Your advice - landlord problem

[HeadNun]

I was wondering if anyone had any wise words to offer.

I live in a lovely flat in Nunhead and one of it's design features is massive, 13 foot wide windows at the back of the house and two huge skylights. While this looks lovely it means that, come the winter, the house is baltic (the sitting room is an extension, so all external walls). My flatmate and I can see our icy breath, even when the heating is on full blast, and all heating just evapourates through the windows anyway, costing us a small fortune. It's so bad we literally sit in the main living part of the house in gloves and hats.

My question is this: are landlords legally required to provide curtains or blinds? I am having to have curtains made and, combined with the cost of a rail, the whole things it going to cost me nigh on ?400 and the landlord is refusing to cover the cost of any of this.

[DJKillaQueen]

It a nutshell...NO. The Landlord is not obliged to provide these things. However since 1st October 2008 an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be made available free of charge to prospective tenants and a copy must be provided to all new Tenants. The certificates can only be produced by a Qualified and Accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) or a Home Inspector (HI). More info on these here

An Energy Performance Certificate is valid for up to ten years for rented properties. And grants are available for private landlords to help them improve things like insulation in their properties.

The 1987 ammendement to the housing act indicates what private landlords are required to provide/ maintain under the parametres of being 'fit for dwelling'. That covers legal obligations for things like gas and electric fittings and appliances.

Hope that helps.

[KidKruger]

I don't think a landlord is even obliged to provide heating - it depends what the contract says.

You would have viewed and chosen the property and had a set of questions to ask before moving in and some assumptions you may have made.

If the landlord is interested in retaining you as a tenant though he should at least try to be flexible, but that's his choice.

Put it this way, blinds curtains won't make too much difference if you're really wearing outdoor gear to survive in the flat. Next year will be the same, and the year after. If he tried to show the flat to prospective new tenants he'd surely (based on what you've said) have difficulties making the accomodation appear comfortable/cosy so perhaps it's worth giving your notice now and saying why. If he concedes perhaps you can negotiate an additional radiator or two in the cold part of the flat. If you threaten to move out he will know this may be a recurring problem for him every winter, for any tenant. The money he may lose trying to let it again may act as a driver for some change..

If you view alternative flats now you may be able to get a better picture of how well equipped they are for heating.

This is my opinion not gospel.

[DJKillaQueen]

Landlords are required under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to:

1) Maintain water / gas / electricity supplies to the property

2) Provide facilities for water heating and space heating

This does not mean the Landlord has to necessarily provide gas or electricity - water and space heating could be bottled gas or a coal fire - but there does at least have to be some means to heat the property.

[cate]

Yes, and it sounds like the cold from the windows cancels out any heat! Any decent landlord would negotiate on this, as he/she would have the same problem in the future. Don't think I would want to be a tenant of someone like this.

[Jeremy]

If you are sitting there shivering in gloves and hats, I don't think a few curtains will really improve things enough.

Sorry to state the obvious, but why not move somewhere else? No matter how much you like the flat, it's not worth it if you're freezing cold for half of the year.

[cate]

If the windows are single glazed then the curtains won't help much, as Jeremy said. Why not get a couple of window companies round to quote for double glazed windows and then show them to the landlord.

[Pearson]

^ Cate, the OP has already said:

'the whole things it going to cost me nigh on ?400 and the landlord is refusing to cover the cost of any of this"

In which case i seriously doubt he will pay for double glazing you suggest..

[cate]

It's called lateral thinking Pearson. When the landlord sees how much double glazing will cost he should be happy to pay for the curtains etc.

[Pearson]

No Cate, he's a Landlord. That's called dreaming...

[giggirl]

Give notice on the flat and move out. There is no point being miserable at this time of year. No matter how nice your flat is in the spring/summer, it's not worth living like this now.

Good luck to your landlord for replacing you. Serves him right if he doesn't find someone until the spring.

[Brendan]

?400 will probably just about cover the estate agent fees.

[HeadNun]

Hi All,

Thanks for the excellent advice. The windows are double glazed but they are concertina doors so the heat gets out / cold gets in that way. I think heavy, lined curtains will make the world of difference.

After much pleading the landlord has agreed to pay for and put up a curtain rail, so good result all round!

HN

p..s it really is a lovely flat, wonderful features and decent rent, so not planning on going anywhere soon.

[SteveT]

There are better ways to spend 400 quid.

Stop up any leaks around doors.

Insulating the walls with polystyrene on the walls and ceiling.

Add another layer of insulation in front of any glass by means of a product resembling the stuff which laminates photos etc, which sticks to the window and door frames available from any decent diy place.

All this will improve it but not eradicate the cold spot, unless the wall cavities and ceiling contain insulation.

The curtains will look nicer than anything I have suggested though.

[Tarot]

Should have got some shutters.

[zeban]

Headnun, I really feel for you, my last flat was EXACTLY the same, and unfortunately I learnt the hard way that great design and decent rents are often just a way of covering up for shoddy workmanship on the actual house, which indicates a bad landlord. The flat I was in last was a whole house conversion into modern flats, brand new, looked nice, and rent was reasonable. Unfortunately it was very very badly insulated, despite what the Energy Performance Certificate said, and I could also see my breath. All flats were only provided with one electric heater which are ridiculously expensive and overheated after 5 minutes, cutting out. I eventually got the landlord to agree to me getting a proper oil filled radiator but I knew if I left it up to him I'd have never of got it so I said I'll buy it and take it off the next months rent.

I also called the local council to get someone to come out and check the flat, which took a while but it meant I could get a professional opinion and file a report/complaint. Private landlords ARE under obligation to the local council their properties come under.

Unfortunately, all of this took time and in the meantime it was the coldest winter for a long time- suffice to say I was completely miserable, and he report also took a long time to process, all the time my bills were sky high.

After 6 months I'd had enough and left, I only wished I'd done it sooner.

Your landlord sounds like a w***er, no decent landlord would let a property out that doesn't have decent insulation- if they wouldn't live in it why should you? Curtains are not going to make much difference, they'll make it feel psychologically more cosy but they won't keep out the cold.

I really really think you should hand in your notice and leave, before hardcore winter weather is upon us. It's so crappy but it will be worth it and you'll be so grateful when you remember what it feels like to be warm! Honestly, it's not worth the stress, the misery, and the high bills. Unfortunately, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.

[pablogrande]

Another thing that can help a lot is a portable dehumidifier, by removing the cold water from the air your heatingt will work more efficiently

[tfwsoll]

It looks like you've solved your problem amicably but excessive cold is one of the hazards listed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System so you can ask your local Environmental Health department to use their powers.