Question about landlord/repairs.

EoinD

Hi guys ,

Thanks in advance for any answers.

I recently (~3/4 weeks) moved into student accommodation in Cork , all bills included , this includes internet.

I have a desktop and I need a wired connection ( for stability and security related reasons related to my job ). The port in my room for plugging a wired device into seems to be broken , so I cannot access internet at all when I am at my apartment. The people in both rooms next to me and in all the other apartments use Ethernet. This is a serious issue for me when I go home as I cannot access any of my emails/contact family or friends etc or do anything related to work.

I bought a Wi-Fi adapter for my PC but the signal is so weak in my room , it disconnects every few seconds and I may as well not have internet .

I have been without internet for nearly 4 weeks now.

I emailed the landlord , but they have been no help and keep on seeming to brush me off / not reply .

It is just a repair ( relatively simple one ) , but I do not have the ability to fix it myself.

Any advice on how I can tackle this problem would be great .

Eoin

Potatoeman

Where does the port connect to the router. If you know someone with a cable tester they can loan to you for a quick end to end check. Are there lights on the ethernet card when you plug it in?

EoinD

No the port connects straight into the wall. I don't know where it goes after that. My ethernet port worked at home. I've tested multiple laptops and my desktop , multiple cables and nothing is lighting it up / working. So it is either the socket or some back-end wiring.

Potatoeman

EoinD wrote: »

No the port connects straight into the wall. I don't know where it goes after that. My ethernet port worked at home. I've tested multiple laptops and my desktop , multiple cables and nothing is lighting it up / working. So it is either the socket or some back-end wiring.

It could not be plugged into the router. Find out where the router is first and check its plugged in.

Potatoeman

If the router is in a common area someone might have unplugged your connection.

Mrs OBumble

You emailed them once? No wonder they're not talking you seriously.

Phone them daily, asking for an update on progress.

EoinD

I do not know unfortunately. I have no visual access to the router. Do you know of any rights I have to repairs? Since it was advertised I would have internet. I know i can get a very poor signal. I wonder if my rights are denied based on that fact. Thanks again.

EoinD

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

You emailed them once? No wonder they're not talking you seriously.

Phone them daily, asking for an update on progress.

I have been in contact with them multiple times , called into the office , phone and emails. Other people in the building say they are very slow to fix things. They always say things like "we will get onto the guy to fix it" etc but I never hear anything.

Thanks for the reply.

quietsailor

Is the accommodation advertised through the accommodation office, if so write a letter to the management that you're considering a formal complaint to the UCC Accommodation office over false advertising - point out that you need the internet for access to blackboard, hence why you rented this place in particular.

Have you housemates? Ask if they know where the router is if it's in the house - an apartment may have one massive centralised system so you might not be able to get access

Check your lease to see what it says about Broadband, if it says it is included a second option is to write to the management pointing out that the house was advertised as including broadband, you can't get broadband so they're breaking the terms of the lease.
Next give them a time frame to get it fixed - say one working week - and if not fixed by then you are going to get several quotes for repairing the problem, pick the best one and deduct from rent.
Be warned, thats the nuclear option, once you do that there will be no goodwill from the management company AT ALL.

ABajaninCork

I reckon the jack might be faulty. They do have a habit of just going without warning. Can you ask the LL to get someone out to fix a new one?

Do you have Ethernet or Internet? If it's internet, then check the filters. They too can go without warning.

EoinD

quietsailor wrote: »

Is the accommodation advertised through the accommodation office, if so write a letter to the management that you're considering a formal complaint to the UCC Accommodation office over false advertising - point out that you need the internet for access to blackboard, hence why you rented this place in particular.

Have you housemates? Ask if they know where the router is if it's in the house - an apartment may have one massive centralised system so you might not be able to get access

Check your lease to see what it says about Broadband, if it says it is included a second option is to write to the management pointing out that the house was advertised as including broadband, you can't get broadband so they're breaking the terms of the lease.
Next give them a time frame to get it fixed - say one working week - and if not fixed by then you are going to get several quotes for repairing the problem, pick the best one and deduct from rent.
Be warned, thats the nuclear option, once you do that there will be no goodwill from the management company AT ALL.

Thanks for the detailed reply.

It seems to be one centralized system so I don't have access to it. The people in the rooms next to me and downstairs both have ethernet in their rooms. Check the advertisement ( woops can't post links , PM me if you guys need it ) it says internet. I will scoop out my contract now . I've already written 3 seperate letters to the property owners ( it's an agency it seems ) explaining my situation. I have been on the phone with them and they say something along the lines of "we will get it fixed" but they never do. I wonder as I'm only here for 6 months , do they just not care as I'm leaving in September.

Thanks for the reply.

EoinD

ABajaninCork wrote: »

I reckon the jack might be faulty. They do have a habit of just going without warning. Can you ask the LL to get someone out to fix a new one?

