alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Basically, are they subject to the same rules as other flats?

My lad is going into one in his 4th and hopefully, final, year at Uni in Hull. He's had two before with no probs.

This one is a bit different. Three sharing, even dearer than his previous 5 sharing, but it needs some work.

Firstly, the boiler is in his bedroom and it driops. Are we/is he in order asking for a) the drip stopped, and b) it to be serviced to be on the safe side? Or can he ask to see a service certificate?

Failing the above, we'll buy a CO monitor/alarm.

Also, they promised to redecorate his room, which is awful, but iot's not been done and only two weeeks to go until he will move in.

What can we do to gee them up a bit?

Lastly, the windows are single-glazed and the glASS RATTLES IN ALL OF THEM. oNE OF THEM, WHEN YOU OPEN IT, (THEY ARE WOODEN FRAMED), THE BOTTOM SPAR OF THE OPENER DROPS AWAY, HELD ON ONLY AT THE INNER CORNER.

aRE THEY IN ORDER DEMANDING REPAIRS? aND CAN i GO AND RUN A FILLET OF, SAY, ACRYLIC SEALANT, ALONG THE GLASS-WOOD JOINT, TO SECURE THE GLASS AND STOP DRAFTS?

TIA

Sorry, caps lock stuck half way through, |I'm a finger typist and can'rt be bothered to do that lot again

David Lock

This is a flat in a student hall owned by uni?

I guess he has the choice of moving and finding a private flat somewhere. I thought uni flats were primarily taken by freshers.

There is usually someone in the block nominated by uni to sort this sort of thing out but your lad must know this.

Of course you'll be able to make a fuss about the boiler as the uni doesn't look good if their students are gassed or blown up. There should be a certificate left in the flat. Just say he smelt gas or the canary dropped dead.

I would get on and fix the windows as necessary. As for re-decorating I wouldn't hold your breath but worth a letter to whoever promised it would be done.

What's a shared flat cost these days - £300/month/per person?

dl

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

It depends on if the flats are on Crown Property which has different regulations to us mere mortals. Seems unlikely as the remaining Crown Property is usually hospitals....

Shaun

CREWJ

He should have a tenancy agreement that dictates most things. Everything else should be normal.

If they haven't decorated yet and it's not up to standard to can withold rent until it is up to standard. That would get his **** into gear. But it's probably best to talk to the landlord calmly first and failing that threaten him with witheld rent.

I paid £190 a month for mine.

mamoon2

The Uni should have a list of approved accommodation. To be on this list the property must meet minimum standards (which are quite high)

Contact the Uni

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

+1

this is the right path to take, the Uni should be involved.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

It's not a uni flat, and we aren't sure if it's uni approved, it was rented through MYPAD.

He reckons the uni sponsored ones aren't up to much and are MUCH further away. he can walk to uni in less than 5 minutes, and the flat is on the Beverly road, opposite Dominos, and close to a LIDL, a Tesco Express , a Sainsbury's local, etc etc.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

I lived in Hull....... IIRC there'a lot of pubs there as well

Shaun

RJMS

iTrader: (2)

I think that you just need to get at the landlord probably not uni approved, FWIW my daughters shortly to move into a Uni House in much the same area as you describe so they do exist - formerly she was in Cranbrook Avenue which is literally just around the corner from the Uni. Perhaps you're thinking of the Lawns accommodation which is a long way out I believe, never actually been there myself.

mamoon2

The private landlords are normally part of the scheme too. The Uni will be able to tell you.

There must be other accommodation if its that bad

CrisPDuk

Or alternatively, just tell your son to man up

Living in godawful run down digs is all part of the student experience

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Well it's actually abvove the office they rent it from, so they can go down and bug the owners

He was on the corner of Cranbrook Ave and Inglemire Lane last year, he's about the same walking distance now.


Yes, the Lawns and the other, older one are further out, but there are some uni apprioved places as far.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Takes me back to the one I lived in, fentham Road, Birmingham, not far from the Villa ground and round the corner from where Laetitia Shakespeare and Charlene Ellis were gunned down in a drive by.

We were the only white guys in a half mile radius, great by day, not so good by night

There were 6 of us, one gas fire, mice, the leccy had been cut off years ago, but there was a bent nail over it, and then they cut the gas off.

Happy days. Finished the year with para-typhoid from eating stuff the mice had been at.......none of us realised why the bread always had a hole in the middle......until we found a mousey poo in it

Coffin Dodger

To the best of my knowledge all you can really ask for is the landlord's gas safety certificate for the boiler. The fact that its leaking though is not really of concern in the safety check, just that it's burning cleanly and the combustion gases are ventilated properly. That said it's worth pursuing them to get it fixed.

As for the room not being decorated, if it was advertised to you as newly decorated then that is how it should be when he moves in, if not complain. Does depend if this was a verbal agreement or in writing though?

And sealing up the window ask them if that will be sorted as part of the re-vamp. If not I'm sure no one will mind a bead of sealant round it if they can't be arsed.

Anyway it's all character building, house I shared in my second year was in a shocking state

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

As a student I lived in a "flat" in the East end of London called Fieldgate Mansions.........I was in the flat above the one with the kids in the window, or one very similar to it.

http://topman.typepad.com/.a/6a01116...de72970d-500wi

Now all gentrified LOL

Shaun