Any builders

[garynortheast]

Do we have any builders in the Border Patrol area, familiar with current building regs and standards for rented properties, especially older houses?

[Dave20046]

I'm envious of your builder proximity Gary. Wales based Hawthorn building services is an ex member, great bloke arguably greater workmanship. But as Wales is one little village in my mind... I may be a bit off with the distance.

Is it anything we can help with over the net?
Not really building regs but there's a few Q's or common gotchas people might be able to help with here - if you have a gas central heating system (and hob or fire actually) for instance this should have had a 'landlords' check every 12 months and a copy of the cert MUST have been available for the tenant.

[garynortheast]

Bit of a long story Dave, which I’ll expand on when I have the energy, but I want to get someone who knows what they are talking about to walk round this house with me and tell me what is needed to legally bring it up to standard. I’m going to suggest to the landlords that rather than kick me out of my home and then get a builder in to refurb the whole house with all the attendant delays as they bugger off to other jobs, they let me organise the work needing to be done. I could do it a stage at a time and remain in my home, but I need someone knowledgable to talk me through what I can do and what would need qualified professionals. I’m aware of the need for qualified people to carry out various inspections and certification of stuff like electrics, chimneys, solid fuel burners etc, but it would be useful to have proper advice to enable me to put together a schedule of work.

Much of this has happened because my landlord, the Presbyterian Church in Wales, has employed a property manager who seems to value “maximising profit” over principles and an ethical code. The Presbyterian and Methodist churches, for all the faults of organised religion, do actually have quite a tradition of social justice and a sense of moral obligation towards the less well off and generally disadvantaged members of society. This property manager appears not to have any of that, but just has pound signs in his eyes. I’m getting in touch with the heads of the church down in Cardiff to remind them gently of their need to observe certain values, and at the same time offer them an alternative route to the result we all want, which is a house in need of refurbishment brought up to a decent condition.

[Dave20046]

I see Gary, not sure everything should be turned on it's head because of one new person if they aren't doing things for the right reasons... sounds like you need this guy


See if Hawthorn are near you (Llan ?), he might be booked up but if not I'm sure you'll find someone else.

[Luckypants]

Phil (Hawthorn Building) is now down near Staylittle, so not a million miles away from you Gary.

[garynortheast]

Thanks Dave and Mike. Staylittle isn’t any distance from here.

[svenrico]

Sounds like you are asking somebody to prepare a schedule of works for you (going round telling you what needs to be done)
Building regulations applications are usually prepared by an architect, architectural technician or building surveyor for example ,i.e that is work for the professionals. I don't suppose builders are now doing them free of charge !
I wouldn't think the landlord would allow you to prepare a schedule of works for building work to be done to their property and let you carry out the work unless you were a building professional.
ps depends what you consider needs 'refurbishing' of course , existing older houses obviously won't comply with current building regs but any work carried out should comply with current regs ,or at least not make the situation worse. What does the landlord think about the condition of the property and any proposed refurbishment work?

[svenrico]

Minimum standards in rented accommodation | Department of ...
https://www.housing.gov.ie/.../minim...-accommodation
These minimum standards are set out in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 201 9 What are the minimum standards For each house let or available for letting, the landlord must ensure that
garynortheast - you can see publications on minimum standards for rented houses by searching internet . My job involved obtaining Building Regulations approval for building projects but you would need to identify where you think these rented housing standards aren't being met and take it up with the landlord in the first instance. The building owner or their agent would have to make an application for approval of any proposed building work requiring building regs approval.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by garynortheast

Bit of a long story Dave, which I’ll expand on when I have the energy, but I want to get someone who knows what they are talking about to walk round this house with me and tell me what is needed to legally bring it up to standard. I’m going to suggest to the landlords that rather than kick me out of my home and then get a builder in to refurb the whole house with all the attendant delays as they bugger off to other jobs, they let me organise the work needing to be done. I could do it a stage at a time and remain in my home, but I need someone knowledgable to talk me through what I can do and what would need qualified professionals. I’m aware of the need for qualified people to carry out various inspections and certification of stuff like electrics, chimneys, solid fuel burners etc, but it would be useful to have proper advice to enable me to put together a schedule of work.

Much of this has happened because my landlord, the Presbyterian Church in Wales, has employed a property manager who seems to value “maximising profit” over principles and an ethical code. The Presbyterian and Methodist churches, for all the faults of organised religion, do actually have quite a tradition of social justice and a sense of moral obligation towards the less well off and generally disadvantaged members of society. This property manager appears not to have any of that, but just has pound signs in his eyes. I’m getting in touch with the heads of the church down in Cardiff to remind them gently of their need to observe certain values, and at the same time offer them an alternative route to the result we all want, which is a house in need of refurbishment brought up to a decent condition.

Funking barsteward

[garynortheast]

Originally Posted by maviczap

Funking barsteward

Pretty much my feelings too Mav.