Poor heating system, what are my rights?

mummydarling

Just to update you all, I have slept in the lounge the last two nights....best sleep I've had in ages!
To answer some of your comments...Bris, I DO have a heater in the bedroom (which was left by the LL) yes I KNOW it should have rung alarm bells at the time I moved in, but since there is a radiator in the room, it should work! So yes maybe it is partly a matter of principal. I did use the heater but there is no thermostatic control on it and I'm worried about the cost.
I don't think there is much in the way of insulation as there is very little loft space left up there, but I will suggest this to the LA. I cannot deal directly with the landlord as I am paying the LA the rent and the LL is living abroad.
I am currently awaiting the plumber's arrival......
The EPC was definately not given to me until the day I received the keys.

[Deleted User]

I had a council house with a fourth bedroom in the loft. The whole house was cold.., the loft room was unlivable in winter. There was insulation in the loft area on the floor of the loft, but very little to stop heat leaving via the roof. The roof was just tiles, no membrane, insulation.., nothing. I am sure this affected how warm the house was.

I believe one of your problems from your initial post is that the boiler is unable to cope with the demands of a four bedroom house, and the number of radiators in it. That is something u could pursue with the LL/LA - but u need to get his address from the sounds of it. I now have another house, boiler was a problem for two years, and now its been replaced, the house is warm and warms up quicker. Getting Warm Front in for suggestions is a good idea if u r on benefits.

BTW.., as a child I too lived in an unheated house.., and dreaded winter. I used to shiver every single night in spite of foil blankets, sheepskin type underblanket etc. I am not exaggerating, nor am I particularly cold blooded.., but it was miserable.

tbs624

Eton_Rifle wrote: »

I'm interested to know if there are minimum comfort levels too. I don't believe there are as when I rang the local council to enquire prior to renting out a couple of cold houses, they said it wouldn't be a problem for me.

Geenie wrote: »

I don't think this is true. I know LL's who let properties with no central heating at all, apart from an open fire in the lounge and perhaps a Rayburn in the down stairs kitchen. I have not heard of them being prosecuted or made to improve because breaking the law, as the property is let as seen, and the tenant agrees to the condition. .

See this though from the Rogue LLs thread - HHSRS does provide the Council with an opportunity to pursue LL for renting out excessively cold properties and failing to respond to an Improvement Notice

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=38212196&postcount=184

That particular LL may now end up with a very large bill as they own 50 of the flats in the block.

tbs624

Not that the OP would want to hand around in a cold property until 2015 but this makes for interesting reading

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/nov/02/proposed-energy-efficiency-legislation

Geenie

tbs624 wrote: »

See this though from the Rogue LLs thread - HHSRS does provide the Council with an opportunity to pursue LL for renting out excessively cold properties and failing to respond to an Improvement Notice

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=38212196&postcount=184

That particular LL may now end up with a very large bill as they own 50 of the flats in the block.

I hear what you are saying tbs624, but there are still lots of properties which don't have central heating, double glazing etc. Where I live all of the properties are listed, so no one can put in double glazing unless of the expensive wood type, as plastic is not allowed due to planning laws. There are people who like to burn wood, and not have oil or gas, and can put up with colder properties......they put on more clothes and congregate in the warm room. I am not one of those for sure, as I crave warmth, but some people living in the country just get on with it, and don't appear any less healthy surprisingly, some may say more robust!

Eton_Rifle

I actually can't improve the heating or insulation in one house (listed building, 2-3 foot thick solid stone walls, large drafty rooms with high ceilings where all the heat goes, single pane leaded stone mullioned windows many of which many downstairs are floor-to-ceiling), there's just nothing that can be done.

The other house I mentioned, the only thing I can do is to add central heating to a set of rooms in one particular area and after that I'd be done. I can't see what else you could do - it's a modest version of the house above (listed building and similar features but on a much smaller scale) and even loft insulation is physically impossible in that house as it doesn't have attics any more.

Many people in the country live happily in these sorts of houses and you just adapt and get on with it.
My own children were born and healthily raised in these cold houses with no adverse affects - not ever being able to go sleeveless inside the house doesn't seem to have done them any harm!

What would a council do with this sort of house that can't be "improved"?
Tell the landlord he can't rent it out even though it's safe and has an EPC explaining the energy efficiency to prospective tenants?
Deny tenants the right to live in the house, despite EPC awareness because they can't be trusted to dress themselves and their children properly etc?

neas

i wonder what people did before central heating was invented? Did they die?

Sorry for being sarcastic :P. But while its a discomfort it snot the end of the world. Look at it this way, you have this winger to get over it (2 months or so) and then the rest of the time it will warm back up again ready for you to hand your notice in later. I dont think you can force landlords hand to upgrade heating.

Now catching landlord out on falting loft conversion might do the trick. Does loft have a fire door? Whern you are in the loft can you see beams Can you get an idea of how thick the insulation is (if any) up at the roof level. They recommended some 270mm (27CM) thick insulation these days.

[Deleted User]

Neas, u've obviously never heard of an elderly person dying of hypothermia I guess?

anselld

tbs624 wrote: »

HHSRS does provide the Council with an opportunity to pursue LL for renting out excessively cold properties.

I doub't the Council will serve an improvement notice when the tenant refuses to turn on the heater provided during a very cold Novmeber.

tbs624

anselld wrote: »

I doub't the Council will serve an improvement notice when the tenant refuses to turn on the heater provided during a very cold Novmeber.

If you look back you will see that my post was in response to two posters other than the OP - the clue is that I quoted Genie and EtonRifle