Pipes frozen in rented house

meow951 · 8 January 2010 at 1:38PM

We're renting a terraced house via a letting agent. Last tuesday we had no water but it came back on at 9ish. We've got no water again today, not even coming out of the hot water tank! Im assuming its frozen pipes as next doors windows are frozen on the inside.

Do the letting agents have to help us with this or is it our problem?

Jowo_2 · 8 January 2010 at 1:47PM

A landlord is obliged to undertake repair and tenants are obliged to report them promptly. The Shelter website is a great source of info on landlords responsibilities and recommend that you always report repairs in writing and keep a copy.

A tenant can be held responsible for the cost if the problem was a result of their behaviour, either accidentally or through negligence. Tenants are obliged to adequately ventilate and heat the property and contracts often stipulate that tenants should keep the property heated during cold weather and not disable the frost detection setting if there's one.

Have you been heating the property? Did you turn off the heating if you went away over the festive period? Is the property next door unoccupied?

meow951 · 8 January 2010 at 1:54PM

We have got the heating on full whack. However, theres no heater in the kitchen and it is freezing. A man does live next door but he's a recluse of sorts and we never see him. When i turned on the tap this morning some water came through and then stopped so i assume it frozen at the point where it enters the house from outside?

meow951 · 8 January 2010 at 2:00PM

Waters actually starting to come through now. The letting agent has rung the landlady and told her so they can send someone out if needs be.

goldengirl28 · 8 January 2010 at 2:02PM

i had this problem yesteday, frozen pipes and drains, only 2 unlagged pipes, so wrapped towels around them for now until i can get to B&Q and how water and antifreeze down the drains.

If you can locate the one's that are freezing try some towels just until the LL can get it sorted out for good

clutton_2 · 8 January 2010 at 4:27PM

if this happened in any of my properties i would be charging the tenants for repairs.... i have spoken to several of the younger tenants this week to explain their responsibilities to them

N79 · 8 January 2010 at 4:28PM

As a general rule, if the pipes freeze inside your property then you as a T will be liable for the repairs as you have a duty to ensure adequate heating.

Of course if no heating is available due to disrepair then this would be a different matter.

maninthestreet · 8 January 2010 at 4:50PM

Surely it's the landlord's respomsibility to ensure all exposed pipeworks are correctly lagged???

poppysarah · 8 January 2010 at 5:37PM

Are you on a common supply - shared through the neighbours? If his freezes up then it'll stop the water coming to you.

You can ring the waterboard and they should be able to tell you.

michellen34 · 8 January 2010 at 6:01PM

it is the landlords responsibility, they are responsible for all sanitary fittings including pipes and drains

Heliflyguy · 8 January 2010 at 6:06PM

maninthestreet wrote: »

Surely it's the landlord's respomsibility to ensure all exposed pipeworks are correctly lagged???

I would agree, heating your house to ensure internal pipes dont freeze is not prevenative and should not be the resposibility of the tenant.
How can a LL demand how high and how long you have the heating on to prevent this happening and if the roof is lagged but the pipes are not then its not going to make much difference.
I dont know some landlords eh buy some decent lagging you tight bgrs.
Maybe if my car water freezes I can claim from the lanlord for not heating the parking area thus damaging my car.

Pipes frozen in rented house

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