No hot water or heating- IT'S SNOWING!!!

Goingmad_3

I'm hoping somebody can help me as I am freezing and really need some advice.
I live in a rented house, I rented this from Townends and on Wednesday I turned the heating/hot water on and it started making very very load banging noises then it turned itself off. I contacted Townends who advised it had nothing to do with them as Landlady was in charge of all maintenance on property. I then called the landlady who told me to get a plumber out and she would pay.

Plumber came out on Thursday afternoon (my partner took a day off work to wait for him) he gave us a bill for £105 (which immediately come out of my account) and quoted £550+VAT to fix the problem. On my second call to the landlady, her words were, "he saw you coming!"
She then said she would contact a properly qualified plumber to fix it.

Friday (my partner took another day off work) plumber did not turn up until 7pm and said exactly the same. He then said he could not fix until Monday night!!
That's going to be 6 days with no hot water and no heat!

I called the landlady to try and get a plumber out sooner and she went crazy shouting that it was our fault and worked fine before we moved in (7 months ago) and we were lucky she didn't charge us! Every time I tried to reason with her she kept repeating, "NOT MY PROBLEM" and then she hung up!

Well I am now freezing with no hot water or heating and have no idea what to do??

Any suggestions would be great as have no idea how to deal with her.

clutton_2

As LL i can tell you categoricially that it is absolutely her problem... fixing the boiler is up to her.... not you....


It does sound as if she initlaly tried to fulfil her obligation but when faced with a largish bill she has now changed her stance...

I would send a letter in the morning (keep a proof of postage) saying that you reported no hot water and no heating on Wednesday and that you are still without these facilities.

Explain that she has a repairing obligation under the varioius Housing Acts, and that this is her legal duty to effect an immediate repair. Ask her for some electric heaters as you cannot be expected to live with no heat when there are below-freezing temperatures. I would suggest that she provides you with an electric heater tomorrow and if not, you will buy one and deduct that amount from the rent.

Strictly speaking you should read the procedure on Shelters website and get 3 quotes blah blah.. - but i think getting warm is the most urgent priority and i cannot see any adjudicator or judge seeing this as an unncessary purchase.

If she has email, email and send the letter afterwards, or text it and send the letter afterwards.

Do you have children there or older folks ?

If the worst comes to the worse and she will not help - then the professional who can help you is the Environmental Health officer at your local council.... s/he can force her to heat your home.

Lets hope the plumber fixes it on Monday - if you have to pay his bill, then write to her and send a copy of the invoice and say you will be deducting the cost from your next rental payment

Goingmad_3

Thank you so much, she's almost made me feel like it's my fault and I know it's not!

G_M

Clutton is spot on.

But just to re-iterate, write it all in a snailmail letter. By all means use email/phone/text for speed but always follow up with a written record.

Turnbull2000

clutton wrote: »

A

If the worst comes to the worse and she will not help - then the professional who can help you is the Environmental Health officer at your local council.... s/he can force her to heat your home.

Lets hope the plumber fixes it on Monday - if you have to pay his bill, then write to her and send a copy of the invoice and say you will be deducting the cost from your next rental payment

Isn't that just inviting a retaliatory eviction? Going by the landlady's attitude, the OP may as well start planning to move now.

Goingmad_3

Yes, 2 months notice.
To be honest it would be no great loss as I had to move in urgently 7 months ago for a job in London (moved from Kent) I couldn't live in the house for the first 5 days as needed serious cleaning and I am paying £30 per month more than the previous tenants. Also the house 2 doors down is being rented for £40 less per month than what I am paying.
I can kind of understand her being upset at the cost but, it seems a bit mad to me for her to fly off the handle over something out of my control.
It's not like we're problem tenants, the first time I have contacted her in 7 months was about this.

Wee_Willy_Harris

clutton wrote: »

If the worst comes to the worse and she will not help - then the professional who can help you is the Environmental Health officer at your local council.... s/he can force her to heat your home.

Agreed with everything Clutton has advised, but I would get Council EHO involved first thing Monday as a precaution. Best to get the wheels in motion sharpish with the predicted weather. She may not think it's her problem, but it is and the EHO will confirm that for her and ensure that the required rectification is completed in a timely manner.

As others have said, it may mean a S21 notice is heading your way soon, but you cannot live there for two winter months without heat so that's something to worry about if/when it happens.

ayrforce1

A properly qualified plumber , who can only come in the evenings, sounds more like someone working cash in hand. If this is a gas appliance , to my knowledge, it should be inspected annually and your landlord be in possesion of a valid landlords certificate.
If the plumber is working with gas he should be registered and carry a card to varify that he is covered to work on the appliance.

C_Mababejive

I cant see this relationship working.

I'd write to her first class pointing out her responsibilities under law giving a target date to fix.

No fix? with hold rent in lieu of her lack of attention and let her sweat a bit. It takes ages and a lot of time and money to evict someone.

poppysarah

Turnbull2000 wrote: »

Isn't that just inviting a retaliatory eviction? Going by the landlady's attitude, the OP may as well start planning to move now.

Why stay in bad landlord's property any longer than legally need to?

clutton_2

Turnbull - if OP does not get some outside help they will freeze to death in this weather....

OP if the property up the road is vacant - i would do a runner.... i VERY rarely advise this.. but any landlord who refuses to repair heating in the worse weather for 17 years.. deserves it...