bit of advice needed.

[isitmyproblem]

Ive lived in a rented property since late 2019, the property is owned by my "boss" or contractor as im self employed in plastering.
anyways there are a few issues with the house and he just ignores the issue or tells me to fix it myself, or will charge me to the work done if he believes its down to me. which is fair enough but for example the barrel went on the front door. asked for it to be replaced and i get charged £120, taken directly from my wage.

the house is pretty old. its a 2 bed Terraced house built ontop of a ground floor flat? maybe never seen it, looks like 1 house buts its not. The master bedroom has a dipping floor. 4cm dip to be precise towards the outside wall. showed him pictures with laser and straight edge on floor, then again on the ceiling in the living room. massive buldge. which because i share the house i use the living room as my bedroom, and im worried about the ceiling collapsing and killing me. I was going to buy metal struts to support the ceiling/floor but it will look daft in my bedroom and id need more than one.
its not just this room the kitchen floor is like a trampoline. it had been flooded by the washing machine previous to me living in the property. so when using the washing machine its beyond unsafe. theres toomuch movement in the floor so when it enters fast spin the entire house shakes i can feel it sat at the opposite end of the property on a gaming chair.

2nd. damp and mold. the epc rating on the property expired in 2019 when i moved in, its never been updated and just about passed when it got signed off in 2009. the walls are the issue its a sandstone building then half inch plasterboard dot and dabbed onto the walls. which now i can see massive dark circles everywhere the circles are breeding black mold and its getting worse every year. really last 3 years its been a problem the 1st year i informed him but nothing done, so i cleaned the walls myself with techniques of the internet using vinegar solutions, wearing a mask and gloves etc to avoid the spors. but now its everywhere and the bathroom is a breeding ground. whilst having a shower even with the extractor fan on the room is like a sauna. window open to release air too but nothing helps and im worried every time i shower im breathing in spors.

last issue. rats/mice.
for the last 3 years now ive been dealing with them entering the property i have found certain areas under cabinets in the kitchen where there is no drywall or anything just a big hole with bricks. plenty of gaps in this house for rodents to enter. again informed and he said buy some rat traps. but now there is one or two in the master bedroom floor... my ceiling. i get to listen to it everynight at 3-5am run around on the suspended ceiling.


I am putting together all evidence now and will contact him to get the issues resolves but most of these issues are structual and i know he will just tell me to move out. which at this point i would only have one course of action to call my solicitior and get this sorted. as the epc rating has never been renewed since i started living here, the tempreatures in this house you might aswell live in a tent outside. the heating system is 2005-2010 fitted. does not work bar suppling hot water. not thermo stat fitted.

Now the only reason i put up with this and have not pushed is the rent price. it was 400 a month, now 480 a month which is cheap for a 2 bed/1bath house. really cheap i live in a cheap town as it is but for the same 480-500 you can just about rent a 1 bed apartment now.

 

[Mister Banks]

As a landlord then surely your boss is not legally allowed to deduct anything directly from your salary unless it pertains to your employment. You are right to gather all the information and evidence regarding the poor maintenance which is the landlords responsibility, I would also give him a timeframe to respond as well.

 

[Notch7]

Ive lived in a rented property since late 2019, the property is owned by my "boss" or contractor as im self employed in plastering.
anyways there are a few issues with the house and he just ignores the issue or tells me to fix it myself, or will charge me to the work done if he believes its down to me. which is fair enough but for example the barrel went on the front door. asked for it to be replaced and i get charged £120, taken directly from my wage.

the house is pretty old. its a 2 bed Terraced house built ontop of a ground floor flat? maybe never seen it, looks like 1 house buts its not. The master bedroom has a dipping floor. 4cm dip to be precise towards the outside wall. showed him pictures with laser and straight edge on floor, then again on the ceiling in the living room. massive buldge. which because i share the house i use the living room as my bedroom, and im worried about the ceiling collapsing and killing me. I was going to buy metal struts to support the ceiling/floor but it will look daft in my bedroom and id need more than one.
its not just this room the kitchen floor is like a trampoline. it had been flooded by the washing machine previous to me living in the property. so when using the washing machine its beyond unsafe. theres toomuch movement in the floor so when it enters fast spin the entire house shakes i can feel it sat at the opposite end of the property on a gaming chair.

