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Permalink Reply by Maria Elizabeth Prior on May 26, 2015 at 20:34

Hang on.  Am confused Lee.  Do you mean that all your cupboards in the main room are not there?  If so, whoever took them out before would have needed Listed Building Consent before they could be removed.  I very much doubt that would have been granted.  If the previous tenant did so without asking then that's hardly your fault, and the COL have a duty to return the flat in its original condition.  I presume you pay the same rent as another tenant in the same sort of flat, where storage space is part of that rent.

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Permalink Reply by Lee Studley on May 26, 2015 at 20:53

I'm not sure when they were removed but you can see the marks where they were, the person that came today said that when I said yes to the flat I accepted it in that condition but I was arguing that I didn't know about cupboards being there before and that the flat should be returned to the previous condition as you mentioned above, but I have been told that the materials to put it back to the original status may not still be available and even so they said categorically no as it would be an improvement and not a repair, and yes other than claiming housing benefit for the last year I was paying full rent the time I have been there.

Maybe I should take it up with somebody higher.

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Permalink Reply by Maria Elizabeth Prior on May 26, 2015 at 21:23

Lee, this situation is not right at all.  To say you accepted the flat in that condition is totally unjustified, as how would you know what the other flats are like. That's a 'cop out'.  There is no way they can argue that its not a repair.  Somebody removed the cupboards, I presume without their knowledge, and they have a duty, as landlord, to restore it to how it was. 

I am on the GLE committee, and, if you like, I will raise this with them.  In the meantime, I would recommend you take it higher.  

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Permalink Reply by Lee Studley on May 26, 2015 at 21:49

Thanks Maria that would be great if you could raise the issue with the committee and in the meantime I will try and take it to somebody in a higher position. Thanks again.

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