Rental Advice - Condemned Balcony

seandugg

Moved into a rental apartment approx. 6 weeks ago (First Floor). Let by estate agent, managed by landlord

Apartment was lovely but with one problem - The balcony had been removed due to rot. We have a large sliding door opening out on to fresh air & 1 story drop.

At the original viewing the estate agent said a new balcony was already under construction in a factory and would be installed by the end of the summer & we took the apartment based on this.

Now the story has changed. We have found out that new balcony works have not been ordered. A quote has been recieved but the landlord and management company are in negotiations/debating who should pick up the tab and pay for it. All of this info has been second hand, both estate agent and landlord communications are elusive.

With no timelines provided for resolution and none in sight, what should our next steps be? Advice on rights/next steps?

Right2Write

Does the apartment suit you otherwise, location and cost etc.? If so, I wouldn't cut off my nose to spite my face - keep making regular enquiries and stress the safety aspect etc. Keep the door firmly locked and the keys 'hidden'.

Pelvis

What the actual ****.

I hope the balcony door is locked and no one has a key?

I can't offer advice, except to say I would be looking for a rent reduction for the duration that you have no balcony.

Gatling

Move out on health and safety grounds that's mad ,

seandugg

The apartment suits us apart from this.

2 problems:
1) Lied to about the balcony being under construction
2)more importatntly It is too dangerous to have friends over. The sliding door can only be locked by a switch from inside no key. It is the only ventilation option for the sitting room.

Right2Write

seandugg wrote: »

The apartment suits us apart from this.

2 problems:
1) Lied to about the balcony being under construction
2)more importatntly It is too dangerous to have friends over. The sliding door can only be locked by a switch from inside no key. It is the only ventilation option for the sitting room.

I'd ask the agent and /or owner to get an electrician in and disable the switch so, pending restoration of the balcony. Put it this way; if someone God forbid, fell out because of this defect - they'd be taken to the cleaners.

How far you want to take it is up to you. Six weeks is a while but not that long. If the place suits, sort out the safety aspect and keep the pressure on.

Westernyelp

I'd say it's a manual switch

seandugg

ya, its manual, no way to disable

Mrs OBumble

seandugg wrote: »

ya, its manual, no way to disable

If there was a fire you might be glad of the chance to jump.

If the worst of it is that you cannot have friends over, then put up with it unless you can find somewhere better to live.

PITA I agree but if the apartment isn't a slum you're doing ok in the current market.

seandugg

What are the options open to me to escalate if I get given around and there is no plan in place to sort it out from the landlord.

Is this an issue for the PRTB ?

C3PO

I'm not one to engage in the "landlord beating" that sometimes goes on around here but I'm gobsmacked that any landlord or estate agent would rent out an apartment with a major health and safety issue like this! Hard to believe that any insurance policy would cover any accident either!

KeithTS

If you're genuinely concerned about the safety aspect, move no questions.

If you're looking for something due to any inconvenience or just because you feel you may be able to take advantage of the situation (no harm in a bit of opportunistic thinking, we've all done it) then I would 100% demand a rent reduction while this is being sorted.

Worst case they say that they're not budging on the rent.

Graham

OP, would the local authority be an option.

I'd be surprised if the fairly significant safety aspect didn't breach the minimum standards for rented accommodation somehow.

Gumbo

Report to :

Health and Safety Authority
Building Control of your Council
Environmental Health Section also (these guys govern the Renata housing standards).