Should I report health and safety risk?

Semele

Hi,

Just to mention we are living in London, but I presume basic health and safety laws are the same.

I live in a three story house that is converted into 6 flats. We are on the second floor. Two days ago we woke up to find a large amount of water had leaked through the light fittings in the bathroom and the bedroom ceilings. We presumed a bath had overflowed upstairs. This morning we were woken at 5 by a torrential downpour in both rooms again. Huge amounts of water!

Ourselves and the tenant below us went up to the flat on the top floor to find out what was going on. It turned out to be a leaky radiator that the landlord had refused to fix. The upstairs flat was covered in mould, all over the walls and ceilings and the dampness in the air was unreal. Also, none of the lights were working - the landlord had also refused to fix those.

To make this even more Dickensian, the upstairs lady told us that they were having an increasing problem with rats which were coming in through the holes in the walls! She is an old lady, whose English isn't the best and she claims to have had frequent arguments with the landlord and his two sons who have bullied and threatened her - we have heard frequent arguments between them all, but didn't actually realise it was the landlord shouting at her.

We have also had a mouse infestation this week.

We called the landlord, whose son came around and dried our bedroom carpet. He also pulled the light fittings out of both the bedroom and bathroom ceilings - so our bulbs are now dangling by exposed wires. Needless to say neither of these light fittings work now nor does our living room light. He said that he will be back in three days to fix the lights.

So we now have a bathroom with no windows and no light - we have to bring a torch to the toilet and shower with the door open. There is also a bizarre smell of burning. A damp bedroom with severe water damage to the ceiling and wallpaper and a darkened living room. And also the possibility of rats in the building.

My main worry is the possibility of a rodent problem and I fear for the health of the old lady upstairs without any lights. The huge amount of mould is also worrying. Can we report the landlord to the council? Or am I just overreacting?

Victor

Talk to the fire brigade now to see if they think there is an electrical shorting problem. Seriously consider a B&B for the weekend and bill the landlord.

First thing on Monday get onto the council housing department that deals with inspections and explain your and the neighbours situation. Do not take no for and answer.

I suggest you wraps anything of value in plastic - go to the shop and buy a few rolls of bin liners.

I suspect the mice are running from the water, but can't be sure.

Look up Threshold Housing Advice Centres or local voluntary housing agencies - they may be able to help you.

dny123456

On the plus side... if there's mice it's unlikely that there is also rats. They don't get on too well.

I wouldnt stay there any longer though, if I were u.

JuliusCaesar

Semele wrote: »

Or am I just overreacting?

You are under-reacting!

Get out immediately. Water & electrics do NOT mix. Bill the landlord for hotel costs. (Not a 5* obviously!)

Get onto the Council. Good idea re Fire Brigade. Call Health & Safety at the council.

Is it private rented accom? Does the landlord own the whole house or is it a different landlord for each flat?

Semele

Wow...and I thought everyone was going to tell me to stop being silly.

Yep the private landlord owns the whole building. We have all the electrics turned off in the apartment and we are camping in the sitting room with candles. I'm going to get on to the council first thing tomorrow and demand they sort it out.


Good to know about the rats. Mice I can handle. I have a nice stool to stand on and a rolling pin to wave menacingly.

dandelion

Life is short, everyone is entitled to a safe and secure home. Move if you can, as soon as you can, try and persuade the little old lady to move too, there must be vacant properties around you, there's certainly no shortage of them over here.

Take care...

The_Conductor

dny123456 wrote: »

On the plus side... if there's mice it's unlikely that there is also rats. They don't get on too well.

I wouldnt stay there any longer though, if I were u.

dny123456 is absolutely correct.
If you are certain that you have mice- you can say with a large degree of certainty you don't have rats and vice versa.