Whilst shopping yesterday afternoon, my wife and I happened to spot two young Filipinas. As I was browsing, Myrna struck up a conversation with them. It transpired they were nursing students currently on a work-experience placement at a residential care home for the elderly, located close to where we live.
Anyway, the point I'm trying to make here is, they and a friend [also Filipina] shared the occupancy of a tenement flat - again, not so very far from our home - rented to them on a monthly basis by a certain ?Islamic gentleman, whom they referred to as 'Mohammed ... something or other. In accordance with the terms of lease, they'd been initially required to stump up one "grand" - comprising £500 deposit and the same amount for a month's advance rental.
Fair enough! But when they came to use the washing machine, they discovered it wouldn't function. Even worse [in the light of the recent low temperatures in Scotland] the heating system turned out to be faulty. On reporting these important defects to their landlord, he agreed to arrange for an electrician to inspect the wiring system with a view to carrying out any repairs needed. However when, after 2 weeks, no remedial action had been taken, the girls informed the landlord they would prefer to move out rather than endure further hardship, and were told that the terms of their contract prohibited them from vacating the flat without adequate notice.
Now, to my mind, the onus is surely on the landlord to ensure that any property he lets out is of a standard fit for habitation. Clearly, in this case, that criteria is not being met. And, therefore, it is HE who is in 'Breach of Contract'. I suggested the girls contact Citizens' Advice and then, as an afterthought, wondered whether they'd be entitled to do so given the fact they're here as foreign nationals on student visas. In the end, Myrna and I gave them a note of our phone number, as we'd really like to help. Is there anything we can do?
