...I lived there
before and should never have gone back...when a rent
cheque bounced ACCIDENTLY, (though God he deserved
it more than anyone!), he assumed I did it on purpose!!
In revenge he started cutting holes in my clothes
with knives and scissors.....!!! pscho wot?! 51

linda2012-01-08 20:06:59 the flooring in my house is a mess,the wirering is very old fashioned and so is the kitchen,its falling to bits,iv told him time and time again but still he does nothing,on new years day parts fell from the chimney missing my grandaughter by a matter of feet i realy cant take much more of this,and i cant remember the last time the gas and the boiler was checked,im in desperate need of advice. 52

Dion Anthony Fields2012-01-08 21:56:35 If you have a lease sue them Linda check on your states tennate laws. It sounds like you have a case. the fact of the matter is once a landlord moves into your neighborhood? All to often there goes the neighborhood because they can't afford to fix such stuff. Landlording should be illegal if you ask me.. Assholes I hate em. 53

Jeremy2012-01-10 01:44:56 Hello Linda,

Please ignore Dion. We may need a bit more story. There are no "parts" to a chimney, other than the bricks which form it. Are you saying bricks are falling down the chimney?

In the first instance: Instruct the landlord to provide a gas and electrical inspection certificate. If / when this is not produced give them a short time to come round and do it. If / When they don't tell them you're going to do it and deduct from the rent money. Again allow a short time to for them to do the survey if they have not.

Then get the survey done. Depending on how that turns out, safe vs unsafe, will guide your next move. 54

Benji2012-01-10 11:50:53 Jeremy,
In E&W, although the electrics must be safe, there is no legal requirement for a landlord to provide an electrical inspection certificate for a normal rented property.
Linda said the wiring was 'very old fashioned'. That doesnt necessarily make it unsafe and does not give grounds for rent deductions. 55

Belle2012-01-10 16:05:00 I fucking hate my landlord. He's a giant scumbag. For months we've complained about the damp, we didn't even have the shitty storage heaters working until a couple of months ago, all our shit has gotten covered in furry green mould the damp is that bad, but he doesn't care.

Moron filled an airbrick with foam, no extractor in the bathroom, a month later he put an extractor fan in, but it's not wired up so it's useless. If we run water or upstairs does, it sets off the mold on the walls. A damp course was done... years ago, a brick too high.

It took ages to get a smashed socket fixed (was smashed before we moved in and they said it'd be sorted, a month later... oops!) He drywalled ONE wall... on TOP of the carpet... made us buy paint to paint it though, didn't provide it. He did say he would do it, using our paint of course!

Left the flat in a state repetedly after doing "work" we had a lounge unusable for a week, but he didn't reduce our rent whatsoever despite not having full use of the flat. Also broke the 24 hour rule, though of course we can't really prove it.

Oh and we renewed our tennacy, paying £125 before xmas. 4th Jan we get a letter saying HEY GET OUT BY MARCH 6th, so someone didn't process the form but quite happily took our money! Huzzah! So yes, I fucking hate my landlord! 56

Jeremy2012-01-10 21:24:10 Hi Belle,

I'm sorry to hear your landlord is so bad. Just one comment: If you renewed your tenancy (why did you renew when it was as awful as you say!?) in December then you should have been issued with a new tenancy agreement, for a minimum of six months. You have the legal right to either:
+ Insist on staying there until June (but it's a dive so maybe that's cutting off your nose to spite your face?)
+ Obtaining the return of the £125 as a fee which was extracted under willful misrepresentation by the landlord or their agents

Maybe a litle bargaining chip as you plan to leave your house. BTW: If he's that bad of getting out of promises as you describe, keep things in writing between you now. 57

Belle2012-01-10 21:32:05 Hiya Jeremy,

He said it was getting sorted in the new year (only 6 months on like!) Work has been getting done ever so slowly. And extractor in the bathroom but yet to be wired up. We were kinda just gonna go with that it would end up getting done and contact EH if need be. There aren't many properties in the area that we could move to (or afford, the rent is cheapish here and we're pretty poor. We've had a notice, we have to leave by March 6th though we could stay if we want the courts involved.
The agents are like oh yes, we'll return your fee! Damn right they will :| I would have thought it's more a section 8 (though we've done nothing wrong and not violated our agreement or been noisy or anything at all) as opposed to section 21.

