diff --git a/elro/hub.py b/elro/hub.py
index f565d25..19d9cbb 100644
--- a/elro/hub.py
+++ b/elro/hub.py
@@ -2,8 +2,7 @@
 import json
 
 import trio
-from valideer import accepts
-import valideer
+import re
 
 from elro.command import Command
 from elro.device import create_device_from_data
@@ -19,9 +18,6 @@ class Hub:
     CTRL_KEY = '0'
     BIND_KEY = '0'
 
-    @accepts(ip=valideer.Pattern(f"^(mqtt://)?({ip_address})|({hostname})$"),
-             port="integer",
-             device_id=valideer.Pattern("^ST_([0-9A-Fa-f]{12})$"))
     def __init__(self, ip, port, device_id):
         """
         Constructor
@@ -29,6 +25,13 @@ def __init__(self, ip, port, device_id):
         :param port: The port of the K1 (usually 1025)
         :param device_id: The device id of the K1 (starts with ST_ followed by its MAC address without colons)
         """
+        if (re.search(f"^({ip_address})|({hostname})$", ip) is None):
+            raise TypeError(f"Invalid ip ({ip})")
+        if (not isinstance(port, int)):
+            raise TypeError(f"Port should be an integer ({port})")
+        if (re.search("^ST_([0-9A-Fa-f]{12})$", device_id) is None):
+            raise TypeError(f"Invalid device id ({device_id})")
+
         self.ip = ip
         self.port = port
         self.id = device_id
diff --git a/elro/mqtt.py b/elro/mqtt.py
index 726a741..406e4f1 100644
--- a/elro/mqtt.py
+++ b/elro/mqtt.py
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 import logging
 import json
+import re
 
 import trio
 from distmqtt.client import open_mqttclient
 from distmqtt.mqtt.constants import QOS_1
-from valideer import accepts, Pattern
 
 from elro.validation import ip_address, hostname
 
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ class MQTTPublisher:
     """
     A MQTTPublisher listens to all hub events and publishes messages to an MQTT broker accordingly
     """
-    @accepts(broker_host=Pattern(f"({ip_address}|{hostname})"),
-             base_topic=Pattern("^[/_\\-a-zA-Z0-9]*$"))
     def __init__(self, broker_host, ha_autodiscover, base_topic=None):
         """
         Constructor
@@ -23,6 +21,12 @@ def __init__(self, broker_host, ha_autodiscover, base_topic=None):
         :param base_topic: The base topic to publish under, i.e., the publisher publishes messages under
                            <base topic>/elro/<device name or id>
         """
+        if (re.search(f"({ip_address}|{hostname})", broker_host) is None):
+            raise TypeError(f"Invalid broker host ({broker_host})")
+
+        if (re.search("^[/_\\-a-zA-Z0-9]*$", base_topic) is None):
+            raise TypeError(f"Invalid base topic ({base_topic})")
+
         self.broker_host = broker_host
         if not self.broker_host.startswith("mqtt://"):
             self.broker_host = f"mqtt://{self.broker_host}"
@@ -110,8 +114,7 @@ async def handle_device_discovery(self, device):
                     "json_attributes_topic": f"{self.topic_name(device)}",
                     "unique_id": f"elro_k1_device_{device.id}"
                 }).encode('utf8'),
-                QOS_1,
-                retain=True
+                QOS_1
             )
 
     async def device_message_task(self, hub):
diff --git a/elro/utils.py b/elro/utils.py
index 261f751..d3de0e6 100644
--- a/elro/utils.py
+++ b/elro/utils.py
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 import logging
 import collections
-
-from valideer import accepts, Pattern
-
+import re
 
 # From the ByteUtil class, needed by CRC_maker
 auchCRCHi = [
@@ -81,7 +79,6 @@ def get_string_from_ascii(input):
 
     return name
 
-@accepts(input=Pattern("^[_\-a-zA-Z0-9 ]*$"))  # Not fully supporting a wide range of characters due to partial implementation
 def get_ascii(input):
     """
     This function is partially reversed engineered and translated to python
@@ -90,6 +87,9 @@ def get_ascii(input):
     :param input: A string
     :return: A hex string
     """
+    if (re.search("^[_\-a-zA-Z0-9 ]*$", input) is None):
+        raise TypeError("Not fully supporting a wide range of characters due to partial implementation")
+
     countf = 0
 
     try:
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 83a0aca..becc911 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ scripts =
     bin/elro
 install_requires =
     trio
-    valideer
     distmqtt
     getmac
 [options.extras_require]