Hi, new member here. I'm hoping that you can give me some advice.
I've just entered into a 6 month AST, but have found loads of issues for concern in the first 24 hours. The property looks really nice on the surface, but not when you get into detail (and yes, I'm kicking myself for not checking it thoroughly at the start).
The landlord and myself signed the agreements and looked around the house. He has not produced an inventory.
I quickly realised that the glass in the front of the gas cooker door was broken, so I raised this, and he said that he would not fix it because the property is unfurnished. I pointed out that the house was supplied with a cooker, and he presented it with a cooker, and that we would not have taken the house otherwise. He advised us to use the top hobs and grill, and we should be grateful that we have that.
Despite my request, he failed to bring the Gas Safety Certificate, which he presented a copy of 4 days later, and it is unclear if the cooker was tested. "Cooker in kitchen" is listed on the certificate, but it is not ticked off as being safe. I have spoken to the engineer who serviced it in January (the door was not broken then) and he thinks that when he looked at it, it was not connected, hence the lack of enteries on the certificate. Also, the boiler listed on the certificate is different to the one now installed.
After me calling him repeatedly about the cooker, and pointing out his obligations as stated in the contract, he has finally offered to replace it.
A number of plug sockets are cracked and loose, and the on/off switches do not all work. I then examined the CU to find it has wired fuses, one of which had blown, and there are burn marks behind and above this fuse, and the ceramic block is broken.
After threatening legal action, he has now said that he will get an electrician in.
Furthermore, there are ceiling lights that do not work, there is an open light in the bathroom, and the boiler installation has lead water pipes within 10mm of electrical wiring boxes.
The bottom line is, I don't trust this landlord, and I do not want to continue in this house and arrangement. Are there grounds for his having broken the AST or any other regulation (eg safety grounds) that will allow me to get out of the contract and get my deposit back?
Sorry for the essay
I've just entered into a 6 month AST, but have found loads of issues for concern in the first 24 hours. The property looks really nice on the surface, but not when you get into detail (and yes, I'm kicking myself for not checking it thoroughly at the start).
The landlord and myself signed the agreements and looked around the house. He has not produced an inventory.
I quickly realised that the glass in the front of the gas cooker door was broken, so I raised this, and he said that he would not fix it because the property is unfurnished. I pointed out that the house was supplied with a cooker, and he presented it with a cooker, and that we would not have taken the house otherwise. He advised us to use the top hobs and grill, and we should be grateful that we have that.
Despite my request, he failed to bring the Gas Safety Certificate, which he presented a copy of 4 days later, and it is unclear if the cooker was tested. "Cooker in kitchen" is listed on the certificate, but it is not ticked off as being safe. I have spoken to the engineer who serviced it in January (the door was not broken then) and he thinks that when he looked at it, it was not connected, hence the lack of enteries on the certificate. Also, the boiler listed on the certificate is different to the one now installed.
After me calling him repeatedly about the cooker, and pointing out his obligations as stated in the contract, he has finally offered to replace it.
A number of plug sockets are cracked and loose, and the on/off switches do not all work. I then examined the CU to find it has wired fuses, one of which had blown, and there are burn marks behind and above this fuse, and the ceramic block is broken.
After threatening legal action, he has now said that he will get an electrician in.
Furthermore, there are ceiling lights that do not work, there is an open light in the bathroom, and the boiler installation has lead water pipes within 10mm of electrical wiring boxes.
The bottom line is, I don't trust this landlord, and I do not want to continue in this house and arrangement. Are there grounds for his having broken the AST or any other regulation (eg safety grounds) that will allow me to get out of the contract and get my deposit back?
Sorry for the essay

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