2nd. damp and mold. the epc rating on the property expired in 2019 when i moved in, its never been updated and just about passed when it got signed off in 2009. the walls are the issue its a sandstone building then half inch plasterboard dot and dabbed onto the walls. which now i can see massive dark circles everywhere the circles are breeding black mold and its getting worse every year. really last 3 years its been a problem the 1st year i informed him but nothing done, so i cleaned the walls myself with techniques of the internet using vinegar solutions, wearing a mask and gloves etc to avoid the spors. but now its everywhere and the bathroom is a breeding ground. whilst having a shower even with the extractor fan on the room is like a sauna. window open to release air too but nothing helps and im worried every time i shower im breathing in spors.

last issue. rats/mice.
for the last 3 years now ive been dealing with them entering the property i have found certain areas under cabinets in the kitchen where there is no drywall or anything just a big hole with bricks. plenty of gaps in this house for rodents to enter. again informed and he said buy some rat traps. but now there is one or two in the master bedroom floor... my ceiling. i get to listen to it everynight at 3-5am run around on the suspended ceiling.


I am putting together all evidence now and will contact him to get the issues resolves but most of these issues are structual and i know he will just tell me to move out. which at this point i would only have one course of action to call my solicitior and get this sorted. as the epc rating has never been renewed since i started living here, the tempreatures in this house you might aswell live in a tent outside. the heating system is 2005-2010 fitted. does not work bar suppling hot water. not thermo stat fitted.

Now the only reason i put up with this and have not pushed is the rent price. it was 400 a month, now 480 a month which is cheap for a 2 bed/1bath house. really cheap i live in a cheap town as it is but for the same 480-500 you can just about rent a 1 bed apartment now.

I am sorry to hear of your problems, that must be very stressful.

theres a ton of red flags in your post in terms of your situation and the property

if you want my advice, get another job and another property to rent

my guess is that you are work for the contractor full time but you are paid through CIS...........does he give you constant work or do you end up with days here and there where you have nothing? also does he pay you promptly and decent money

I know the rent is cheap, but living in mould and damp in a sh1t house is not good for your mental or physical health

To be honest a decent plasterer can earn decent money, anything from £200 to £600 a day so I wouldve thought you could easily afford a more expensive place

 

[isitmyproblem]

I am sorry to hear of your problems, that must be very stressful.

theres a ton of red flags in your post in terms of your situation and the property

if you want my advice, get another job and another property to rent

my guess is that you are work for the contractor full time but you are paid through CIS...........does he give you constant work or do you end up with days here and there where you have nothing? also does he pay you promptly and decent money

I know the rent is cheap, but living in mould and damp in a sh1t house is not good for your mental or physical health

To be honest a decent plasterer can earn decent money, anything from £200 to £600 a day so I wouldve thought you could easily afford a more expensive place

I dryline, so fix with screwgun or dot and dab new house builds, I average £150 per day but for the work involved its not enough 6.45am pick up getting back at 5-6pm. 12 hour shifts some days for £14-15 an hour? ive told him and his reply is to work on my own and get a young lad. i am focusing on moving out of this trade and back into something i would want to wake up to do because atm i hate my situation, my wage gets me week to week i dont always have 5-6 days work. this is why i learnt to dot and dab for more work but prices are that ****e you cant make money unless your willing to become a robot slave. I am paid through CIS and on time each week. just when tax returns come in april theyre issues because he changes payroll companys monthly.
I had an accident at work last year and claimed against the company, he has not stopped supplying me work as this would be another issue my solicitor said for unfair treatment. as i have worked solely for this company for 7 years, i did not have any knowledge of the trade before this and got in through a friend of the family firm.
but with the combination of a job that takes all your energy, and the fact ive claimed against him if i threatened solicitor action against the property id suspect he would not be too happy and knows alot of people in the area. it could literally drive me out of the town.

 

[Deluks]

How much would this place cost to live in at full market rate?
If you are getting a property for peanuts, then it's fair to assume an 'understanding' between you and the landlord.*
If he puts all these things right then expect him to put the rent up.
I think you need to sit down and work out what it is that you want, what level of issues you are prepared to put up with, vs what you are prepared to pay in rent, and then have a clear conversation with him about it, so that everyone knows where they stand.

You are complaining about missing drywall but claim to be a plasterer, how much effort would it be for you to fix that?

*I knew a bloke, very nice guy. Rented out a flat but did very little maintenance on it, it was dated, shabby and cold.
He didn't put the rent up in the ten years that he had tenants, by the end of it they were paying 50% of the market value, but this arrangement suited them fine as they were able to use the spare cash to save up a deposit for their own place.
He updated it all when they moved out and got a new tenant in at a higher rate.

