Back to basics
Question
I'm a student and I live in halls of residence. There is a burst pipe and we have had no water for a day and have had no indication of when it'll be turned back on. We can't cook, use the toilet, drink etc. and our contract doesn't mention anything about the water going off. Do they need to provide us with an alternative water source? Are we entitled to anything?
Answer
Most people who live in student halls of residence will have a tenancy agreement with basic protection. It is important to check what type of agreement you have, as it will affect what rights you have.
If you are an occupier with basic protection, you have very few tenancy rights. This means that you can be evicted fairly easily but the college or university has to give you at least four weeks' written notice and get a court order before you have to leave. It is important to remember how easy it is for your landlord to evict you. Because of this, it may be difficult for you to get repairs done. But the law says your landlord has to keep the structure and exterior of the property in good repair. This includes:
- the roof;
- guttering;
- walls (but this doesn't include internal decoration);
- windows and doors.
Your landlord must also keep the equipment for the supply of gas, electricity, heating, water and sanitation in good repair. Your landlord may have extra responsibilities to repair depending on what your tenancy agreement says. You are responsible for looking after the property; this might include unblocking a sink or changing a fuse when necessary. You may also have other responsibilities depending on what your tenancy agreement says.
If your accommodation needs repairs, you should inform your landlord. If the repairs are your landlord's responsibility and are not done, there may be ways you can force your landlord to carry out the work. In the first place, we would advise you to report the problem to your landlord and ask about getting the water supply returned to normal as soon as possible.
If this doesn't work, you need to think about how serious the problem is as taking action against your landlord may mean that they try to evict you rather than to do the repairs.
If you would like to talk to someone about this you could call Shelter's free housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444.
Updated: 13/09/2008
Question answered by Shelter
