Hi, we moved into a property in Feb 2013 on a 6 months AST and pay £1500 rent per month. When we viewed the property, and agreed to take it, the facilities offered were the only reason, this was made clear to both letting agent and LL. The property is a barn conversion and was offered with 2 stables, a ménage and a small paddock, the landlord has converted a garage on the property but we were told that the area fenced around this was his and although we shared the drive that was it. We were assured that the building work to his garage would be completed prior to us moving in. There was a little work to do on the stables, fencing in the paddock and a dumper truck to be removed from the ménage. So, we are now in June, the dumper truck is still in the ménage, the paddock is still not fenced and the stables are full of the landlords furniture. The landlord wanders around the garden and walks into the property as though it is his home, his 3 dogs wander around freely, fouling anywhere they want and it is not cleared up, it is currently 445 in the morning and his dog is barking! There are still constant building works going on with workmen turning up every sunday since we moved in at around 7am, although sometimes as late as 8 and then machinery and tools going all day and workmen suddenly appearing on the garden or on the patio. The landlord has connected his electricity to our meter (which has 2500 of his debt on it that he didn't tell us about and we are paying back, this is in hand for sorting out) and has connected the sewage pipe which is now above ground on the entrance to the patio from the drive. The landlord has a 5yo son that appears in the garden and peers through the windows. 2 weeks ago (so 3 months into the tenancy) we brought a couple of our horses up and put them in the ménage with the dumper truck, trying to push the LL to move it as all requests so far have just been ignored. Within 2 hours of them arriving we had to call a vet, one had escaped through fencing that was held on with 1 nail, LL admitted it had been put up to look nice rather than be functional! I have just had enough, I am a nervous wreck, cannot relax and we are having to take the horses away because it is just not safe (or secure) to keep them here, so we have had 2 weeks with them at home and the vets bill will be around £300 when it arrives. LL has now served us with a section 21 notice for when our ast expires in august because he wants to sell but I really don't think I can last that long. Do we have a case to get out, I cannot bear the thought of paying him all that money for facilities we are not getting, especially since the barn conversion has been very badly done once you get in and isn't even nice to live in. If anyone can advise as to how we can get out quickly I would appreciate it, LL is very difficult but I can see us falling out very quickly if this all goes on. We have stayed quiet knowing that we have to live here.
I probably should have added that we have never been given the certificate for our deposit protection, despite asking for it, we have 4 young children, and we have asked constantly for the things we are paying for to be put right.
I probably should have added that we have never been given the certificate for our deposit protection, despite asking for it, we have 4 young children, and we have asked constantly for the things we are paying for to be put right.