Boiler broken down in rented house

QTPie

God this is awful...

We currently own (and have done for the past 10 years), but are selling and will rent for a while.

As an owner we have Homecare from British Gas and, if anything goes wrong, can call them out pretty much immediately. I think it is unfair of a landlord NOT to get someone onto it straight away... what would they do if it was their own boiler that brokedown? I doubt that they would go without it being checked until Monday somehow... :rolleyes:

Good luck OP. I wish that I was your LL - you would have someone out same/next day to look at it...
QT

N79

poppysarah wrote: »

If you smell gas ring this number ... turn off the gas and open the windows.
0800 111 999

If it's broken then it might need disconnecting from the gas until it's fixed. Transco can come and do that if you smell strange fumes or gas. They will be out quickly. They will disconnect the heater if it's dangerous.

If you are worried get back on to the LA/landlord and explain to them why you're worried.

If it's not working anyway then you lose nothing by having them come out and disconnect it.

Stop being melodramatic. How many homeowners disconnect their boiler (which should only be done by a corgi registered fitter) when the boiler breaks down?

poppysarah

N79 wrote: »

Stop being melodramatic. How many homeowners disconnect their boiler (which should only be done by a corgi registered fitter) when the boiler breaks down?

If you smell something strange you should get someone out. Urgently.

If my gas boiler started making strange smells I'd certainly be getting someone out to it.pronot.. and I know how to turn the gas off at the mains - I said nothing about disconnecting the boiler ...

If you smell gas then ringing the transco number will get you an expert out quickly.

Would you ignore a suddenly smelly gas boiler?

littleemmie

Thank you for all your replies. I don't think *touch wood* it is dangerous as I can't smell any gas and my carbon monoxide detecter thing hasn't gone off, but if I do I'll phone Transco straight away. It's a worrying thought though.

Yes we do have a gas safety certificate, carried out by the same contractor - it needs renewing in April.

QTPie - thank you, my thoughts exactly!

N79

poppysarah wrote: »

If you smell something strange you should get someone out. Urgently.

If my gas boiler started making strange smells I'd certainly be getting someone out to it.pronot.. and I know how to turn the gas off at the mains - I said nothing about disconnecting the boiler ...

If you smell gas then ringing the transco number will get you an expert out quickly.

Would you ignore a suddenly smelly gas boiler?

Of course not - but this boiler does not smell!

tbs624

Here’s what the law says (LL & T Act 1985, s11):

Repairing obligations in short leases.

(1) In a lease to which this section applies (as to which, see sections 13 and 14) there is implied a covenant by the lessor………………………….(c) to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for space heating and heating water.

With all repairs issues always get them notified to the LL and/or the LA in writing and keep copies. ( Did you notify the LL/LA (in writing) of the damage caused by the h/e on his previous visit so that you don’t end up footing the bill when you move out?) You seem to doubt the general competence of this corgi registered h/e but, although you don't say whether the previous repair was arranged promptly, you indicate that he did fix the boiler.

On the current repair issue there is, as you have found, no strict definition of what constitutes a “ reasonable” period of time but your LL has to understand that what may be acceptable to him/her as an owner/occupier is different from what is acceptable to a tenant who is paying rent for a property with a working CH and hot water system.

Paying for a service contract, or call-out charges for short notice problems, is just part & parcel of being a LL. If she prefers to use a specific h/e who is not available straightaway then she should make alternative arrangements so that you have some form of heating and hot water supply in the interim period - this is especially the case during the winter months. This means providing temporary heaters and a hot water boiler - these things can be hired by the day or the week. See here and here

Be firm with the LA (LLs and LAs often use one another as an excuse for their own tardiness on repairs issues) and tell them ( in writing) that you want these things hired out at their expense if the boiler cannot be fixed tomorrow.

You may of course be worrying unnecessarily and be able to wallow in a nice hot bath by tomorrow night, but at least when/if the boiler breaks down again your LA will perhaps be encouraged to move things along a little more quickly


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littleemmie

tbs624 wrote: »

Heres what the law says (LL & T Act 1985, s11):

Repairing obligations in short leases.

(1) In a lease to which this section applies (as to which, see sections 13 and 14) there is implied a covenant by the lessor.(c) to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for space heating and heating water.

With all repairs issues always get them notified to the LL and/or the LA in writing and keep copies. ( Did you notify the LL/LA (in writing) of the damage caused by the h/e on his previous visit so that you dont end up footing the bill when you move out?) You seem to doubt the general competence of this corgi registered h/e but, although you don't say whether the previous repair was arranged promptly, you indicate that he did fix the boiler.

On the current repair issue there is, as you have found, no strict definition of what constitutes a reasonable period of time but your LL has to understand that what may be acceptable to him/her as an owner/occupier is different from what is acceptable to a tenant who is paying rent for a property with a working CH and hot water system.

Paying for a service contract, or call-out charges for short notice problems, is just part & parcel of being a LL. If she prefers to use a specific h/e who is not available straightaway then she should make alternative arrangements so that you have some form of heating and hot water supply in the interim period - this is especially the case during the winter months. This means providing temporary heaters and a hot water boiler - these things can be hired by the day or the week. See here and here

Be firm with the LA (LLs and LAs often use one another as an excuse for their own tardiness on repairs issues) and tell them ( in writing) that you want these things hired out at their expense if the boiler cannot be fixed tomorrow.

You may of course be worrying unnecessarily and be able to wallow in a nice hot bath by tomorrow night, but at least when/if the boiler breaks down again your LA will perhaps be encouraged to move things along a little more quickly


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Thank you for your advice. I will draft an email to them now asking for a hired form of hot water and heating should it not be rectified tomorrow so they know we are serious. The letting agent have said that the repairman tomorrow will look at the boiler, tell the letting agent what is wrong who will then phone the landlady who will decide how to proceed. Now baring in mind that the landlady is notoriously difficult to get hold of and that surely whatever the boiler needs, it needs, is this normal practice? We could be waiting until monday to get the go ahead from the landlady. I know and hope that it might be fixed tomorrow but i want to gear myself up in case it isnt as i am dreading the next few days without water or heat! Do they legally have to provide us with hired equipment? Im very sorry for the lack of punctuation and space in this reply, it is written on my phone. Thank you again.

N79

littleemmie wrote: »

Do they legally have to provide us with hired equipment?

No - not if they can affect the repair in a reasonable time. But reasonable LL's will have a means of ensuring the provision of heating and hot water if there are delays in carrying out repairs.

littleemmie

Thanks for your reply and reply.

Update: After waiting all day for the repairman to let us know roughly when he is coming round tomorrow, it turns out that he is unlikely to be able to do so and will have to wait until Monday. The letting agents will not let us have any heaters as they have not been tested and as the landlady wants the previous contractor the letting agents can do no more.

I am just at a loss as to what to do. It is so cold here and we have noone nearby who we can pop round to and borrow their shower! The landlady lives just round the corner so OH wants to go round and talk to her himself - he doesn't think the LA has spoken to her since the initial report of the boiler going wrong and so she doesn't know it will take until Monday to be repaired.

poppysarah

I'm very frustrated for you - they're just being ^$$%$&$*. You should hand deliver/fax a letter tomorrow requesting an alternative form of heat and a confirmation of when the engineer is coming.

To say they've not got one tested is pretty mean - a PAT test doesn't take long but it costs money so they are just cutting down their costs.