I just joined this forum, so please forgive me if I am in the wrong place or do the wrong thing. I am desperate for some advice and hope someone might be able to help us. My husband and I signed a 12 month lease on the 5th January 2013. Within day of signing this lease, the boiler became faulty and weeks later the chimney started leaking water into the house. The problems were never resolved and on the 21st March, we requested a release from our tenancy. This was granted on the condition that we paid the advertising fees, £350, and that a new tenant was secured for the property. A month later, unable to cope with the severe damp and lack of hot water we moved out of the house and into another rental property. Two of our young children have eczema and asthma. They both suffered serious infections between January and April due to our inability to bath them and during this time they were both prescribed five courses of antibiotics. We felt that we had absolutely no choice but to move out of the property.
We have since continued to pay our rent and all the utility bills for the property we vacated, however, the Landlord has still not rectified the problems with the property and as such, the agents have been unable to relet the property. We are at our wit's end and have requested an immediate release from the agreement, but the Landlord has refused our request.
1.) We provided written notice of the problems with the hot water system on the 21st March 2013, although a log of engineer visits to the property proves that we verbally made the agents aware of the problem in January 2013. We notified the agents of the damp problems in the loft room in February 2013 and this was visibly inspected by a representative of the agents. Thereafter, the Landlord was informed by us of this problem in writing on the 21st March 2013.
2.) No action was taken with regards to the structural disrepair of the chimney between the 21st of March and 21st April 2013, and no repair has, as yet, been instructed for this disrepair.
3.) The faulty hot water system was still in disrepair on the 21st April 2013.
4.) We can, if required, provide medical and school records to prove the detrimental effects of these disrepairs on our children’s health.
5.) We, as a family, have incurred significant, financial, medical and emotional costs as a result of these disrepairs.
6.) We have, at all times, attempted to resolve these problems in a fair and reasonable manner and have honoured every condition and term that has been put to us.
We have since continued to pay our rent and all the utility bills for the property we vacated, however, the Landlord has still not rectified the problems with the property and as such, the agents have been unable to relet the property. We are at our wit's end and have requested an immediate release from the agreement, but the Landlord has refused our request.
1.) We provided written notice of the problems with the hot water system on the 21st March 2013, although a log of engineer visits to the property proves that we verbally made the agents aware of the problem in January 2013. We notified the agents of the damp problems in the loft room in February 2013 and this was visibly inspected by a representative of the agents. Thereafter, the Landlord was informed by us of this problem in writing on the 21st March 2013.
2.) No action was taken with regards to the structural disrepair of the chimney between the 21st of March and 21st April 2013, and no repair has, as yet, been instructed for this disrepair.
3.) The faulty hot water system was still in disrepair on the 21st April 2013.
4.) We can, if required, provide medical and school records to prove the detrimental effects of these disrepairs on our children’s health.
5.) We, as a family, have incurred significant, financial, medical and emotional costs as a result of these disrepairs.
6.) We have, at all times, attempted to resolve these problems in a fair and reasonable manner and have honoured every condition and term that has been put to us.