So I moved into the current property I rent from a property developer on the 1st may 2021 and my current fixed term agreement end 1st of may 2022. The first 6 month I had no concern apart from the attempt to push the cost of the mechanism in the front door breaking onto me after I came back from sainsbury and was locked outside for hours in the cold and rain. The land behind me is owned by the same people I rent from and they are building 14 dwelling. The construction crew contracted by my landlord start to appear on site and a few weeks later knock my door asking me to turn my electric off but then soon realise a smart meter in place(had one fitted at the start of my tenancy) and not a normal meter they expected so they walked away, I notice they dug a hole on my front drive(without permission) exposing my electric wire, why did they expect a normal meter without checking? Was this information afforded to them by the developer who there employer and my landlord? Fast forward and on the I’m checking my email for a response to something and luckily I noticed a seven trent email that I check and I find it odd my water usage in the first 6 months is 00015 and then the next 6 months 00058 so I test the line between the meter at the bottom of my drive and the valve under my sink by turning it off and waiting 3 hour and I notice the meter still running so I contact seven trent and they arrange an engineer, landlord by email explaining an engineer coming out, the landlord respond will they need access to the site behind my property. I get a knock on the door it the site manager he tells me they connected to my water pipe by accident(not possible as it require sevent trent to connect the final line to the main) then says they should of communicated this better… he offer to split the difference if I bring the bill to his office so I’m like what ever. I then think about it and inform my landlord the next day I want this remedied and it not something I should be dealing with, knock on my door, site manager how can we sort this out, i propose I send my landlord the bill they pay it then deduct the money from you, he goes off. I send my bill to my landlord explaining this. A knock on my door, the landlord want nothing to do with it and the guy offer to cover my whole previous water bill and any usage till I leave, hand me £200. He knock my door and passes me a piece of paper and he tells me it so I don’t try and claim another £200, stupidly I signed it without reading it… my landlord is currently trying to get me to sign a new agreement even know I keep saying I’ll go onto a periodic tenancy once the 12 month end, saying as it state on the agreement 12 month I’ll need to sign a new agreement in the interim. after all this I have real concern about my deposit. the property was never cleaned when I moved in and the carpet are easily 10 year+ old rotten wood under the sink and dirty poo water in the bog brush container. Only damage I’ve caused is to the cheap vinyl in the kitchen that ripped after using my washing machine(was professionally fitted) and some black mark on the wall going up the narrow winding stair as I carry stuff up. Can I get there previous 3 deposit claim, how much was deducted and what for? I also heard they build a cheap house on the hs2 line so they could fleece tax payers money…
No, you cant get access to previous deposit claims. I suggest you aim to move on at the end of the term.
Thanks for the response, surprised that information not available if requested from a landlord.
I don’t really care if they cover my water bill I just don’t want too be stuck with paying for there water usage(which is really high) could I come to leave in a few months and show them my final bill and they refuse to pay it? As I’ll likely leave within the month of my final month, as the water usage goes up ain’t I liable for this? If I was to come back to collect the money, once I’m no longer a tenant could they refuse to pay me?
Also does a landlord need to provide picture of just before when I moved in showing the condition of the full property? I ask because I didn’t take picture when I moved in and sealant been applied before I moved in to the plastic shower base in the shower cubicle and I wonder if they could claim I did this and try and deduct from my deposit for this?
Do ou have a tenancy agreement? Do you have an EPC, gas safe certificate, EICR and prescribed information for your deposit? Were you given the How to Rent booklet? If no to any of these, then your landlord is already in trouble. Did the water company check your mains and discover the theft of water that is taking place? You should follow this up.
Thanks for the response. Nothing was given to me(would she not just claim she gave me these things?) I contacted my landlord and asked her to resolve this and she refused sending the site manager around multiple time. I ended up accepting £200 cash in hand for the £196 previous 6 month water bill. I’m not too fond of the idea of coming home and my door kicked in if I grass them up to water company after accepting £200. I’m fine with them connecting to my water pipe(slightly annoyed they keep telling lies and if I didn’t notice would of left me with paying there whole site bill) as long as they pay the bill in full once I come to leave. Is it possible they could refuse to pay the bill?
Its the landlord that will usually be required to provide evidence of having served those documents and of the before and after condition of the property, usually verified by the tenant.
I get the feeling she only took picture of the meters as even the picture used for the listing of the property on the renting site when I applied for it was the exact same when the house was on sale over 10 years ago.
Too many things wrong with your situation. You need professional advice. Speak to a solicitor.