I've repeatedly asked for things in writing but we keep getting fobbed off. "next time, next time" we're told. Like we wanted to get a cat ((good job we didn't) and they kept saying they'd give it us in writing that it was okay AFTER we got the animal. Errr, they could easily turn around and say nope, not allowed! and then what would we do? *Sigh* These other agents seem much more willing to care for tennants. 58

Jeremy2012-01-10 22:50:00 Hello Belle

We covered this off on: http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/assured-shorthold-tenancy-agreement-ast-tips/comment-page-1/#comment-180360 posts 16 and 17. 59

Jeremy2012-01-10 23:15:55 Hello Benji,

Thanks for the advice. Agree you're right about no absolute statutory duty to provide an elecrical safety cert.

But I disagree with your other comment. And maybe the disagreement is based on the image of what "very old fashioned" brings to both our minds. I've found wiring from c. 1920s where the rubber has perished and as soon as it's touched / moved, even very gently, it falls away from the copper wire.

If the old fashioned wiring is of this age then any landlord who turns up in a court (and they'd be in that court because someone got injured or killed) saying it was fine not to inspect it is not going to come out of that court unscathed.

Linda would be fulfiling the landlord's common law obligation to maintain the property and ensure it's safety, an obligation they appear keen not to fulfil. She has a specific and particular concern which is reasonable to her unique situation. Subrogation allows the cost to be offset against the rent, if fair notice has been given. 60

Fed up2012-02-23 16:55:23 hi can anyone help me i rent a house that keeps having problems with drains my downstairs loo can not be used as the drain is blocked 3 times in 2 years i do not flush anything down apart from loo paper i have told my landlord his reply was oh bugger, i can not use my downstairs loo any advise 61

Jeremy2012-02-23 18:43:42 Hello Fed Up,

Have you read this recent Blog from The Landlord?
http://www.propertyinvestmentproject.co.uk/blog/landlords-responsibility-to-repair-and-maintain/

Have a read. If it does not help you enough, come back to us. 62

fed up2012-02-23 19:04:28 jeremy

i have informed my landlord by speaking to him, have had this problem 3 times 2 years i need my downstairs loo due to disability could i withhold rent and pay for thr drains to be sorted myself, me and my husband have lived in the house for 8 years pay our own rent and the landlord never wants to do repairs i wish i could move but cash flow problems are preventing this 63

Jeremy2012-02-23 20:53:00 Hello Fed Up,

The legal remedy to this is strictly to go to Court, they would want to see evidence of an attempted mediation between yourselves before they hear your case.

If you were to go to court then you could both have legal representation. Some say the only winners in legal cases are the solicitors and this could be disproportionately expensive for both you and your landlord.

So a common sense short-circuit, which does not line the pockets of solicitors, is the diversion of the rent money from the landlord to the repair they have failed to complete.

If you do this, then I'd suggest some steps to keep your position water-tight:
- Do it in writing;
- Tell the landlord what you plan to do and offer plenty of time for them to step in and do the repair themselves;
- Tell them clearly why you think its their responsibility, not yours. Offer them the opportunity to disagree with your opinion.
- Get a number of quotes, to show you've shopped around. Use the best value for money one. Use one who will not only un-block the drain but also tell you why it was blocked. Accept it was you, if that's what they find.

Hope this helps. 64

fed up2012-02-28 17:15:02 it is 100% not my fault the only thing flushed down it what goes down a loo i do not flush sainitary products down the loo

he got his mate to do it twice and the blockage was 40 feet from my drain cover in the next garden the woman next drain cover was covered in grass years ago and need digging up the problem started when building work was going on 2 years ago she wants to split the cost my landlord wont pay her loo not effected as the blockage is before her outlet i spend the day upstair as my disability means i need my downstairs loo 65

Cardifflandlord2012-02-28 18:04:33 Fed Up.

