Boiler broke down 6 days ago and contractors working for HA have failed to fix it.

me4bargains

Hi
I need some help please!
My boiler packed up on Monday and an engineer looked at it said it needed a part and will be back on Wednesday.
'Luckily' I have an immersion switch so I do have hot water and my HA provided two useless fan heaters so I borrow an oil-radiotr from my parents.
Wednesday- a different engineer turns up says boiler needs a different part will be back on Friday.
In the meantime HA have had little communication with the contractors and I have tried to call them and they never pick up the hpone.
Whacked an email off to the contract manager who profusely apologises and says they will DEFINTELY be around on Friday afternoon to fix bolier.
Daughter takes afternoon of college,I try to call the contractors from 3.30pm on Friday afternoon to check progress- suprise suprise they don't answer phone.
Get on to contract manager who also is unable to contact them herslef by phone so sends them an urgent email.
She gets back to me a 5.10pm to let me know they aren't coming and will do so on Tuesday.
In the meantime I have a sick daughter and a very cold house.
I also have to traipse to the local launderette to dry washed clothing and towels.
Now, I intend on taking action against this unacceptable service further but does anyone out there now if I have grounds for compensation.
My energy bills will soar, have had to spend a fortune at launderette, phone calls have cost a bomb and the sheer inconveniece.
In my tenancy agreement it states a broken down boiler SHOULD be fixed within 24 hours during the months of October to May.
Now, I am a reasonable person and I know parts need to be ordered but is it legal to make a tenant wiat for more than a week? :mad:

clutton_2

you have had 2 engineers call in a week, i think that is reasonable, and the :L:L provided alternative heating and you have hot water - i think parts are sometimes difficult to get quickly

home owners are treated in the same way, you cannot expect to be treated any differently

ifyou calm down and speak reasonably with the LL once the situation is resolved he may agree to compensate you - although he is under no legal obligation to do so

LLs have to do repairs in a Reasonable time - i think what you have described is reasonable

poppysarah

Never try and ring at 3.30 on a Friday afternoon. No one apart from me ever answered the phone at that time in our office - none of the workmen would accept a job so late in the day when they could get £8 extra for going after 4pm.

Fax or email your issues - cc it to the local councillor.

It won't cost massively more to keep warm without central heating and you've got plenty of heaters - and why do you have to use the launderette? The washer will heat the water up - new ones ONLY have a cold fill thanks to EU regs.
Are you normally drying clothes on radiators?

And it's not been broken a week yet. When I lived in council place it was a week to bring the wrong part and then another 2 days to get the right one...

Only put the immersion on for a bath - they're expensive to keep on all the time.
Fan heaters should be fine - if you've got asthma they can be a problem - but ones with thermostats are great - much better than nothing.

I know it's horrid cos it's so cold. It's just unfortunate. Be nice when you ring up tomorrow - but confirm your phone call by email or in writing.

me4bargains

I called at 3.30 because they were scheduled to visit bewtween 1-5pm but have a history of non-attendence so I was calling to make sure a contractor would still be attending.
My daughter had taken the afternoon off college because I had work.
I use a radiator and a clothes horse to dry my washing hence the trips to the launderette.
My son has asthma so I can use a fan heater in his room which is one of the reasons why I'm outraged.
I've been nothing but polite to everyone had contact with regarding this because I'm a strong believer in talking to people the way you wish them to talk to you!
Ironically, the ha employees have literally begged me to make a formal complaint because they have endured the brunt of tenant' a anger because hthis is a new contractor and they are failing miserably!

barnaby-bear

me4bargains wrote: »

Hi
I need some help please!
My boiler packed up on Monday and an engineer looked at it said it needed a part and will be back on Wednesday.
'Luckily' I have an immersion switch so I do have hot water and my HA provided two useless fan heaters so I borrow an oil-radiotr from my parents.
Wednesday- a different engineer turns up says boiler needs a different part will be back on Friday.
In the meantime HA have had little communication with the contractors and I have tried to call them and they never pick up the hpone.
Whacked an email off to the contract manager who profusely apologises and says they will DEFINTELY be around on Friday afternoon to fix bolier.
Daughter takes afternoon of college,I try to call the contractors from 3.30pm on Friday afternoon to check progress- suprise suprise they don't answer phone.
Get on to contract manager who also is unable to contact them herslef by phone so sends them an urgent email.
She gets back to me a 5.10pm to let me know they aren't coming and will do so on Tuesday.
In the meantime I have a sick daughter and a very cold house.
I also have to traipse to the local launderette to dry washed clothing and towels.
Now, I intend on taking action against this unacceptable service further but does anyone out there now if I have grounds for compensation.
My energy bills will soar, have had to spend a fortune at launderette, phone calls have cost a bomb and the sheer inconveniece.
In my tenancy agreement it states a broken down boiler SHOULD be fixed within 24 hours during the months of October to May.
Now, I am a reasonable person and I know parts need to be ordered but is it legal to make a tenant wiat for more than a week? :mad:

You've got hot water and some form of heating and have had action from the LL with two engineers out. I'm guessing you've been in cushy HA land for a while - private LLs can be far worse and take several weeks or months... this is the kind of timescales a homeowner would have to deal with and sounds very reasonable behaviour from HA and it sounds like you have a good LL.

clutton_2

""My son has asthma so I can use a fan heater in his room which is one of the reasons why I'm outraged. ""

i dont understand this ....

poppysarah

I assume the OP means can't use a fan heater. They blow dust into the air which isn't helpful if you've got asthma.

tbs624

clutton wrote: »

you have had 2 engineers call in a week, i think that is reasonable, and the :L:L provided alternative heating and you have hot water - i think parts are sometimes difficult to get quickly

home owners are treated in the same way, you cannot expect to be treated any differently

ifyou calm down and speak reasonably with the LL once the situation is resolved he may agree to compensate you - although he is under no legal obligation to do so

LLs have to do repairs in a Reasonable time - i think what you have described is reasonable

It looks like the Tenant's LL is a Housing Association and they do have different rules on repairs to your normal private tenancy. The Housing Corporation, under whose auspices the HAs fall, expect the HAs to keep properties maintained to a standard exceeding the minimum legal requirments.

The HA has to make sure that the contractors meet the deadlines for specific sorts of repair and, as the OP says, in the winter months the rule for boiler repairs is 24 hours (and that's the repair being completed, not someone coming out to give the boiler a quick look over & then disappearing again) If a repair that has been properly reported is not seen to within the appropriate timescale, & the lack of repairs affects health, safety or security, then the T may seek compensation. The maximum figure should be listed in the Tenant Handbook.

me4bargains - if they still haven't fixed it ask the HA to chase the contractor or to use another one from their list. Confirm your request in writing and keep a copy.

Ask the HA for a copy of their formal complaints system - they *must* have such a system and they must give you information on it.

Even if the contractors have finally been and fixed it by tomorrow, make the complaint because these contracts are worth big money to the firms involved, and they should be meeting the requirements fully.