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Plumbing, lax estate agents, and reclaiming money?
Dunxco
Should get a suitNever skips breakfastRegistered User regular
Should get a suitNever skips breakfastRegistered User regular
Hey all:
I've been visiting the missus in her rented accomodation for the past week or so (she's a student finishing off her third year). Early October, she had complained about the leaky tap in the kitchen. She was told by her estate agent that she would have to make do, and to use a towel to mop up the leak. At the time, it was just a little drip. Mid-late October, she informed them that her kitchen was starting to flood. They sent someone over to tinker with it, told she would need a new tap but they didn't have the parts, and left it at that. She was pestering them pretty much every other day (bar weekends) to get this problem sorted, but was met with responses of that the plumber was busy sorting out the boilers, and they were having trouble finding the parts. She says they seemed like they were definitely stalling.
Tonight the tap sort of... Burst. The kitchen floor was soaked, the counter was flooded, the options were to either leave the tap on and have it still leak all over the counter, or turn it off and have it leak even moreso over the counter. We checked the building and the paperwork she had been given and much to our dismay, there was no emergency contact number (something I recall owning on a billboard in the hallway of my rented accomodation during my uni years). Without really much of an option left, we had to call out for a plumber, and now I'm £503.48 out of pocket.
What can/should I do in this situation? We're going to head down to the estate agent tomorrow (with my copy of the bill from the callout from tonight) if only to tell them the tap problem has been fixed, and to be frank I'm pretty pissed; I saw this problem as well but they just didn't do anything and now I'm slightly over half a grand down!
So uh, yes: Is anyone able to give me a run-down of my options here? What should I be doing?
Edit: Title changed to be slightly more informative as to what the thread is about.
I've been visiting the missus in her rented accomodation for the past week or so (she's a student finishing off her third year). Early October, she had complained about the leaky tap in the kitchen. She was told by her estate agent that she would have to make do, and to use a towel to mop up the leak. At the time, it was just a little drip. Mid-late October, she informed them that her kitchen was starting to flood. They sent someone over to tinker with it, told she would need a new tap but they didn't have the parts, and left it at that. She was pestering them pretty much every other day (bar weekends) to get this problem sorted, but was met with responses of that the plumber was busy sorting out the boilers, and they were having trouble finding the parts. She says they seemed like they were definitely stalling.
Tonight the tap sort of... Burst. The kitchen floor was soaked, the counter was flooded, the options were to either leave the tap on and have it still leak all over the counter, or turn it off and have it leak even moreso over the counter. We checked the building and the paperwork she had been given and much to our dismay, there was no emergency contact number (something I recall owning on a billboard in the hallway of my rented accomodation during my uni years). Without really much of an option left, we had to call out for a plumber, and now I'm £503.48 out of pocket.
What can/should I do in this situation? We're going to head down to the estate agent tomorrow (with my copy of the bill from the callout from tonight) if only to tell them the tap problem has been fixed, and to be frank I'm pretty pissed; I saw this problem as well but they just didn't do anything and now I'm slightly over half a grand down!
So uh, yes: Is anyone able to give me a run-down of my options here? What should I be doing?
Edit: Title changed to be slightly more informative as to what the thread is about.
Dunxco on
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Does she pay for the water bill? If so, she could be entitled for some compensation on that, as well. A single dripping faucet can waste a hell of a lot of water, and that reflects in the utilities cost. By virtue of the fact that they refused to fix the problem, any increased cost should be their responsbility.
http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/housing/advice-for-tenants-and-residents/ (as an American, I am very amused that you have a "Gypsies and Travellers" section)
Call someone from one of these organizations. I'm guessing that they will either know what you need to do, or at least know the correct people to call.
In many parts of the US, you can withhold rent in the amount that you've spent on emergency repairs if they are unable or unwilling to come do the work. I am not at all certain that this is the case in your area.
Under the advice of the better half, she went to the Student Union for advice on the matter (something to do with a concern over the claim because I paid for the repairs, and not her, and the flat is rented by her and in her name and all that jazz). They said they've dealt with these people before specifically and are taking action on our behalf to help get it sorted out. We're expecting an email today or tomorrow with an update from them.
@Doc: Thanks for those links, I'll give them a browse. I'm not sure the Cambridge city council sites can be much help except as a general point of reference because the better half lives in Luton. Will still have a browse though, big thanks.