OK - I do not know all the facts here and without knowing the layout of the properties I don't know how many properties share the drain BUT if it is a shared drain then the repairs should be covered by the Landlords and the neighbour's buildings insurance. If it IS a shared drain/sewer then the cost of repairs would be split by however many properties share it.

If the drain is being blocked 40 feet from your property under the neighbours garden then I'm sorry, I really don't think you should be too hard on your landlord after all he is unable to walk onto your neighbours land to dig up their garden. Additionally, if the blockage has been caused by a collapse of the pipe under your neighbours garden then the landlord is unlikely to have known about this 9unless he has xray vision or a drain cam)and he certainly should not be blamed as, if the property is older, clay pipes would have been used and they can be badly affected by roots from trees etc.

She is entitled to split the cost.

Who's building work? your property or next doors? You need to give more information please fed up! 66

fed up2012-02-28 19:05:37 building work was next door landlord as rodded the drains 3 times 2 years and keeps saying i will get it sortedi have spoken to the landlord and he says not got my rods at the moment just dont use downstairs loo i may rent of £550 per month we do not get housings benefit pay our rent on time but he never wants to do repairs we would love to move but find it hard saving deposit for new property 67

fed up2012-02-29 13:32:08 as i first suspected my landlord loo as now backed up he as come round with his rods but it wont clear 68

Cardifflandlord2012-02-29 15:44:06 Fed up; ???? 69

fed up2012-02-29 16:29:27 my landlord lives next door his loo is now blocked so he came round to rod the drains , it wont clear and lookes like the drain as collapsed on other side 70

CLR2012-03-05 11:05:24 In addition to Mike's useful advise about dealing with a leaky pipe that your landlord can't be bothered to fix (copied below), don't forget to bill them an admin charge for doing their work for them; time is money after all.


My approach would be,


1) Shut off the water at the stop tap (minimise damage)
2) Get 3 quotes (not estimates) from plumbers with reasonable (not 3-line) ads in yellow pages
3) Take the best quote
4) Pay for the plumber, deduct it from rent
5) Supply receipt & all 3 quotes to the landlord - pointing out that you have selected the most economic quote.

You might also need to get professional help to repair the water damage once the pipe has been repaired. Follow the same process.

Regards 71

fed up2012-04-03 18:27:50 well here i go again drains blocked yet again it only been since begining of march that they were roded, even started using the 2ply loo roll, no idea what i can do, my rent is upto date, we saving to move at the moment but it hard since hubby found out today they closing his factory over easter and he wont be paid 72

fed up2012-04-10 13:58:52 drain problem half sorted and it wasnt my fault after being blamed for over a year it turns out it the over grown holly tree in my garden root have got into the drains, landlord says it my responsability to pay for the tree cut back been quoated £500 upwards i have got that type of money can anyone tell me is it my job to sort the tree ( i live in a green belt area and also need planning permision to do the job) 73

Armin2012-04-10 14:19:10 Fed Up,

this website might be of use for you:

http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/

I'm not a solicitor, but the way I understand it is that the responsibility lies with the owner of the tree, i.e. not you as tenant. 74

fed up2012-04-14 17:59:11 thanks 75

fed up2012-05-08 19:51:06 how long is it reasonable to be left with no front door its been 2 weeks, my landlord got the person who put the door in 8 years ago he passed it to someone else who came without notice when i had a hospital appointment so was not in he did phone and say will get there when i can i am busy,

can not afford to do it myself as husband as had to take a drastic pay cut of £400 per month in order to keep his job 76

fed up2012-05-10 19:50:51 spoke to my landlord today re the front door he said if i am not happy waiting we can pay ourselfs but he will not be paying us back, i think almost 3 weeks is long enough not been able to use a door am i been unreasonable to expect the landlord to fix the door all i have done is open and close the door over the past 9 years 77

