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Family Accommodation - Advice Sought


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Alright lads n lasses?

 

After 18 hassle free months living in our current rental house with the bulls (all now gone), the terrier (and now lurcher pup) the landlord has gone all shirty and decided he hates dogs. All 12" of them. (EDIT - Don't misread that, that's all 12 inches of my two little dogs, NOT 12 dogs!!!)

 

Never had a problem before, we sought permission prior to moving in (he knew we had dogs), the dogs have done no damage and are quiet. Thing is, the landlord's daughter is next door to us on one side, his mate lives on the other side, his brother is across the street with his nephew, and his other nephew does the building work!!

 

As you can imagine, it's "breath down your neck" permanently. We're never up to no good, rent's always paid on time, but he's had one on him since his brother sold us a dodgy car (long story). I kept the car, paid cash, didn't moan and just fixed it up. But ever since the guy's been weird with us. His daughter has allnight parties from 12 midnight til 10 or 11am the next day, keeping the kids up all night before school - which just isn't on. This is a regular occurrence but HE doesn't mind. So we have to put up with it.

 

Long story short, he's pulled me up and said he's not wanting the dogs near the house and his nephew has seen "dog damage" to the doors of the house. I've invited him in for a full inspection which he declined, as the house IS in PERFECT condition. I might be ill but I'm not lazy and I don't let hounds ruin my property.

 

He's just looking for excuses now it seems and he's "forgotten" to provide us a new tenancy agreement for this term :hmm: He has failed to have the gas systems CORGI inspected, hasn't booked an annual gas inspection (which is a legal requirement) and moans like hell if any repairs need doing (he built the house and the electrics are shit - I'm not touching them!).

 

Basically, we want to move. Preferably rural, needs room for the kids, a small terrier and a whippet x (which are kenneled in a removeable run). Rent isn't an issue, and although I'm on the sick (and hence DSS housing benefit) due to life-long kidney disorders I top it up by £200 of our own cash each a month. Cash would be paid to ME and I pay the landlord in CASH (so no paperwork or pissing about with the dole for any landlord, just cash guaranteed every month from the landlord's perspective).

 

So.... Anyone got any bright ideas? A young family with kids, dogs and DSS is the worst case scenario for finding a house. We have glowing references and have never, EVER missed rent payments which may help. Any area of the country considered, we have no local ties as family live in Wales (would move there!!) and Derbyshire etc etc.

 

Basically, can anyone chip some advice our way? We'd have to rent and I don't really care where it is so long as it's quiet, has a bit of space (i.e. a yard/garden) and I can keep the dogs. Kids optional hehe

 

Just sick of this one-way street where his family can make our lives a misery, we can't even breathe, the dogs do no harm and they're still a problem AFTER he let me bring them and pay to erect kennels, and he won't even maintain the property (which I work on cosmetically CONSTANTLY - we're not lazy!).

 

Any bright ideas for how to find a suitable house and approach landlords etc?

Cheers,

 

Lee

Edited by RainmakerKennels
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hello rainmaker i know that you can apply to any council in the land for housing decide were you want to go and give the relevant council a ring other than that try doing some searches on the net

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Guest Ditch_Shitter

:( No help here, Lee. Just a tiny snippet to offer:

 

" Dogs Today " magazine, Nov. 2006 issue. Pge. 12 covers this issue as best they can. As you'll be under 55 and have children, best they can suggest is:

 

" First contact the council - some keep lists of landlords who may be prepared to take Dogs. Consider writing a CV for ye Dogs, to show that they would make model tennants. "

 

Then goes into Referances from former LL's, offering a higher Deposit, etc. " Often just discussing the situation with a potential LL will help to solve ye problems. "

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My wife is a housing officer with a local council in Scotland and she say's the housing act is basically the same throughout the UK?? by law!!! your landlord must provide you with a valid tenacy agreement and rent card showing all payments made ie: monthly rent!! he can't just throw you out he must give suitable notice to quit?? if you decide to stay until you find suitable accomodation?? he needs a court order to evict you!!! I'd sit tight until I found somwhere more suitable and threaten to report him for dangerous electrics to the local authority, as your landlord has a statutory duty of care!! where health and safety is concerned. In other words the balls at your feet make the "Twat" sweat till you find somewhere else but!! it still important that you continue to pay rent in the meantime

 

Tom

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Thanks for the advice guys. As I posted in an earlier thread, life would be easier for all us decent folk if we could claim asylum lol

 

Ditch, as I posted on ........... I even thought about moving to Eire. Seems much nicer over there... what's your going rate for lodgers fella? LMAO

 

Tom, thanks for that matey :) I know about the Housing Act etc having gone through an eviction before (after the last landlord sold up under us, no fault on our part). I don't want to play funny with this landlord, I'd rather keep sweet (even if he is a tw@) and bide our time til we find somewhere.

 

Don't want to introduce the legalities (gas, electrics) as that would just stick his hackles up, which wouldn't help at the moment. He hasn't said the dogs HAVE to go, just that he's not happy... I.E I can see it coming.

 

For now I'm sitting tight and just making enquiries. My fiancee has been on the council housing list for over 10 years but they said that's not long enough to be offered a house.

 

Anyway cheers for the advice all, I'll keep yous up to speed :D

 

EDITED: Sorry, didn't know smoochers was a swear word on here lol

Edited by RainmakerKennels
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Shame there mate, got a two bed flat to rent in sunny South Wales, with small garden and out building, but guess you are looking for something bigger.

 

Good Luck

 

Bob

 

Gutted, sounds good mate. Yeah with three kids (even with the dogs outside) that'd be too much of a squeeze. If you ever fancy buying then renting any 3 or 4 beddy houses however... you know where I am :laugh:

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house near me is available to rent feck knows how much ill make enquiries. 4 bedroom, large garden etc etc, if your interested ill check the rates for you ;)

 

All options considered matey. Whereabouts are you? If you happen to come across a price or a phone number, do let me know if you don't mind please :D Don't go out of your way though mate. Thanks a lot :)

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Round my way the council do a bid system........you go to the council and tell them your position, you are then classed as "Gold" , "Silver" or "Bronze" catergory..every week the print a list of the places available in the local paper and you then put your name in the "Bid" list.

They then decide on each case by its merits and award the place to the "Bid" they cosider best fits the place and circumstances......

 

My old mum who is 76 and has never been on the housing list, got a place within a week of getting her classifacation back......she got it, bid and hey presto :) .........all people her own age and a warden to boot :yes:

 

In your position, I would be saying to myself....."Where do I want to live?" and then going to that local council and laying it on a bit thick about medical conditions, fresh air, stress ect ect..........what with the kids, I would say you would be right up there with a good shot at a place of your choice.........

 

Wish you all the best Lee & your family mate :yes:

J

 

Oh, and as for the landlord........before you leave, have a tom tit under the upstairs floorboards then nail the feckers down, sort of a going away present to a very nice chap :D

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