Tim’s living conditions have significantly improved and he now feels safe in his home.
Tim approached Citizens Advice to seek assistance with resolving ongoing disrepair issues in his home which he rents through the private sector. Tim has a hearing impairment.
Tim told our housing adviser that the issues in his home included all of the radiators coming on, on their own and him not being able to turn them off, condensation, black mould, no smoke or carbon monoxide alarms (resulting in the property being classed as unfit for human habitation), and no Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating – a legal requirement in Wales. Additionally, after some independent investigation, the adviser discovered that neither the landlord nor the property were registered with RentSmart Wales, which is also a legal obligation.
Tim had reported the disrepair issues numerous times to the letting agency since moving into his property over a year ago, yet no action had been taken to address them. To resolve these issues, our adviser contacted the letting agency on behalf of the client to explain his rights and the landlord’s obligations. After getting in contact with the letting agency, they acted swiftly. Within eight days of our intervention, repairs were scheduled and carried out to address all the disrepair issues, the property obtained a valid EPC rating, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms were installed, and all Rent Smart Wales licensing requirements had been complied with.
As a result of the support which was provided to Tim, his living conditions have significantly improved and he now feels safe in his home. Tim passed on his gratitude to the adviser and praised the quality of service provided by Citizens Advice.