 

[Notch7]

I dryline, so fix with screwgun or dot and dab new house builds, I average £150 per day but for the work involved

do you skim coat as well as the drylining? -if you are skilled with a trowel you could get much better money self employed

£150 a day is the price for an improver tradesmen, not a skilled guy


new house bashing is sh1t work -you need to get out of that. Your boss probably cant afford to pay you more as house builders really screw prices down


Do you have to stay in the area where you live? -Im guessing it might be the North East

 

[Notch7]

it sounds to me like it is both the job and the property that is an issue.

given that you claimed against the company and he kept giving you work, perhaps he isnt too bad a guy?

 

[isitmyproblem]

How much would this place cost to live in at full market rate?
If you are getting a property for peanuts, then it's fair to assume an 'understanding' between you and the landlord.*
If he puts all these things right then expect him to put the rent up.
I think you need to sit down and work out what it is that you want, what level of issues you are prepared to put up with, vs what you are prepared to pay in rent, and then have a clear conversation with him about it, so that everyone knows where they stand.

You are complaining about missing drywall but claim to be a plasterer, how much effort would it be for you to fix that?

*I knew a bloke, very nice guy. Rented out a flat but did very little maintenance on it, it was dated, shabby and cold.
He didn't put the rent up in the ten years that he had tenants, by the end of it they were paying 50% of the market value, but this arrangement suited them fine as they were able to use the spare cash to save up a deposit for their own place.
He updated it all when they moved out and got a new tenant in at a higher rate.

i fix what i can, I am not liable to fix these issues that at buidling phase should of been fixed. the house was gutted and renovated cheaply. in 2005. the issue is it was done cheaply. it needs eco boarding on all external walls. new bathroom and kitchen fitted and the floor joists addressed. i know that if these changes where made he would charge more but why? he currently has a few propertys and a few workers rent them from him. one lad pays 560 a month for the same house type but on a terrace road. like a normal teracce house. just on zoopla or other websites there all 650+ because the estate agents make there bit. so unless i know someone with a decent looked after house at a decent price i cant afford to just move.

 

[isitmyproblem]

do you skim coat as well as the drylining? -if you are skilled with a trowel you could get much better money self employed

£150 a day is the price for an improver tradesmen, not a skilled guy


new house bashing is sh1t work -you need to get out of that. Your boss probably cant afford to pay you more as house builders really screw prices down


Do you have to stay in the area where you live? -Im guessing it might be the North East

north west, but the sites are usually within a maximum of a hour half drive. usually 30-40min drive. I work with a partner and he drives. i have not learnt to drive so cannot go on my own. and tbh never want to see barrel of dab or plasterboard ever again. i do enough days to get a weeks wage then im out. and he is a nice guy but nice guys can also take advantage. hes very well off put it that way but he did put in the risk to get there, its all greed in construction.

 

[Deluks]

You get what you pay for.
Finding a 'decent' looked after house at a 'decent' price in the current rental market is going to be hard work.

You don't say what your monthly income is, (none of our business) but if you are getting £150 a day and paying £480pm rent then it seems as though the percentage of your income spent on rent each month is much lower than most people in this country.

 

[motorbiking]

I haven't read all of the original post, but the first thing that springs to mind is, unlawful deduction of wages, breach of housing act and possible minimum wage violations. Get yourself down to citizens advice and discuss with them. A lot of retired lawyers volunteer.

there could also be some tax issues.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

i have not learnt to drive so cannot go on my own.

That should be a priority. You MUST get yourself out of that situation. The accommodation situation, sounds both dangerous and illegal, the employment situation also illegal.

anyways there are a few issues with the house and he just ignores the issue or tells me to fix it myself, or will charge me to the work done if he believes its down to me.

As above, illegal deductions from wages.

 

[isitmyproblem]

he takes 1.5% deduction from my total wage, and it does not show on my payslips ive asked him not to take this as it is illegal but he basically said, you either pay it or you find work somewhere else. he has a bill at the end of the year, and has around 50 lads working for him and charges everyone the 1.5% deduction to pay his end of year bill.

 

[motorbiking]

what is the 1.5% deduction for?

 

[motorbiking]

other questions:
- is the rent deducted from wages directly?
- does your contract of employment include accommodation?
- Do you have a contract of employment?
- Do you have an assured shorthold tenancy agreement?
- Is there a deposit that you have paid on the property and is this protected?
- do you know if you are an employee, worker or self employed?
- has he made pension contributions or asked you to opt out?

it may be that you need to find a new employer and then bring a claim.