Minimum temperature in rented flat?

neil298

Help please!...Is there a minimum temperature that one can expect a rented flat to get to in winter months?.My son rents a flat that has only one storage heater that barely emits any decent amount of heat,His flat has not been above 8 degrees since the 18th December and at times falls as low as 4.We have supplied him with electric blankets,Butane gas fire(possibly not allowed??) and an electric fan heater.He has contacted his letting agency and they informed him that was nothing they could do for him.My questions are...Is he entitled to claim for the extra electricity used?...We have paid out £63.00 in gas bottles(this seems a false economy anyway as he has to ventilate the rooms when it is on anyway?...Any help very much appreciated

pie81

I must admit I have no idea about specific rules on heating but would imagine there is some general rule that says a rented flat has to be fit for human habitation... I don't think 4 - 8 degrees would count!

Have a look on the Shelter website which is pretty good on tenant's rights.

clutton_2

have you checked the settings on the storage heater ?

you would be much better off buying one of those new halogen(?) electric heaters for £10 ish from argos - they use very little electricity and dont create moisture.... as your gas heater does....

i am sure that the HHSRS regulations include temperature as a basic necessity / Grade One risk as cold is a very serious health risk under these regulations - so if you fancy a confrontation with the LL/LA contact the local council and ask to speak to Environmental Health and tell them how cold your sons flat is..

i would be writing to the LA AND the landlord explaining that they have a duty to provide an acceptable heating system and 4degrees is NOT acceptable and that if no further heating is provided you will be contacting environmental health....



but any landlord/agent who cares so little about their tenants well-being.. i would leave..... when does the fixed term end ?

in the short term.. if the windows are not double glazed, put cling film up at all the windows - taped to the inside of the window frames.... they will keep any heat in.. its the original and best d/g !! and very cheap

adg1

As long as the LL has provided heating that does work (ie emits heat, not that heats - might not be very good) then I don't think they have an obligation to do any more. I'm sure someone will be along soon to confirm this or shoot me down.

See if the LL is willing to provide some electric radiators for your son to plug in so he can leave them on all night rather than the gas powered ones.

CLAPTON

if the landlord had provided better electrical heating surely your son would have to pay higher bills for that too?

Fire_Fox

Download instructions for using the storage heater, the input should be set to high and the output to low. You should NOT be using a portable gas heater in the flat under any circumstances - this will create damp, negate the insurance and is likely in breach of your son's AST. Do not underestimate how expensive electric heating is, especially in a winter as cold as this, £100 a month would not be unusual.

As Clutton has said, all complaints should be made directly to the landlord (NOT the letting agency) in writing by recorded delivery. Get Environmental Health involved if there has been no action or response after a few days. I do not see that the flat being at 4-8C is evidence that the heating works - my flat rarely falls below 12C due to the insulation from the neighbours!

princeofpounds

Contact environmental health at the local council and ask someone to do an inspection on the HHSRS (housing health and safety ratings system).

It contains 29 hazards, one of which is damp, cold conditions. They will make it a legal duty for the landlord to install more heating (though he can just go and buy more electric heaters and may be upset and kick your son out at the end of his fixed term).

If it were me and I were mobile, I would not damage my health by staying in a cold place. I would write to the LL and suggest that environmental health might be called if things aren't improved. If he reacted well, great. If he reacted badly I would call them in, force the improvements and move on as soon as possible as it's not worth damaging your health.

vegasvisitor

I can't believe people will sit there that cold rather than pop down to Argos and buy a heater. He can always take it with him when he leaves?

Meanwhile, no harm in asking the landlord to install some more. Either way he would surely be liable for for the fuel?

clockworks_2

£30 + trip to argos= oil rad + happy warm son

Jomo

I have bought a cheap electric heater from argos, will do for the winter and it can be moved from room to room, only cost about £25 so, job done!

Pitlanepiglet

Presumably the flat only had one storage heater when he rented the flat? If so then nothing really has changed apart from the weather. If there were other heaters provided which aren't working then he's got a bit more clout but otherwise it's just that the weather is colder.