Just moved into newish rented property - no working fire!

Mitsouko · 3 June 2008 at 11:17AM

OK we moved into a rented house a few days ago. On the day we had to go into the agents' office to sign the contract and they gave us the keys and documents including a the inventory and gas safety certificates.

If anyone remembers my other thread (like anyone cares!) this is not the same house we were haggling over. This one is the same rent but has curtains, two bathrooms, and in a more convenient location, so we thought it was better value. As the house is newish we didn't think we'd have to check everything.

So the woman in the office shoves all these documents at us, we sign and to back to the car. I then read the gas safety cert. and it states 'gas fire turned off and Warning notice issued' and somehting about flame supervision device faulty. I march back into the office and ask the woman if the fire cannot be fixed and she says 'unfortunately not and the owner is not prepared to replace it so you will have to use it as an ornamental feature only', When we get to the house, sure enough there is a small red sticker on the side of the fire which was never pointed out to us when we viewed (viewed with outgoing tenants).

I feel like we have been done over here! I know in houses with central heating you don't usually have the fire on much, but it is still nice to have the option, especially over the winter, and makes me feel uneasy living in a house with something dangerous. We have signed for six months. We have not haggled over the rent at all with this one, have jumped through all the stupid agency's hoops, and I feel they have been very sneaky and dishonest.

I enquired with the Environmental Health Officer at the local Council and she says as long as it has the warning notice they've not done anything illegal. But shouldn't it be the ll/agency's job to maintain things? For the amount of rent we are paying (£850 pm) I don't think we should have to deal with this!

bobby-boy_2 · 3 June 2008 at 11:27AM

Hi mitsouko I can understand your frustration but you can take solace in the fact the landlord has actually had the safety checks done and advised you of the problem with the fire. The fire can be disconected from the gas supply very easily and cheaply if you are really worried you might turn it on in a fit of madness.
I can't see how the letting agency have been sneaky if they informed you in writting of the faulty gas fire when you signed the lease. The landlord has a duty to maintain the property but he is under no obligation to supply as gas fire. Sorry if I do not sound sympathetic but it sounds like the landlord is fulfilling his end of the agrement.

Mitsouko · 3 June 2008 at 11:46AM

They have been sneaky in that it was never pointed out when we viewed (twice) . And yes, it was written on the gas safety certificate but that was handed over to us with a wodge of other documents and we were busy signing so the woman in the office knew full well we hadn't read it and cunningly kept silent about it.

This is top whack of what we can afford on rent for us and I think we deserve better. Otherwise I think after 4 months or so we will be looking around for a new rental (checking EVERYTHING carefully) so we don't have to spend the winter in the house. That means disruption, paying removal men, effect on our credit ratings of moving after just 6 months, all because the letting agents couldn't be HONEST.

poppysarah · 3 June 2008 at 11:49AM

You could check the BTU of the rads in that room. It may be that the fire is intended as supplementary heating.

A faulty fire not being replaced is indicative of poor landlording.

I'd suggest you tell the agents you'll be looking for a place as soon as your lease allows you. Or at least putting it in writing that you are most displeased about it.

What else will they not repair?

Troubled_Joe · 3 June 2008 at 11:53AM

I'd have to agree with bobby-boy.

They gave you the documentation required and you didn't read it. I appreciate why you didn't and that they were probably just saying "sign here" and hurrying you along but it is your responsibility to check these things.

I don't mean to sound harsh but I don't think you have any redress apart from leaving at the expiry of the AST.

brightonman123 · 3 June 2008 at 11:55AM

i think heating is a basic expectation of any home- if its been turned off as unsafe, then the place (imo) should not have been offered out until fized- contact gaent to request urgent fix, mention huuman rights, agent liability etc.. what good it does i dont know!

Mitsouko · 3 June 2008 at 11:55AM

PoppySarah, what's BTU? Yeah, I will get something in writing to the LA.

And if we're showing new prospective tenants round in a few months I will definitely let them know about the fire and what this agency is like. I wish the last tenants had done the same for us!

Mitsouko · 3 June 2008 at 12:01PM

Troubled_Joe wrote: »

I'd have to agree with bobby-boy.

They gave you the documentation required and you didn't read it. I appreciate why you didn't and that they were probably just saying "sign here" and hurrying you along but it is your responsibility to check these things.

I don't mean to sound harsh but I don't think you have any redress apart from leaving at the expiry of the AST.

Yes I should have read it but by then they'd already had the first months rent deposit, and application fee off us (over £1700 altogether) - also our house sale was completing within a few days so we had nowhere else to go!

bobby-boy_2 · 3 June 2008 at 12:06PM

Hi Brighton man the OP never said he had NO heating, he specifically mentioned central heating which has NOT been switched off as unsafe. So he has heating so his "human rights" are not affected. S/He also specifically states that the enviromental health department that NO BREACH has taken place and everything is legal regarding the situation.
BTU stands for British Thermal Units and is a measure of an appliance heat output. Again there is CENTRAL HEATING in the property and boilers and radiators are usually sized on the property. I think it would be far cheaper to buy an electric fire if they really want a fire than "disruption, paying removal men, effect on our credit ratings of moving after just 6 months "
As for the agent being "Honest" telling you something in writting that is true is honest, not telling you at all would be dishonest. It looks like you only want to read replies that agree with you and not get a balanced feedback

oldagetraveller · 3 June 2008 at 12:09PM

Mitsouko wrote: »

PoppySarah, what's BTU?

They're old Imperial heat units (British Thermal Units) which are not now normally in use. Radiator output is now quoted in kW (Kilowatt).
You'll need to measure the radiator, height and length and depending on whether its a single or a double have a look on the web for radiator output or similar. Or measure the room and again look for radiator sizes etc. and check if for the room size your rads are similar. Bear in mind that more modern rads are sometimes a higher output for the same size by increasing the surface area with corrugated fins etc.
I would expect a modern house to have radiators of adequate size without needing a gas fire though, they probably are fairly high efficiency too.

poppysarah · 3 June 2008 at 12:10PM

It may be cheaper to buy their own electric fire if they need heat but I feel the whole issue is one of poor landlording and one that doesn't bode well.

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Just moved into newish rented property - no working fire!

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