For a month, the residents in Gamla and Nya huset at Lund’s Nation have had bad heating and no hot water. Last Wednesday, the residents were notified that they will have to pay full rent, despite a month of lacking living standards.
The residents in Gamla and Nya huset at Lund’s Nation have been living without hot water in badly heated housings for a month. The problem is almost solved, and everything should be working today.
According to the Swedish Tenancy Act, tenants have a right to an abatement of rent if the living standards have been lacking for some time. Last Wednesday, the residents were notified of the board’s decision that there will be no abatement of rent.
“It doesn’t feel reasonable or fair. Above all considering the extremely flawed dialogue between us, the tenants, and the Student Housing,” says one of the tenants at the Nation.
Party in the basement
Paul Pierce is the President of the Board at Lund’s Nation Student Housing and tells us that it was after a party in the basement that everything started. However, when Lundagård talks to residents at the Nation, they explain that they had not been informed about the cause of the problem.
“About three weeks ago, a few students had a party in the basement. They turned off the mains stopcock, causing hot water for the radiators to be turned off as well”, Paul Pierce tells us.
Right to a lower rent
The first report on the loss of hot water and heating came on 25 January. According to the Swedish Union of Tenants, a tenant has the right to an abatement of rent from the date when the tenant reports the problem to the landlord until it has been resolved. According to this rule, the residents at Gamla and Nya huset at Lund’s Nation that have been without hot water is entitled to a lower rent from 25 January. But according to Paul Pierce, it is not that simple.
“The problem is caused by the residents themselves. There will therefore be no compensation. To get an abatement of rent, there has to be documents showing when the problem started, how long it lasted and in what apartment, so that we can get a clear overview of the problem,” he says.
But this is information that the residents at the afflicted student housings at Lund’s Nation have not received.
“It is the tenant’s responsibility to know what rules apply,” Paul Pierce says.
Filing a report to the County Administrative Board
Today, it is time for a house meeting at Lund’s Nation
“We residents are motivated to get an abatement of rent. Now, we will take matters into our own hands and are planning to file a report to the County Administrative Board”, says a resident to Lundagård.
The Housing Foremen at Lund’s Nation have declined any comments.
Text: Camilla Göth
Translation: Carl-William Ersgård
First published at lundagard.se
