House heating - fire disconnected in rented accom

CarterSwing

We need to heat our house especially in winter as we feel cold on steeping onto the floor. There are many ways to warm the home..Great tips..Need more information on ways to heat home.

clutton_2

as a LL this landlords behaviour appalls me - i would leave as soon as you can. he is clearly not going to change his attitude, nor open his wallet.

in the meantime, cold is the worse Hazard under the HSSRS regs (which the local authority regulate) and if you have to stay for another few months while saving for a deposit here are a few tips for you which i used for myself as a very broke young student in rental in the past for preserving heat

put cling-film up at all windows - it takes 4 hands, its fiddly and needs a bit patience and then tape it onto the window frames all round, but, it works superbly well at keeping out all draughts - because it stretches, it will billow out into the room when fierce winds blow, but it wont break

put small amouts of rolled up wet newspaper between the floorboards - it will dry into a sort of paste and fill up the gaps

lofthatch - buy some very cheap insulation tape - the widest you can find (not expensive) and tape up the hatch underneath

If you have a thermometer then keep a diary of temperatures so that you have some proof to show the EO

As others have suggested, if you go to Environmental health i am sure they will tell that if the LL rented the property with a gas fire, he has a legal duty to maintain it and keep it functioning. They will write to the LL on your behalf.

Re deposits - some councils will provide a "bond" for private sector tenats who have no deposit money

keep us in the picture

bw

princeofpounds

Re the cold, contact environmental health and private sector rental teams at the council, they will inspect if the property is unsafe. It is a criminal offence not to provide any heating source, but from what I understand you have other heating.

Regarding the fire, if it breaks, they have an obligation to fix it. Search the forums for Izzet vs Lee Parker (1971), which is the case reference for the tenant's right to repair. You must follow a procedure, which is outlined on the shelter website, but it will be fixed one way or another.

clutton_2

Quizzical - why not get your long term benefit tenants to apply to Warmfront to increase the insulation in the property ? its free

BitterAndTwisted

I suggest the OP pops along to the Old Style board and has a read of the "Getting Ready For Winter" thread. All 30-odd pages of it. There are some fantastic tips on keeping the house warm and insulated on a shoe-string. Lots of other handy things, too

poppysarah

clutton wrote: »

Quizzical - why not get your long term benefit tenants to apply to Warmfront to increase the insulation in the property ? its free

Can they get these grants?

clutton_2

benefit tenants can get Warmfront grants

Fire_Fox

shrews wrote: »

I think you're right! we tried it and it didnt work out we can't comfortably afford the initial outlay for another deposit at the moment so we'll have to wait a few more months but like you said I'd love to see them let the house in the winter months lol, it wasnt very popular when we came, unfortunately we were young and nieve then and fell in love with the house, practicalities took a back seat!

Complete a Statement of Affairs, post up on the Debt-free Wannabe board for comments, cut your outgoings to the bare minimum for a couple of months, even get a temporary overdraft just until you get your deposit returned from this place, borrow off friends or family again just until this deposit is returned.
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