A few plasterboard problems... repair might be a problem!

[Beowulf1976]

We moved in, in 2008, we are renting this property.

Before the Landlord put it up for rent, he tried to sell it, so every room was "brand new" when we moved in.


Problem 1

One of my delightful children has put a hole in the wall on the landing.

I'm pretty sure that every wall in this house is covered with plasterboard.

The hole is about 2cm deep and about the size of a 10p piece.

The piece of plasterboard that came away creating the hole is still attached to the wall, so if one is careful, it can be pushed back into place... However, it keeps falling out, so I would like to know which product we should use to fix it back in permanently, leaving little mess.

Now the difficult part. We have birds and reptiles in the house, the birds are at the bottom of the stairs, basically there is no door between the birds and the hole in the plasterboard - so any fumes from fixing with high VOC or other fumed materials, will end up being breathed in by my Fiance's very tiny ONE lunged birds - even cooking with a non-stick pan can kill them. (Teflon gives off invisible fumes when at high temperatures) The reptiles are in our bedroom, so there is a door between, but the door is about 20cm away from the hole, and is not a perfect fit, so again - fumes can get into the reptiles. (and tarantulas)

My Fiance has used no more nails safely in the house on various applications with no problems to the critters, would this be suitable to stick the loose piece of plasterboard back into it's hole?


Problem 2

As you come up the stairs, the wall opposite has plasterboard on it, halfway up/down the wall a visible seam has become present, it is blatantly obvious, as if the two pieces of plasterboard have expanded over time and pushed against each other making a slight apex.

Would our landlord consider this as "wear and tear" to the property that is not our fault, or do you think that we will have to repair it ourselves?

If the latter, it honestly looks as though we'll have to take the plasterboard off the wall, trim one piece to fit and put it back up and then do whatever one does to prep plasterboard for painting. However, as you know from problem 1 - we cannot use ANY product that gives off ANY fumes.


Problem 3

As you go up the stairs, the bit that goes from hallway ceiling, to the slope up the stairs? This has cracked quite badly and looks like it has sagged. Upstairs is my Son's bedroom, he has been warned NOT to go on the slope that resides in his bedroom, from the stairwell. However, I believe that he frequently stands on the bit of floor JUST BY the slope, I'm guessing that he has caused the problem downstairs?

As this is a structural fault (kind of) would WE be responsible for repair, or will the landlord be responsible?

If the former, how on Earth would we fix it?

I understand that the majority of you are DIY Experts and not Experts of what is and what is not the Landlord's Responsibility, but I might just be lucky and have someone here that knows all the ins and outs of being a Landlord, so they know what is our responsibility and what is the Landlord's.

I KNOW the hole my children have made, (both deny it *sigh*) WILL be our responsibility, but surely the other two problems will be structural repairs? (Please say yes lol)

 

[peaps]

I would expect you would have to fix all except problem 2.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/

You will get good legal info on this forum.

 

[jrplastering]

problem one buy a small sheet of plaster board cut the hole bigger makeing it say around 20cm by 20 cm cut a peice of batten slightly bigger than the hole and slide it into the hole screw through the wall into the batten behind thus createing a bridge do one at the top and one at the bottom (or left side right side) cut your plasterboard to fit the hole and screw into the battens yo have fitted then get some filler (easyfill) and some scrim tape tape the joints around the outside then filler over the top wait for the first layer to dry then apply a seccond layer comeing out further than the hole so that it can be featherd down to nothing with sand paper.
problem 2 is not your problem
problem 3 i dnt see is really your problem either if the floor above causes the ceilin to crack then the landlord should have remidied this before anyone moved it after all whats the point in haveing a floor you cnt stand on cos it will crack the ceilin below?????

 

[peaps]

problem one buy a small sheet of plaster board cut the hole bigger makeing it say around 20cm by 20 cm cut a peice of batten slightly bigger than the hole and slide it into the hole screw through the wall into the batten behind thus createing a bridge do one at the top and one at the bottom (or left side right side) cut your plasterboard to fit the hole and screw into the battens yo have fitted then get some filler (easyfill) and some scrim tape tape the joints around the outside then filler over the top wait for the first layer to dry then apply a seccond layer comeing out further than the hole so that it can be featherd down to nothing with sand paper.
problem 2 is not your problem
problem 3 i dnt see is really your problem either if the floor above causes the ceilin to crack then the landlord should have remidied this before anyone moved it after all whats the point in haveing a floor you cnt stand on cos it will crack the ceilin below?????

