Hygiene Body In Newcastle

[ADP 0]

I was going to put this in the help section but I don't think it is visited often and I'm kind of really urgently requiring a bit of help. Basically, our flat has been taken over by bluebottles for the past few days and we have found out it they seem to be coming from a crack in the wall in a bathroom cupboard. We've since fumigated it best as we can with fly spray then duct taped the crack up as a temporary measure. We tried to call the emergency numbers the letting agent gave us to contact them if there is an emergency when the office is shut on the weekends - no one replied. So for the weekend we had to sit it out with fucking duct tape on this crack whilst periodically catching flies from around the flat as they were still somehow getting out now and then. This is on top of the fact that the cup board smells and when we sprayed the flyspray the first time, a maggot fell from the same crack.

 

Anyways, so today we called up first thing, they told us someone was going to come round as soon as possible. 12 o Clock hit, still no sign, called again, asking what the crack was, to which the woman was quite unhelpful and sarcastic. Eventually, after my girlfriend had spent the whole day in waiting for the plumber he arrives at 6 tonight, and just totally fucking dismisses the situation, as if we are lying about these flies because there aren't 30 buzzing around. We said, 'look it's coming from that wall' He replied 'Hmmm, well I haven't got the best sense of smell in the world to be honest, plus to open up that wall would be a big job.' I mean, fucking hell.

 

It ended with the bloke saying just monitor the situation for a bit, even though it has been getting steadily worse each day. My question basically is if you have a problem with hygiene in you flat and your landlord (in this instance, our agency as we do not deal with a single private landlord) is not acting sufficiently, who or what health/hygiene body can you get in touch with in town?

 

 

Cheers

[Park Life 70]

There's a dead cat in the loft.

[desmondTUTU 0]

or a pigeon behind the fire below the bathroom

[Howmanheyman 27367]

Open your windows and keep them open as long as possible while you're having this problem. Not the solution you want but it will help if you're patient enough to let them make their own way out. Expect very little help off the local authorities as you've probably already sussed out.

[Rayvin 4964]

Take photographs and document proceedings. The fact that you're dealing with an agency should make this easier.

 

The first thing I'd do is look at your tenancy agreement to see if there is anything mentioned specifically with regards to upkeep of the apartment (especially on hygiene).

 

After that, if you can't find anything to force the agency to take action, I'd just start telling them that you believe that the current premises contravene the minimum standards for rented accomodation (specifically the provision for the hygienic storage of food - if you're saying the flies are everywhere), and that you're noting down the issue, taking photos, and will seek further information on how to proceed from citizens advice.

 

I've not been in this situation so y'know, disclaimer about legal accuracy of the above - with that said, you can typically threaten most companies into action by looking organised and having a next course of action lined up if they don't sort themselves out.

[ADP 0]

Take photographs and document proceedings. The fact that you're dealing with an agency should make this easier.

 

The first thing I'd do is look at your tenancy agreement to see if there is anything mentioned specifically with regards to upkeep of the apartment (especially on hygiene).

 

After that, if you can't find anything to force the agency to take action, I'd just start telling them that you believe that the current premises contravene the minimum standards for rented accomodation (specifically the provision for the hygienic storage of food - if you're saying the flies are everywhere), and that you're noting down the issue, taking photos, and will seek further information on how to proceed from citizens advice.

 

I've not been in this situation so y'know, disclaimer about legal accuracy of the above - with that said, you can typically threaten most companies into action by looking organised and having a next course of action lined up if they don't sort themselves out.

 

 

Thanks mate, really helpful. They are coming round for a flat inspection tomorrow (purely coincidental that it is happening tomorrow) and I'm just really hoping they come on my dinner break while I'm at home as I feel like they are skirting round any action which would mean them having to open the walls up to do some work.

 

 

I don't think there is anything dead like, I mean, we live in the second floor of a converted terrace house so rats and that aren't very likely. Plus, the smell isn't a dead smell. Frankly, it smells of shit. The plumber, when I alerted him to this fact and suggested a possible leak in the plumbing from the toilet, effectively just shrugged his shoulders. I mean, it was comical how little of a fuck he gave

Edited November 4, 2013 by ADP

[Rayvin 4964]

 

 

Thanks mate, really helpful. They are coming round for a flat inspection tomorrow (purely coincidental that it is happening tomorrow) and I'm just really hoping they come on my dinner break while I'm at home as I feel like they are skirting round any action which would mean them having to open the walls up to do some work.

 

 

I don't think there is anything dead like, I mean, we live in the second floor of a converted terrace house so rats and that aren't very likely. Plus, the smell isn't a dead smell. Frankly, it smells of shit. The plumber, when I alerted him to this fact and suggested a possible leak in the plumbing from the toilet, effectively just shrugged his shoulders. I mean, it was comical how little of a fuck he gave

 

If it's a sewerage issue then they must have to sort it out, surely. There's actual an act passed by Parliament for this stuff:

 

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/repairs_maintenance_and_minimum_physical_standards.html

 

I'm not sure on the extent to which your situation will be contained in the above, but if you even start talking about it, it should light a fire under them. And if not then definitely Citizen's Advice. No reason at all you should have to put up with it. I'd also argue that they aren't acting in the landlord's best interests either.

 

I'm also fairly certain I could guess which agency this is, based on what sounds like quarterly visits, and if it's who I'm thinking of, they really do suck.

[jonasjuice 0]

Fill your house with a few of these.

 

http://www.thespidershop.co.uk/insect/index.php

[Gemmill 35301]

You need an exorcist.

[JawD 31]

Or a huge spider.

[trooper 940]

Give environmental health a ring see what they suggest

[Happy Face 29]

I'd keep your deposit for infesting my flat if I was the landlord you dirty tramp.