Hi everyone, sorry if this is in the wrong section.
I’m looking for some advice regarding possibly leaving my tenancy agreement early due to a gas issue that seems to be getting brushed off?
I’ll try and keep this short but I reported a strong gas smell in flat and staircase entrance to the emergency gas line and they sent someone out who confirmed there’s a leak. He left paperwork and told me to contact my landlord to fix. I contacted agents as I don’t have landlords details and told them what I was told, they wasn’t convinced I was “right” but still sent out a plumber next day.
The plumber was annoyed he was sent here because he came here for the last 2 tenants who reported the same thing. He said how it always smells of gas when he’s here and that it just gets ignored and left for someone else to deal with. After checking my meter and boiler he says it’s safe to uncap and said he can’t locate a leak but he isn’t saying there’s no leak under neath (he didn’t clarify if he meant the takeaway below or under the floor). And then went away. He was meant to come back after the weekend to check up but didn’t come, which was a shame as it’s still smelling strongly of gas.
I ended up emailing the agents as it’s truly getting me down. The smell of gas is still present and I feel unsafe especially considering how strong the smell is and after what the plumber said about the past tenants reporting it too. They’re still yet to reply, but after my last interaction with them I have very little faith that anything will be done about it and I will be shocked if they even acknowledge the email. I do understand the estate agents are limited in what they can do, and if it’s the takeaways leak then I understand it’s probably out of their hands? But I am so miserable living here with this issue. Feeling unsafe in a place I’m meant to unwind is really getting to me.
What I really want to know is If the issues I’ve brought up get ignored or just brushed off, do I have any way of getting out of my contract early? My contract has a section regarding leaving early but it involves agreement from landlord, and I’ve only been here approx 3 months so I can’t see them providing that. Plus I don’t really know how it all works lol, I’ve given a deposit in a scheme so i don’t know if I’d lose that too. I just feel very stuck at the moment, I’m currently sleeping elsewhere due to feeling unsafe so If anyone has any advice or help I would really appreciate it!
What is the layout of your property?
Are you living in a flat above commercial premises?
Does the landlord own both?
Was the gas safety check by your landlord’s gas engineer to your property only?
If the emergency gas team identified a leak and one supply is going to multiple different premises is the leak at a communal source or in the ‘takeaway’ underneath?
You need to find out who the freeholder is to the whole property.
Speak to health and safety at council / environmental health.
They can help as if there is a leak at source or in a takeaway it becomes a much bigger issue ( not that it’s not already) .
The building has a takeaway at the bottom/front, then at the back of the property in a lane there is a locked door that puts you at the entrance, then staircase which leads to 5 studios. My flat is directly above the entrance, mainly the kitchen/bathroom, of course where the gas smell is most noticeable!
I called the emergency line first as soon as I smelt it in the kitchen and the engineer they sent out was the one who confirmed a leak. He couldn’t show me where it’s coming from exactly but he explained that i need to contact my landlord so that they can send someone out to locate it and fix the issue.
The plumber sent from the agency then said there’s no leak in the flat but he can’t say there’s no leak in the building at all and if there is then my flat will probably be the one most affected if anything was to happen.
I do understand that if the landlord doesn’t own the whole building then he’s probably not responsible for the takeaways problem, but if he does own it then I suspect either he doesn’t know how bad it is or it’s just being ignored. I was told by the agent that he owns all the flats though, so that’s something. I haven’t seen any gas safety certificate but the agent said I had a check before moving in, but I will request to see this certificate anyway. I have emailed them regarding everything just so I have something in some kind of writing incase things go wrong but that was a few days ago and haven’t heard back as of yet.
The way it’s all been brushed off has made me mainly just want to get out of the contract early if I can, I don’t want there to be any bad feelings but I can’t live there like that. I’m just unsure how to go about giving a notice when ive only been there for 2-3months and the reason for leaving is a “gas leak but apparently not a gas leak, but it smells of strong gas everyday to the point I feel unsafe” . It’s my first time renting anywhere so I’m sorry if I sound a bit clueless with this stuff, if I don’t hear back soon then it does look like I’ll need to get in touch with someone else who can push this a bit more.
I would call the emergency number again and ask their advice.
They can still help if it’s not your flat: they have the right to enter any property, and if they are refused they may switch off the gas to the other properties. When I had a leak, they knocked on the neighbouring doors just to check.
Or, they might dispute the conclusion of the plumber that it’s not in your flat, so that your landlord will send someone out again there.
Gas leaks are extremely dangerous…contact environmental health at council, also contact your energy provider and tell them you can smell gas. I’m surprised the emergency gas engineer said there was a gas leak but has not advanced the investigation.
Make sure you keep a record of everyones name you communicate with.
Of course the other thing is that, if the smell returned after you switched the gas back on, then you need to switch it back off now, because the plumber was wrong. And also be careful not to do anything that could cause ignition while you can still smell gas (eg, switching electric switches, naked flames etc).
Please let us know the outcome of this!
I doubt of the council will be that helpful. As David79 says, gas leaks are extremely serious and in the first instance any supply that is causing a leak needs to be switched off. The gas distributor (who are the people who answer the emergency number) have the power to do this to any property. Once it is off then it is no longer your problem, and whoever owns and rents it can haggle over who pays for it to be fixed. The distributor can and will (and should!) take extreme measures to stop a leak, for your safety and that of your neighbours. When I called them out, cadent had to saw through a live gas line to cut off the leak - because it was upstream of the valve. (If you ever see sign saying, don’t smoke, we are working on the gas - take it really seriously!)
I agree we had a tiny leak noticed at a meter change and cadent were called out by Eon and they disconnected the gas to the property
The cooker was leaking which our gas engineer identified and resolved the problem
Then he reconnected the gas and checked all was ok
One: environmental health
To call the council
Three call gas emergency again
Four. When the engineer comes from the gas emergency, he should be switching off all gas to all properties until the leak is fixed. I find it strange that this is not been done as it’s normal protocol in the case of gas leaks. If this is not done by the engineer asking why not because it is a Danger.
He should issue a certificate confirming this.
Go back to the agent certificate explain the situation and that you are unable to sleep there because it’s unsafe and you weren’t all rent frozen until resolved. Alternatively if it is not addressed within seven days give them formal notice for breach of contract…
Thank you so much for all your replies, it’s been a massive help.
I ended up calling the emergency gas again who came out and did a much better check than the last one, he found the leak (it was coming from my flat after all!!) and called the agency/landlord himself who then got their people in and sorted everything the same day!! I’m very grateful and glad it’s all over with now.
Contact your local council and contact British Gas as they have a duty of care of the council as does British Gas so something will get done or they will have to rehoused you and put you in our hotel and be expense of the landlord. Or another thing you could do is contact your Citizens Advice Bureau but I’m sure they will tell you to go to the council and contact British Gas
