Hi,
Recently I have faced hostility from a fellow housemate who is a man. I am a woman and also incapacitated by a foot injury, this man was trying to harass me - constantly closing the kitchen door again and again, even though I had placed a door stopper there for ease of movement.
My landlord has been completely dismissive of my experience and is calling it “my perception”. I asked him to install CCTV cameras in the lounge but he refused to do that and instead sent a “breach of tenancy” email to me and that man. I have no option but to leave this house, it’s just been 3 months. I have a security deposit with open rent. The landlord has already informed open rent that I have not given notice period. But is this my fault? Where does my security deposit stand in this case?I am really worried. My landlord is not even responding to me properly.
You need to read your rental contract. What does it say about you leaving after just 3 months?
You have to accept that moving into any shared accommodation, there is a risk you wont get on with other sharers. This is not the Landlord fault.
Is the kitchen door a ‘fire door’? - Should it have been propped open?
A Landlord is unlikely to install cameras in a rental property. This would be open to allegations of snooping and not allowing quiet enjoyment, which is your right as a tenant.
I’d add, that if you are breaching your contract by leaving ‘too soon’, or without the correct notice, then you will be liable for the Landlords costs, which they may ask to have deducted from your security deposit.. that is what the Security deposit is for.
The door is a fire door but there are other fire doors in the building that are left ajar as well and nobody closes them ever, not even the landlord. Moreover, landlord has never provided any training whatsoever regarding the door opening/closing. I understand the factual information you have given, about living with strangers, but this man misbehaved with me, while I am dealing with a foot injury. This was the main reason I left the door open for some time just to move in and out easily. Moreover, my landlord is unwilling to offer any clarity, he says he doesn’t want to read my emails or take my phone calls. I had reported the incident to the police also, I contacted open rent and they are saying I have to go back to my landlord. I don’t want to leave too soon, but do I have a choice in such a situation?
training to open or close a door??? Fire doors should never be left open , no matter where in the building they are
This is not a matter for the landlord but for the police,
If you are being harassed by a male housemate you need to report it to the police.
The landlord has no legal standing in this matter.
Once they deal with it your landlord can serve notice based on ASB.
He can only act with evidence not hearsay. He’s not going to serve a s21 just because you allege something. He has to build up evidence in such a situation
He would not be able to install cameras in the property as it would be a considered a breach of privacy
(Although some landlords do in communal areas in the kitchen where theft occurs )
If its a fire door then you really have no case as you should not be propping it open.
Hi A_A,
I had already informed the police and they have taken the incident on record. They said if he repeats they will take action, however they asked me to ask the landlord for mediation. But my landlord did not offer any mediation as such but sent a mail to both of us that he will ask us to leave if we don’t reconcile. I told him I am happy to have a chat but he never arranged it, and as the day to day was getting more tense, I told him I am happy to vacate - but now he is insisting that I should end the tenancy contract as it is legally binding and I have not given any notice. This is a very difficult and confusing situation for me. I reached out to Citizens Advise but nobody responds there. My landlord told me he will not pick up my calls or respond to my messages/emails. Where should I go? I am worried about my security deposit.
The landlord is not really the correct person to be mediating in such a situation. A liaison officer at the council would be more suitable.
Do you want to stay or go ?
If you want to leave ask to sign a deed of surrender and ask the deposit be returned but return the property in the condition you were given it
It you want to stay he would need to serve you notice
You can’t be forced to leave he would have to give you a s21 or s8 notice
You can’t lose your deposit without good reason
Was it registered ?
Did you have an entrance inventory
Speak to shelter so they can support you