Where do we stand? Re landlord

Fatty_no_more

Slimming for my children
Hi there.
We rent privately. We got the property through an estate agent who then passed it back to the landlord to do all the maintenance etc. But we pay him through the estate agents to protect ourselves.

Basically we have an oven whats called an arga. when we cook it turns all the radiators on in the houise. Now this was fine over winter but now its too hot and we have had to sit outside with the baby whilst we cook and thereafter as its too hot therefore leaving the baby unsettled as he is too hot.

I called the landlord and told him about this two weeks ago and he said he would pop over on the Thursday but he didnt. Today i called again as not only this is still outstanding but the light in the living room popped and we now have no light in the house. Again he hasnt turned up.

The fuse is an old style fuse and has no swtiches to flick it back on etc so we have no light and are sitting with the tv and computer for light.

Where do we stand on this? Its getting a bit of a joke!
x
 
I doubt there's much he can do about the Aga, as far as I know that's just the way they work. My parents have had Aga's/wood burning stoves for years and whilst they're wonderful in the winter, in the summer they heat the entire house. They rarely use it in the summer and have a small oven instead that they use if they need to.

As far as the light is concerned--I take it that it blew a fuse when the bulb went out? I'd call him again, let him know that you have no light and give him a deadline to come round and correct it--maybe one or two days (especially as he already knows about this problem). If he doesn't, then put your concern to him in writing, copy it to the estate agents, and tell him that if it isn't resolved you'll have no option but to get an electrician in and deduct the cost from your next rent cheque.

Hope you get things sorted out soon.
 
Oh and while you're waiting, plug a few lamps in and use them for light :D If the plugs are still working for the computer and the television then a couple of table lamps shouldn't be a problem :D
 
I'd agree with the others as far as the Aga goes there won't be anything he can do about it.
 
cheers girls

ok he finally came over at 9 and did the fuse and he had to use wiring toi thread through it?

dunno if its a coincidence but ever since, both myself and hubby keep getting electric shocks??? i got quite a bad one off the aga. any advice?
xxx
 
housing law is my forte by law he has to have the electrics checked by a qualified electrician and get a certificate for it since the first of January 2006 and the estate agent knows that both gas and electric have to be checked on a regular basis
 
housing law is my forte by law he has to have the electrics checked by a qualified electrician and get a certificate for it since the first of January 2006 and the estate agent knows that both gas and electric have to be checked on a regular basis

he reckons he did hte electrics just before we moved in? as theres a massive earth wire running through our living room.

i am just too scared to move as i keep getting shocks.

Any advice?
x
 
electric shocks!

are too many dangerous?
basically my fuse went last night and we have an old style one where you thread the wire through. But ever since we have been getting electric shocks off of everything!!!! my landlord fitted it back togehter.
They are really painful its mainly metal like kitchen foil and the cat lol.
one of them from the oven was so bad my arm went jelly!
I am too scared to cook in case i get a shock again and both my arms are killing me from so many this morning.

HELP! i am also worried about my 5 month old getting a shock
x
 
It sounds like something isn't earthed properly. Check your tenancy agreement, but it's usually the landlords responsibility to maintain things like that, so give him a call, explain the situation and lay it on thick about how unsafe it is for your son!

It's definately not right!
 
yea already did that and he laughed and said let me know if it keeps happening but havent a clue what it is.

I have a feeling he threaded the fuse with the wrong piece of wire? There are different thickensses and i think the house is now charged! x
 
it could be that whatever blew the electric in the first place blew because it isnt earthed properly in which case if its an appliance it needs to be switched off, if it was switching on a light that did it then there may be a loose wire in the box behind the switch also.

He could have used the wrong fuse wire you are right that this may be causing it. It could be that something which is plugged in isnt 100% in all the way this can cause this also so have a hunt round and check all your plugs are in all the way.

Ring the landlord ask him what fuse wire he put in for the lights - lights tend to run on 5 amps so if he says this then its not a problem amd this isnt causing it , also ask him did he check the others were ok, sometimes they havent 100% gone but can be on their way out.
 
i just looked and he used the 30amp one?

i am too scared to turn on the microwave at the socket (we turn alolo our sockets off at night) in case i blow up!
xx
 
I just rang my bro he is an electrician he said it should deffo be 5amp and ring your landlord to come and change it.

was it a light they blew? the sockets should be on a different main so you should be ok using the micro , i always switch sockets off at night apart from the fridge and what needs to be on its good practice

if you go through a letting agent and your getting nowhere ring the agent and discuss with them, i have had this in the past when i rented and the agent helped a bit

houses tend to run on 3 rings
1 for lighting
1 for sockets
1 for heaters/cookers/boilers etc
so if the main overhead lights go then the sockets usually still work and are ok.

Letting agent should have seen evidence that under new governement legislation the house has had its electric/gas etc checked and approved
 
Tell the landlord you want it fixed ASAP or will be calling out an electrician to sort it and then forwarding him the bill - you should not have to live in an unsafe property especially with a 5 month old about! Sorry electrics are too dangerous to be unsure of xxx
 
he called and said its me. said i couldnt get shocks off the cat and foil if he had re done the fuse. so i basically have to live with it. but i dont understand why my husband got them too?
x
 
Get on to your local council and/or the citizens advice bureau and ask for their advice. Someone who has put 30 amp fuse wire in is totally incompetent and should not be allowed anywhere near anything electrical.

Getting electric shocks can be anything from a minor discomfort up to fatal - especially if you have wet hands or there is water involved somehow.

Try to avoid touching anything metallic and tell the landlord that you are going to get advice about whether the house complies with all the legal requirements.

You need someone qualified and competent to deal with this now.

Get on to the estate agents as well.
 
he called and said its me. said i couldnt get shocks off the cat and foil if he had re done the fuse. so i basically have to live with it. but i dont understand why my husband got them too?
x

Did you get these shocks before? It certainly is possible to get minor shocks from static electricity, but this is not what you are describing. If he is not a qualified electrician (and he obviously isn't) then he has no right telling you that everything is OK when it isn't. Don't listen to him. You really must get someone qualified in today.

Sorry to sound bossy, but this is really serious.
 
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