Do you have Ethernet or Internet? If it's internet, then check the filters. They too can go without warning.

It's ethernet. Landlord says they will get someone out to check it , never seems to happen.

quietsailor

If your anyway handy at all you could replace the faceplate of the jack yourself, it's literally 2 screws and carefully write down the colour combinations of the wires.

The wires just get pushed down between the pins at the back of the faceplate. That link will give you a picture of teh back of the faceplate.

The link you pm'd me was through daft so I assume you didn't get the original ad from the accommodation office? Either way go into the office and ask for help, that's what they are there for. A phone call from the office might be enough to persuade the management that it is easier to deal with your problem than ignore it!

ted1

If its student accomodation the land lord will laugh when you say you need it for security for your job.

EoinD

quietsailor wrote: »

If your anyway handy at all you could replace the faceplate of the jack yourself, it's literally 2 screws and carefully write down the colour combinations of the wires.



The link you pm'd me was through daft so I assume you didn't get the original ad from the accommodation office? Either way go into the office and ask for help, that's what they are there for. A phone call from the office might be enough to persuade the management that it is easier to deal with your problem than ignore it!

Thanks , I left my tools at home , since I am living in Cork for work atm. I will give it a shot next week. I don't think UCC deal with where I am living. Doesn't seem to be listed in the UCC accomodation website.

ted1 wrote: »

If its student accomodation the land lord will laugh when you say you need it for security for your job.

Well that's only one of the smaller reasons . They don't know anywhere near enough about technology from the replies to deny that point.

EoinD

Currently talking to the UCC accommodation office. Thanks for the help guys.

murphym7

ted1 wrote: »

If its student accomodation the land lord will laugh when you say you need it for security for your job.

Why??

Potatoeman

quietsailor wrote: »

If your anyway handy at all you could replace the faceplate of the jack yourself, it's literally 2 screws and carefully write down the colour combinations of the wires.

The wires just get pushed down between the pins at the back of the faceplate. That link will give you a picture of teh back of the faceplate.

The link you pm'd me was through daft so I assume you didn't get the original ad from the accommodation office? Either way go into the office and ask for help, that's what they are there for. A phone call from the office might be enough to persuade the management that it is easier to deal with your problem than ignore it!

He really should get the connection to the router checked first. It could be a loose connection.

runawaybishop

Stop suggesting he fix it himself. Its not his responsibility and if he messes anything up he will be liable - if they see its been tampered with they might try to find him liable also.

Typically tenants send notice of the issue in writing to the landlord stating the issue and giving a reasonable amount of time to fix the issue. If it is not fixed in that time they can pay a professional to repair the fault and deduct the money from the rent (informing LL that this will occur), providing a receipt for work done of course.

Do you have a lease OP, what sort of accommodation is it exactly, just a room in an apartment/house? Do you have a separate lease?

EoinD

runawaybishop wrote: »

Stop suggesting he fix it himself. Its not his responsibility and if he messes anything up he will be liable - if they see its been tampered with they might try to find him liable also.

Typically tenants send notice of the issue in writing to the landlord stating the issue and giving a reasonable amount of time to fix the issue. If it is not fixed in that time they can pay a professional to repair the fault and deduct the money from the rent (informing LL that this will occur), providing a receipt for work done of course.

Do you have a lease OP, what sort of accommodation is it exactly, just a room in an apartment/house? Do you have a separate lease?

Hi ! Thanks for the reply .

I didn't want to fix it myself , in case of the issues you outlined.

I live in a student apartment complex. 2/3 rooms per apt with a shared kitchen between the 3 of us. Yes I got a separate lease agreement.

runawaybishop

EoinD wrote: »

Hi ! Thanks for the reply .

I didn't want to fix it myself , in case of the issues you outlined.

I live in a student apartment complex. 2/3 rooms per apt with a shared kitchen between the 3 of us. Yes I got a separate lease agreement.

Written letter so with reasonable period of notice to fix, otherwise you'll get it fixed and invoice them (i.e take it out of rent). If the fault is outside your apartment that could be trickier though - you cant authorise repairs on someone elses property.

EoinD

runawaybishop wrote: »

Written letter so with reasonable period of notice to fix, otherwise you'll get it fixed and invoice them (i.e take it out of rent). If the fault is outside your apartment that could be trickier though - you cant authorise repairs on someone elses property.

I know this sounds silly . But would an email do ? If it is via An-Post , should I get it sent as a registered letter so they can't say something like they "never got it "?

runawaybishop

EoinD wrote: »

I know this sounds silly . But would an email do ? If it is via An-Post , should I get it sent as a registered letter so they can't say something like they "never got it "?

The PRTB have accepted email and text as valid notification in some cases but to cover yourself a letter with proof of postage is best.