Have been renting houses, mostly HMO's, for almost 35 years now, when I first started, the EHO's were people that were friendly, they would come around a house and we would sit and talk, I have had many cups of tea with them, they used to advise on the latest fire regs, back when they would do fire regs. If there was a problem they would give informal advice, I don't think I ever had a notice served on me, if work needed to be done they would tell me, in some cases they would write a letter.
What changed?
I perish the thought to phone the EHO's now, I made the mistake of asking for advice when I had a blocked main drain. They used to advise, give phone numbers, even try and organise help, ths time I got some young kid just out of college, who came around quick enough, then issued me with an emergency notice, threatened me with legal action, and prosecution if I did not get it sorted immediately, and they said they would do it and charge me. It's a blocked drain... of course I'm going to unblock it, I don't need the added stress of legal action being threatened.
Since then over the last 5 years, I have had a steadly flow of kids young enough to be my grandchildren, serve notice, threaten and generally be very legally aggressive to me.
I have spoke to other LL's in the area, and no one wants to know them. I am sorry to say, but I see the EHO as a total enemy, in the last 3 years I have attended 4 Residential Tribunals, 2 of which were mine, and WON them all, so I think that just goes to show that the EHO issued incorrectly.
EHO - friend or Foe?
If EHO have issued a notice and want some advice about Residential Tribunals, please post a message, I can give you the relevant regs to appeal against it.
Comments please................