Lord Tenant2012-05-15 22:15:15 FUCK ALL LANDLORDS.... buy to let has become a modern update on the FEUDAL SYSTEM... sick, greedy landlords pushing every penny out of hard pressed tenants. You are all absolute scum; I have never, EVER, met a decent or honest landlord. I feel that it exposures the worst side of human nature... but I don't care. You're ALL SCUM! 78

fed up2012-05-23 18:07:59 Lord Tennant

My Landlord will not give me a new temmant agreement on paper said i have one from 2007 we need hoising benefit at the moment can not get it till we get proof of rent his reply i do not want you making a claim get the cash of your dad we have borrowed rent for April May if we do not get this benefit we can not make the full rent for June i have give the benefit section his contact details,

my landlord took a month to sort my front door we are planning on moving asap as we have no contract i assume i can go without notice 79

Jeremy2012-05-27 21:58:54 Hello Lord Tenant,

Just a bit unsure here. You say "F+++ All Alndlords". Then you complain only about BTL.

So is it all landlords. Or all BTL landlords you wish to see f+++ed? 80

fed up2012-05-31 21:55:46 we have had our application for housing benefit turned down because our landlord will not give us a paper contract he on our backs for the rent we owe (due to husband being laid off for month) we need HB to pay him its logged with the council that we have made over 10 requests for this today he said well tell them if they want it contact me directly if we do not get the contract to the HB by Friday next week our claim will be refused my landlord responms was get it from your dad he as a massive police pension 81

MissGhost2012-06-10 18:14:33 I moved into this place about 2 years ago.. The first day , we were here I went outside to see the kids off to school , well they had left already to the bus, so I was alone and I stepped outside and fell thru the porch , There was rotten boards, so I kinda hurt my ankle then, and I told my landlady and they came out and fixed that no problem... well I noticed a few months back that there were more rotten boards on the front porch.. So I told my landlandy about them , and she acknowledged that, they never came out to fix the boards, so now its spring and I had made me some really pretty hanging baskets, I was out watering them and I fell backwards off the top of the porch steps and my foot landed in the hole where the rotten board was and my ankle bent back in ways its not ment to ... so now I have a grade 3 sprang on my ankle.. and I have to wear a walking boot for 4-6 weeks.. and on top of that I can't stand longer then 5 mins or my hips and lower back start to ache.... so I really don't know what to do , I'm really fed up..... 82

fed up2012-06-12 18:09:47 missghost
i feel for you we have a landlord who will not give us proof of rent been asking for 9 weeks he fixes nothing either, trying to move but as we now need housing benefit finding it hard borrowed 2 months rent but can not borrow more my landlord sucks
i so want to move and leave him in a mess to re rent he need to spend 83

Jeremy2012-06-26 00:37:20 Hello MissGhost: What country do you live in? 84

Mike2012-09-07 22:01:06 I think landlords take advantage in Britain of the general lack of housing which means that bad landlords can still make a profit. Most other businesses need to keep their customers satisfied or they go bust. Landlords (particularly in London) know that tenants are a) unlikely to fully enforce their rights and b) there are always other eager tenants. Essentially there is minimal punishment for being a poor landlord unlike other professions so you a lot of terrible landlords.

I've had a landlord who rented a flat to me which was in the words of the local council "unfit for human habitation", another one whose husband broke into my flat, and numerous examples of deposit taking which used to result in a small claim but thankfully now is simpler. However even with the deposit protection scheme there still isn't enough protection for tenants as the landlord has no monetary risk so can claim for as many deductions as they wish and hope the arbitrator agrees with them. If the landlord had to pay a deposit, and for every wrongful deduction they claimed from the tenant they had deductions then they would be far less likely to seek deductions for items they weren't sure of.

Ultimately I think the only long term solution involves proper regulation, with landlords who won't fulfill basic legal requirements having their right to let taken away. Sounds extreme but I think living in a flat that meets basic standard of living is a human right. 85

Benji2012-09-08 09:37:15 'The landlord has no monetary risk'
I disagree. The landlord is risking their property, which is of far higher value than the tenants deposit.
It is very difficult for a landlord to disappear but relatively easy for a tenant to do so. Additionally, a landlord has an asset to place a charge against, tenants rarely have. 86

Jeremy2012-09-08 12:49:11 Hello Mike,

I'd agree with much of what said, if only you'd have started off by saying: "I think a minority of landlords take advantage ..."