Problem 3 isn't a floor, it's a "slanted wall" that in most houses is boxed out and made into a storage area, small, with a lift up top. It's the tenants problem since it's sagging from kids jumping up and down on it.

 

[Beowulf1976]

Now now, I didn't say that he has jumped up and down on it!

His PC is near the slope, so he might have stepped NEAR the slope now and again, but not ON the crease to the slope, I didn't explain myself properly.

He's 9, he's got sense to know that when we tell him he'll go through if he plays on the slope, not to.

He hasn't ONCE jumped up and down on it, he has simply occasionally walked NEAR it - he can't get right up to it because of his stuff (NOT HEAVY) on the floor near it.

 

[peaps]

Now now, I didn't say that he has jumped up and down on it!

His PC is near the slope, so he might have stepped NEAR the slope now and again, but not ON the crease to the slope, I didn't explain myself properly.

He's 9, he's got sense to know that when we tell him he'll go through if he plays on the slope, not to.

He hasn't ONCE jumped up and down on it, he has simply occasionally walked NEAR it - he can't get right up to it because of his stuff (NOT HEAVY) on the floor near it.

It's not a foot rest either......

 

[jrplastering]

alright mate i misread it i thought we was talking about the underside i.e the sloped ceilin comeing down the stairs with floor boards above it but not fixed properly causin the ceilin to move and crack.
also they was merely asking if it was down to them and how to remedy the fault IF it was thier fault there was no need to say thier kids been jumping up and down on it and useing it as a foot rest as you dnt know if this is the case.
beowulf im unsure as to the extent of the damage to this slope could you explain in more detail this particular problem i wnt be able to tell you if its your fault but i should be able to help you with a solution

 

[NickB_99]

Problem 3 isn't a floor, it's a "slanted wall" that in most houses is boxed out and made into a storage area, small, with a lift up top.

Problems 1 & 2, I'm with the consensus.
Though use of easi-fill may require you to be careful with sanding, as the reptiles/birds are probably sensitive to the dust it can cause if you're not careful. E.g. don't use an electric sander!

Problem 3 - surely this must be the landlord's issue to sort out? I'd have expected as Peaps suggested above that it was boxed out to help protect it if it was that fragile. It sounds like quite a new build so the landlord may have some recourse with the builder... or even a 10year NHBC 'guarantee' still in place. Either way - landlord.
Not sure if LABC can advise also in a quick phone call.

I'm assuming it's as per the OP's account - if the weight of a small child in the vicinity above can cause significant movement, surely there's a risk of a heavier adult going right through and it's health and safety time.

 

[peaps]

Problem 3 isn't a floor, it's a "slanted wall" that in most houses is boxed out and made into a storage area, small, with a lift up top.

Problems 1 & 2, I'm with the consensus.
Though use of easi-fill may require you to be careful with sanding, as the reptiles/birds are probably sensitive to the dust it can cause if you're not careful. E.g. don't use an electric sander!

Problem 3 - surely this must be the landlord's issue to sort out? I'd have expected as Peaps suggested above that it was boxed out to help protect it if it was that fragile. It sounds like quite a new build so the landlord may have some recourse with the builder... or even a 10year NHBC 'guarantee' still in place. Either way - landlord.
Not sure if LABC can advise also in a quick phone call.

I'm assuming it's as per the OP's account - if the weight of a small child in the vicinity above can cause significant movement, surely there's a risk of a heavier adult going right through and it's health and safety time.

Not always boxed out but it is supported as per build regs, so it would have had some force to move the underside. I would keep the bond.

 

[peaps]

alright mate i misread it i thought we was talking about the underside i.e the sloped ceilin comeing down the stairs with floor boards above it but not fixed properly causin the ceilin to move and crack.
also they was merely asking if it was down to them and how to remedy the fault IF it was thier fault there was no need to say thier kids been jumping up and down on it and useing it as a foot rest as you dnt know if this is the case.
beowulf im unsure as to the extent of the damage to this slope could you explain in more detail this particular problem i wnt be able to tell you if its your fault but i should be able to help you with a solution

well it was mentioned and playing devils advocate I say the kids have bounced up and down on it, this is what the landlord will say and rightly so. Kids will be kids and I can't see that it wasn't forced, they take some shifting. In the explanation it is the underside that has dropped and that is from force from the top.

Tenants fault.

To repair it, get a plasterer in to do the job.