I'm coming across stories of tenants in real hardship because of negligent landlords:
Houses with rooves leaking, others with water running down walls (which I've seen) others that are incredibly damp.
True it's been very wet for some time but this is no excuse for poor behaviour from landlords resulting very damp houses which can affect the health of those having to live there.
I'm planning a name and shame article which could go on Youtube with filmed examples.
Interested in going on the video?
So far I've got three properties in my sights with no permissions yet.
Speak up please.
Youtube really does have an impact particularly if the landlord is well know as is the case in one of my examples.
12 comments:
I will get evicted if i speak out but have a look down at Hoad View apartments
Given the high rents that are often being paid it's scandalous that people live in unhealthy conditions like these.
I don't know about Ulverston's housing stock, but in Barrow there are massive numbers of damp-affected properties that people are having to live in. I renovated one where the floor had completely rotted out it was that damp - and an old disabled woman had been living in it. There were more houses just like on the same street. How many in the area are in similar states of disrepair? Hundreds I suspect.
Sometimes the landlords don't care, sometimes they just don't have the money because they have over-reached in their property speculation (see: John Calderbank in Ulverston http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/ulverston/residents_confident_eyesore_house_will_be_fixed_1_545279?referrerPath=news/ulverston).
As a landlord myself, I agree there are two sides to any story, however one has to ask the question: why are people renting out houses if they can't look after them properly? Shouldn't they be selling the property - maybe with a sitting tenant - if they can't cope.
Is the route of naming and shaming the best route to take?
Note in this posting I'm waving the need for people to identify themselves ( never-th-less it would be good to have names as well so that I'm not the only one to catch the flack).
I followed the above link only to find it's a case I got involved with four years ago when running for county councillor. For me it re-enforces my belief that our coucillors do a very poor job - in this case I suspect it's Jamie Samson - why do residents have to kick up such a fuss to get things done? And why do the public keep electing them?
Elections coming up in May - will it continue to unbusiness as usual? - Or is it time for a major shake up?
Geoff, I live in rented property in Ulverston. Over a 6 month period rats have become a major problem for me. I told my landlord, he did nothing. On Christmas Eve I witnessed a rat gnawing through a large chocolate Father Christmas I had bought for my 4 year old, I am a single mum, on benefits and this was all I could afford for him.
I was outraged and made for the pub where I knew my landlord would be busy converting my rent into pints of lager. I approached him and asked what he would do about it.
Clearly drunk he told me to (excuse language) "..fuck off you daft bitch heres a tenner, buy yourself an air pistol..." with that he threw two £5 notes on the floor. As I have rheumatism, brought on by the dampness of the flat, I couldn't bend quickly enough to pick them up, one of his cronies picked them up, stuck 2 fingers up at me then, unbelievably bought a drink for himself and my landlord!
The man is a degenerate thug, he needs dealing with. I have noted your successes in other campaigns and I hope you can help me. I have full details and can pass them on to you, can you publish a phone number please?
My phone number is 01229 480347 email gd at tygh.co.uk.
I shall not be able to work any magic - what we need is for you and everyone else who wants action to start by taking it themselves.
I have no idea what action is best. We will all have to work something out.
What I have found that works best is to put up a video on youtube.
What I do want to hear about is intimidation that occurs as a result of anyone trying to speak up for themselves.
This can apply to both sides of an argument.
What I've found is that there are a lot of people who want to find fault but few who are willing to put things right. I have no intention of becoming everyone's whipping boy. Something that can be very hard to avoid.
A friend told me about this discussion, I think you might want to know my situation. I rentb a local house where I "live" with my two children, 6 and 9 and my partner. The house is very very damp. About 6 weeks ago the floor under the toilet finally gave way, due to the dampness and the toilet actually ended up protruding thru the kitchen ceiling.
I straight away contacted my landlord who said he would see to it. Nothing happened. Repeated calls either got no response or we were given excuses.
In the meantime the 4 of us have no toilet, instead we have a large plastic bucket on the landing, frankly the house stinks, it gets in our clothes, our hair and its embarrasing when I go shopping.
I am sick of it all and will be contacting you soon with more details. I have been to council/CAB/social but NO RESULTS. I see you as my (our) only hope. My friend says you are a good man, a fighter on behalf of the underclass. I will be in touch.
Good.
I'm coming up with some ideas of how to fight back.
The situation is bad not only here in Ulverston but also in Barrow where there are quite a number of irresponsible landlords.
I can't leave my name for fear that Ulverston landlords are watching this site and this discussion. The house we rent is in a terrible state and at Christmas we had a similar situation to the one Norma describes except the bath room floor gave way when my wife was in the bath due to the damp rotten floorboards. Fortunately she wasn't physically injured but the shock was so severe that she is now using a tin bath in the outhouse becaue it has a concrete floor. The outhouse, not the tin bath. Can you give any guarentees of anonymity? Our landlord has a russian rent collector.
I suggest you contact me by phone - You don't have to give your name.
Geoff, is it not obvious to you that most of these comments are crude attempts to ridicule you?
If you have accepted them as genuine, then it begs the question ,what help can such a naive, gullible individual be in such circumstances?
If I my opinion is incorrect and these individuals are genuine, what reaction do you anticipate from their landlord?
I believe you are a caring person Geoff but catch up and join todays world ,things have moved on. Society as you would like it to be has gone, we now live in a world of dog eat dog!
Alan, yes, I am well aware that people wiil embellish and even manufacture 'the truth' and some even seek to ridicule me.
However I am in close touch with reliable sources of information which confirm that there is a problem here in Ulverston. I have seen water running down an inside wall with the tenant leaving the property because nothing was done about it after several requests: something I passed on to the landlord myself.
I shall be treading very carefully - but treading I will be.
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