You are right. There are some bad landlords out there. Ever had customer service in a shop? Was the shop there a week later? A month? A year? Sometimes the link between giving poor value for money and going out of business does not feel strong.

But at the moment landlords of all kinds are enjoying two temporary fair winds: Banks restricting their mortgage lending has led to a really strong demand which in turn has led to increased rents because landlords can't expent their holdings fast enough to keep pace with demand.

Soon as the banks mortgage lending gets back to normal (couple of years?) then the rental demand will subside and so will rent amounts. At this stage in the economic cysle, tenants can be more discrening and demanding and only the higher quality landlord is going to survive.

By the way, there are umpteen dozens of laws and regulations which govern the residential landlord at the moment. If regulation came in, it seems difficult to see how it would have anything new. It would just cost to cover what's already legislated for. Those costs would need to go somewhere. Result would be higher rents. Or landlords leaving the market. Which would reduce choice and reduce supply, which also puts up rents. That's not good for tenants.

My suggestion is that the existing legisation is more actively enforced. Because it annoys me to see bad landlords out there, they make life more difficult for the decone ones. 87

Lor2013-03-15 12:28:18 I'm renting in Wollongong, NSW, Australia. My landlord is a creep, he is married with kids and always asking me to out with him, give him a massage, sends me texts on Valentine's day. He also puts the rent up $20.00 per week per year. He also comes onto the property when ever he feels like it and allows his kids to park on the property as well. He fixes everything himself or uses relatives to fix what he can't. It seems to be normal around here for the home owner landlords to do everything themselves. I'm with Elders Wollongong, but they let him do what he wants. I'm sick of hearing the excuse that Landlords don't know Tenant laws, they do, and they don't care. I hate this creepy man, I'm getting out. It's only getting worse. 88

Benji2013-03-16 09:55:34 Lor,

$20 per week rent increase seems excessive.

If your rent is higher than neighbouring similar properties, you can apply to the CTTT to make an order of what is a fair increase.

Your landlord must give you 60 days notice of any rent increase, you then have 30 days to apply to the CTTT.
Here are their contact details;

http://www.cttt.nsw.gov.au/About_us/CTTT_registry/Wollongong_registry.html 89

Lor2013-03-16 13:53:34 Thanks Benji for your advice, it will help me. :) 90

Jessica2013-04-10 17:12:17 I'm working on a programme for BBC3 about the property market, which is going to include an insert on renting horror stories and nightmare landlords.

Belle - your case inparticular sounds exactly like the sort of story we'd like to feature. Do you have any images which further illustrate the conditions you describe?

It would be great to hear off you. If you reply to this post and would be willing to talk to me about your experience I can send you my email address/phone number.

Of course, if you wished, your contribution to the programme could be completely anonymous.

Thanks! 91

Benji2013-04-10 19:24:04 @Jessica,

This is going to be another balanced programme from the BBC then is it? A good use of licence payers fees?

The best you can come up with is a one sided version of events from over a year ago. Completely anonymous with unverified 'images'.

As Jeremy asked Belle at the time "Why did you renew your tenancy if it was as awful as you say!?"


How about asking this feller about his renting nightmare;

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Landlord-left-to-clean-up-mountain-of-rubbish-20130408175750.htm

“It has been left absolutely ruined. There has been a lot of damage done.

“The lady stopped paying rent last year, and I’ve been trying to get her out ever since. I had to go to court to get an eviction notice. It’s taken nearly a year.”

Despite finally getting rid of his troublesome tenant, Mr Singh has been left with nothing to smile about after being left with the bill for cleaning up the mess left behind by the family, as well as losing out on rent payments which date back to May 2012.


And before you and your anti-capitalist overlords start doing the hokey-cokey over the demise of another hated landlord, consider this;

What effect will this behaviour have on rental prices?

Are landlords likely to give someone desperate a break, when they know they can't evict a non-paying scumbag for months?

Will the Rachmans spot another niche market to exploit?

HTH 92