SRSport

We are renting a house at the moment with a double sized driveway. When we signed the lease we were obviously expecting to have the use of the driveway for two cars. However YEDL have taken up half of our driveway with fencing around an electrical box and no sign of them coming to move it (this is now the 3rd month).

Should I still be expected to pay the full rental price each month? The landlord says there's nothing he can do and its not his responsibility so I still have to pay. I sympathise but what it comes down to is I am not able to use what I am paying for, regardless of who responsibility it is.

Anyone know where I stand?

Ant

YEDL?

SRSport

They are responsible for electrical maintenance and distribution in Yorkshire. They have the power to do pretty much what they want, when they want.

A point proved by me writing several complaints outlining the inconvenience caused and the safety issues surrounding it. The ground is broken up around it which has caused my pregnant wife to trip, my 62 year old Father in law to trip and my 19 month son to trip and fall.

Ant

if it's not a permanent fence the best thing you can do is ride it out, but your landlord is right ,it's not his fault.

GC8WRX

move it yourself

GC8WRX

yorkshire english defence league

SpecDscooby

YEDL are within their rights. However, they are also responsible for making the area safe...if it is not, i would call a no win no fee company, start the ball rolling over the falls etc....with large companies the only really quick way to get them motivated is to threaten thier pocket....imo of course.....as for the rent, if your land lord knew this was going to happen (YEDL should know when they sent out letters to explain the disruption, which they are obliged to do) then you may have ground for a case, if everything he told you about the property was correct and they began work after you moved in.....nothing you can do mate.....sorry

SRSport

No it was there for around a month before we moved in. The estate agents have told us that they have not been given a date for the them to move it but they werent particularly forthcoming about it being there or how long it would be likely to stay there. I moved into the property the moment it had been built so the builders were still around and at the time thought it was something to do with them. It was only after they cleared off leaving it did I start to ask questions.

I understand there is nothing I can do regarding getting it moved but I just feel sore about paying for something I cant use. Its not his fault and its not mine but I would expect the landlord to miss out as far as I am concerned I am paying for something he cant provide, regardless of responsibility.

SRSport

I would kill myself. Its the mains electricity cable for the street.

SpecDscooby

End the rental agreement is your only real option. As you say its not the land lords fault, and its not yours....yes your paying for something you cant use....but hey welcome to the real world....do you think i would get money off my morgage if i could'nt use my drive because the power company needed to dig it up???......

SRSport

No, as you're repaying what is effectively a loan as aposed to paying for facilities/service. If it was my mortgage I would just take it on the chin again as I have had many experiences of the real world already unfortunately.

Thank you for you advice and opinion. Its nice to get a 3rd persons impartial view, at least knowing that Ive explored the possibility of rent reduction to compensate, I can move on.