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Jhpt
Posts: 77 Forumite
Hello everybody,
I live in a rented property, and we unfortunately required the boiler to be changed. Our landlord was fantastic, organised for a Combi unit to be installed . This is where it goes Pete Tong.
I was woken at 8am (I was working nights at this point) with a frantic call from the estate agent shouting down the phone the contractors were on the way and we MUST let them in (otherwise the Landlord would be charged for their time) - being pretty normal, despite not getting 24 hours notice, we of course let them in. At this point we had been told it was less than a days job and we'd have hot water/heating by that night. Low and behold.. we had no hot water/heating, until the next night. Showering etc impossible and as this happened in early November pretty cold!
Secondly, the contractors were terrible - they left the place in an absolute state, dust and mess and walls/carpets marked every single room, they replace a boxed in unit with a Combi shoved in a corner (not boxed in), they'd used 3 towels to clean up a leak and left soaking, they'd used our hoover to vacuum up water. I even had the tenant in the flat beneath me come up to complain there was water pouring through her ceiling - thankfully the Chuckle Brothers were still on site to rectify this mistake.
After they left, we realised we STILL had no heating, water OK. Without knowing the technical ins/outs they'd forgotten to activate/ switch on the boiler. We had another contractor out for this (paid for by estate agent). Since the install we've had the other contractors out 3x - to "activate the boiler", to re-pressurise it and then to show me how to re-pressurise it, as well as being told we now needed to get new radiators throughout as they can't handle the Combi pressure.
Long story short, I feel that we (as tenant's) should not be obliged to pay a full months rent, seeing as in one calender month we have been without heating/hot water a total of 5 nights, huge amounts of time cleaning the flat, have had 3 bath towels ruined, have had our hoover used (without permission) to vacuum up water and have had to go and purchase new inner lining, and have had a load of distress and disruption a) due to less than 24 hours notice of the install and b) quater-backing "operation recovery" ... Do we have legal rights here? We've asked the Landlord (via EA) for a 25% off considering the above factors.
Thank you!
I live in a rented property, and we unfortunately required the boiler to be changed. Our landlord was fantastic, organised for a Combi unit to be installed . This is where it goes Pete Tong.
I was woken at 8am (I was working nights at this point) with a frantic call from the estate agent shouting down the phone the contractors were on the way and we MUST let them in (otherwise the Landlord would be charged for their time) - being pretty normal, despite not getting 24 hours notice, we of course let them in. At this point we had been told it was less than a days job and we'd have hot water/heating by that night. Low and behold.. we had no hot water/heating, until the next night. Showering etc impossible and as this happened in early November pretty cold!
Secondly, the contractors were terrible - they left the place in an absolute state, dust and mess and walls/carpets marked every single room, they replace a boxed in unit with a Combi shoved in a corner (not boxed in), they'd used 3 towels to clean up a leak and left soaking, they'd used our hoover to vacuum up water. I even had the tenant in the flat beneath me come up to complain there was water pouring through her ceiling - thankfully the Chuckle Brothers were still on site to rectify this mistake.
After they left, we realised we STILL had no heating, water OK. Without knowing the technical ins/outs they'd forgotten to activate/ switch on the boiler. We had another contractor out for this (paid for by estate agent). Since the install we've had the other contractors out 3x - to "activate the boiler", to re-pressurise it and then to show me how to re-pressurise it, as well as being told we now needed to get new radiators throughout as they can't handle the Combi pressure.
Long story short, I feel that we (as tenant's) should not be obliged to pay a full months rent, seeing as in one calender month we have been without heating/hot water a total of 5 nights, huge amounts of time cleaning the flat, have had 3 bath towels ruined, have had our hoover used (without permission) to vacuum up water and have had to go and purchase new inner lining, and have had a load of distress and disruption a) due to less than 24 hours notice of the install and b) quater-backing "operation recovery" ... Do we have legal rights here? We've asked the Landlord (via EA) for a 25% off considering the above factors.
Thank you!
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Comments
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You write (yes, WRITE) to landlord (yes, landlord), copy agent, keep a copy, listing the issues as outlined in Shelter's website on reporting repairs with private landlord.0
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Invoice for any damages and leave it at that.
I regularly re-pressurise the boiler, it takes 30 seconds.0 -
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Invoice for any damages and leave it at that.
I regularly re-pressurise the boiler, it takes 30 seconds.
Yeah re-pressurising isn't a problem at all - but 3 call outs for another contractor in the 2 weeks following a job means it hasn't been done well at all! Would you not argue that paying full whack rent when 5 days the flat was borderline un-liveable in isn't quite right?theartfullodger wrote: »You write (yes, WRITE) to landlord (yes, landlord), copy agent, keep a copy, listing the issues as outlined in Shelter's website on reporting repairs with private landlord.
Have done - via the agent but it ended up in the same place, although great advice I'm viewing Shelter's website now! Cheers0 -
Seems that the LL needs to take the matter up with the contractors first. The LL cannot be held directly responsible for all their actions.0
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Would you not argue that paying full whack rent when 5 days the flat was borderline un-liveable in isn't quite right?
No. Not at all.
The lack of a working boiler does not make the property unlivable. Last time I had a boiler issue it took 2 weeks to get it sorted, and I was the owner, not renting.0 -
Thank God you did not have to pay for the Chuckle brothers as well.
Cost me £4300 to replace my home boiler last year.
This new modern boiler should reduce your gas bill over the next few months/years0 -
You said the hot water was working but not the heating. Was this what was not working for 5 days or was it both hot water and heating not working for 5 days?
To me, it looks as though you didn't have heating for 5 days, but had hot water throughout.0 -
Thrugelmir wrote: »Seems that the LL needs to take the matter up with the contractors first. The LL cannot be held directly responsible for all their actions.
Completely agree - I get on with my LL pretty well, haven't blamed her at all and we've both agreed contractors fault. It HAS been a month now so there's been ample time for this to be sorted!No. Not at all.
The lack of a working boiler does not make the property unlivable. Last time I had a boiler issue it took 2 weeks to get it sorted, and I was the owner, not renting.
Well I'd argue that less than 24 hours notice that you can't wash at home and have no heating isn't great when paying a fortune in rent. I think it's a little different renting/ owning; part of my contract is paying for a liveable environment, your mortgage pays for bricks/mortar...Thank God you did not have to pay for the Chuckle brothers as well.
Cost me £4300 to replace my home boiler last year.
This new modern boiler should reduce your gas bill over the next few months/years
wow.. that's ridiculous!0 -
You said the hot water was working but not the heating. Was this what was not working for 5 days or was it both hot water and heating not working for 5 days?
To me, it looks as though you didn't have heating for 5 days, but had hot water throughout.
We were without hot water for 3 days, without heating for 50
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