I live in a rented property in London, there are 3 bedrooms; two with a couple in each and one single. The flat is 3 storeys and is 1 storey above a shop with the entrance to the side of the shop. Shop on ground floor, my bedroom and a bathroom on first floor, kitchen, living room, one bedroom on second floor and an en-suite bedroom on third floor. This staircase is the only staircase which leads me to believe that it is the only means of escape in the even of a fire.
When I moved in the lights on the stairs from the ground floor to first and first floor to second did not work, therefore making the stairwell completely dark at night. That was midway through May, i requested they be fixed when i moved in and my landlord told me they would be next time their electrician was around, I didnt make much of a fuss as i had just moved in. The subject arose once again recently (last week) as they still have not been fixed. My landlord is being completely unreasonable about the lights and making up reasons for why they cannot be fixed, why are utter bullsh*t, the latest being that the electricians she uses have been told not to do work in central london until after the olympics and to work from home, she mistakenly told me their name and i called and asked when the earliest they could fix the problem would be, turns out its tomorrow morning?! shock horror.
Anyway, as ways of persuasion what points of call do I have, who should I contact to have her fix this. I am pretty sure that this is illegal in terms of having an un light fire escape route as my main argument?
Can anyone verify (or not as the case may be) this or show me where there is anything stating that stairs must be light, especially if they are a means of escape in the event of a fire. Or am I wrong?
Is there HMO legislation you can rely on? (there is in Jockland)
Exactly what I thought! which is what I have been looking for online, there is no definite you need a light fire escape sentence that i can find but I am quite sure I could call a fire inspector and have them say its unsafe, which is what it says you need to have done to say you can have your HMO liscence in the first place
1) contact your local authority environmental health, they love to "do" landlords and will only be too willing to kick his arse on your behalf. This is pref as you stay anon.
or
2) Write to landlord give him 14 days to sort it or you will spend some of the rent sorting it yourself. Disrepair is the legal term. Although he may give you notice to quit as soon as is legal...
If no-one with more info than me comes along, have a nose through the building regs as a starting point.
[url= http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/lighting/ ]http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/lighting/[/url]
The law will have to be based on something.
Already been to building regs, its proving that its illegal in this situation that im having a problem with, in a private rented out property... With the No. of people living in the property as I mentioned in England does the property require an HMO, I know in Scotland it does, its 3 or more unrelated persons
anus, it depends on your LA, like I said contact them, they will be uber helpful - housing dept or environmental health.
toys - I am giving them one more chance as they claim they will fix it 'after the olympics' as apparently all local tradesmen have been told to work from home... i know, baffles me too... If not fixed next week, thing gonna get interesting
if its your fire exit then there's regulations around lighting
Inform her in writing that you will have it fixed and then take off the amount from your next rent unless its fixed by Friday.
unfortunately london is gay and to secure the property (its madness to get a place here, comes on the market in the morning, gone by lunchtime) we had to pay upfront a few months otherwise i would be straight on with withholding my rent!
Plug a light in or move. Anus.
Well fall down the stairs because there is no light, and claim off the insurance for the building, if she has any.
😕 😆Plug a light in or move. Anus.
Kill her and put her in the basement.
How TF does a tradesman work from home?
Some kind of telekinesis?
How TF does a tradesman work from home?Some kind of telekinesis?
Nah, the ubiquitous long-handled screwdriver and a long stand...