What should I do if the landlord is just not fixing things?

Problems with new rented accomidation?

• my 18 year old daughter has just gone to uni and had to take private rented accomidation where shes sharing a house with 2 others. shes only moved in 11 days ago since on day one the boiler broke down which means they have had no hot water or heating the landlord has sent his maintainence men out 3 times but each time they fiddle with the boiler but never fix it. also in her bedroom she has a built in wardrobe which has all mauld on the walls the landlord has since told her its nothing to worry about and its down to her to wash it off and it would be fine, surely thats not good enough.her and the other tenents made a list of repairs that need fixing things like they cant close their back gate etc and nothing has been done. im not happy because it cost me alot of money in a months rent in advance,bond and fees to set her up with somewhere to live the worst thing is that i was told as part of the rent they would get free internet now it turns out they will only get 15 mins free a day and now wants another £15 a month, the other 2 tenents were also told the same so all 3 have been duped. i was willing to ring the landlord to try and sort it out but she wants to be independent bare in mind shes only 18 so i have told her to go talk to someone at the university , what rights does she have between all 3 they are paying £900 a month.

• Answer:

  I'm afraid I may not have good news for you. The landlord is obliged to get the heating fixed (Section 11 of the 1985 Landlord & Tenant Act) but there is no fast way to get him to do it. A call to the local Environmental Health Officer may help (local council). The mouldy cupboard is even less good news - the landlord is not obliged to provide a clean property - your daughter and her friends saw the state of the house and accepted it. Job done. For future reference, repairs and things like that should be done before you agree to move into a place, or at very least, promises of action should be in writing. Unless the agreement specified how long the internet was available for then he is providing the service advertised - however, I agree it is laughable. If the £15 is each, they may be better off looking at MiFi from the 3 network. They can all share one mobile internet connection that way.