Landlord Harrassment

Q: I'd like to know who i could contact regarding my rights as a tennant. Our landlord will not stop going into the flat when no one is there, and with out telling us. He also verbally threatened to throw our stuff out on the road because we were 2 weeks late with our rent, also blocked drain for months, oven doesnt work, and rats, etc etc, some one know where i can find out my rights/ what i can do.

A: Go IMMEDIATELY to your local Housing Advice Centre (check with local council for address & telephone no if not in the phone book) 1. If an assured tenancy has been entered into then the landlord can only enter the property by agreement for specific purposes such as repairs or to carry out a quarterly inspection, this must be by appointment, with tenant in attendance. To do so otherwise is harrassment and the courts look on this with a big stick in hand. 2. Verbal threatening is harrassment - see big stick comment above irrespective of reason 3. If drain blocked for months this could be termed as harrassment if not repaired, a word with local health and safety inspector should give landlord the hint to repair. This may also count as harrassment, but an assured tenancy may have in it a statement that the landlord must rectify such defects. 4. If oven is part of the rent agreement then should

be fixed as per above 5. Rats should be rectified as per 3 above This is why you need para-legal advice from the local HAC, as any action you may take will upset landlord - especially if the H & S guys should come to call. However, when there also suggest that you ask their help to find a replacement property as it is quite obvious the landlord is giving a hint that he wants you out and it would be better to move to new location rather than put up with this situation. Better off being in a flat that is truly habitable and if you go he may then have problems finding new tenant so will have no rent coming in to repair all the defective items that will be flagged by H & S.