No heating - i need advise

leeandrew84

Hello everyone,

Me and and partner live in a 1 bed flat which comprises of a living room with kitchen at other side, 1 medium size bedroom and a tiny bathroom. We started living in it in Feb this year (we're tenants, not owners) because at the time it was all we could afford.
Last Winter we had a really terrible time with our old flat. There was mould everywhere and gradually got worse from beginning of sept until Feb this year (thats when we left). We have to constantly wear coats inside and in bed, i was hospitalized with hyperthermia over x-mas. The windows werent fitted properly, we could see daylight underneath the frame, their was damp in all the walls and there was no heating. We handed in our leaving notice when i went to hospital and are going to persue legal action against the letting agent and landlord; They tried to blame it on our lifestyle being the cause of it, but failed to elaborate everytime i spoke to them. The legal action has been postponed until a later date. As you will probably understand, we were prevented from living normal lives and i had to take a gap year from my studies because i was unsettled there.
The problem we have now is that the flat we are in now had radiators which were supposed to come on at the beginning of september, but the boiler in the loft broke (it is a house seperated into 4 flats, all occupied) and the landlord has been procrastinating getting it fixed, or at least it would appear. I have been in contact with my letting agents on a weekly basis inquiring when will the heat be switched on and they give me the same answer with vague dates. But it has gone too far now, i am getting ill and have been starting to feel the symtoms which led to my hyperthermia last winter, i was advised it would be serious if the same was too happen again. I woke up this morning and there was frost all outside and ice on the roads and walls, and there is no heating inside. I fear its going to happen again. They dont take anything serious enough- i am only 24 and in a low price bracket of property so perhaps they are presuming i am a down-and-out because i live in this rough area, but this is because my university career has left me without much money and i budget really well for what i get.
Can anyone advise me on what can be done about this heat problem? Is it my approach that is failing me?

Magentasue

Have you tried the house buying and renting board? People over there are very knowledgeable about tenant's rights. Alternatively, I'd suggest CAB. If it was me, I'd want to live elsewhere (you may not have that option) or at least withhold some of the rent to cover the cost of some other form of heating. The CAB would know what you can do and how, I would think. What do the tenants in the other flats say about the situation?

mrs.maverick

As a landlord myself, I would never leave my tenants without proper means of heating but then I am a responsible landlord. Not everyone is.
I would contact the agents and ask them to sort it out ASAP, or you will go to the Environmental Health department of the local Council and complain. That should get them moving!