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No Heating in Rented
DueMarch11
Posts: 685 Forumite
Hi All
Im hoping someone can help! Its a bit of a long story so grab yourselves a brew!
We moved into our rented house in Apr 2010, not really had any problems up until now.
Had our gas safety check just over 2 weeks ago where the engineer told me that carbon monoxide was leaking into the house, that he had to cut off our boiler straight away and report it as dangerous, well that scared me! The engineer said that he would write the report up and pass it onto his manager who would then contact our letting agent, telling me this would all be done asap as we no had no heating.
A week goes by and we still hear nothing, so we call the letting agent who says that they will get the engineer/plumber/whatever he was to call us as they needed to do more tests.
He didnt call, so my partner found his number from the gas certificate and calls him directly. He then gives us some guff 'oh yeah I'll be there on Monday'
On Monday just gone he turned up at 9PM!! Saying he needs to see the vents that are in the bedrooms, we have a nearly 3 year old who was in bed in one of the rooms and an 18 week old baby in our bedroom so obviously he couldnt get in to do that so he said he will come the next day. He didnt turn up. Called him, he will come on Wednesday. He didnt turn up. He'll be there first thing Thursday morning. Get a call at midday saying he can be here at 2pm, I was already out at my daughters sports day so he said he will be here at 8.30am on Friday. Get a call Friday morning saying his colleague has a hosp appt at 9.15 and should only be an hour so he should be here by 10.30 but definately before midday. He didnt turn up.
Had been calling the letting agent throughout the week, 'oh he'll be there' is what we got (funny how the bloke who was meant to turn up and the woman at the letting agents are married!). Oh and when my partner called the letting agent to tell them we really need this sorting as we have 2 small children and its not the warmest of summers the response was 'well it needs sorting regardless of your situation', not really something that needs to be said is it? Im not allowed to speak to the letting agent as I can be a little hot headed and loose with my words, good job she wasnt on the phone to me when she said that.....:o
Sorry I know this is really long Im trying to get it all down!
Anyway, after the guy didnt turn up on Friday, my partner managed to track down our actual landlord (knew his name and roughly where he lived so got his tel no out of the pages) as he had been quite friendly and sometimes pops round to check this that or the other.
It turns out the landlord knew nothing of the gas safety check, nothing of the no heating situation, nothing at all. The letting agent hadnt even contacted him. He wasnt happy to say the least, even said himself that we cant not have heating with two small children.
So we gave the landlord the engineers/plumbers/whatever he is number and miracle of miracle he turned up this morning. Went up onto the roof to have a look down the chimney, came down, told us he couldnt do it as the chimney is falling apart and is likely to come down, fab! He called that through to the letting agent who have said that they will provide with some temporary heaters on Monday.
Landlord turned up shortly after to check he had turned up, not sure what happened after that as my partner talked it over with him.
What Im most annoyed with is the letting agent and the gas/plumber/whatever for the amount of fannying around they have done. It will be 3 weeks with no heat by the time we get some temporary heaters, surely they should have provided these as soon as our boiler was cut off? Especially with two young children?
Is there anyone I can complain to? I dont feel that complaining to the actual letting agent is enough, they wont do anything I shoudlnt think. Was thinking environmental health but not sure they're the right people?
So sorry this is so long but I dont think I could have really explained it all in a shorter way!
Thanks in advance
Im hoping someone can help! Its a bit of a long story so grab yourselves a brew!
We moved into our rented house in Apr 2010, not really had any problems up until now.
Had our gas safety check just over 2 weeks ago where the engineer told me that carbon monoxide was leaking into the house, that he had to cut off our boiler straight away and report it as dangerous, well that scared me! The engineer said that he would write the report up and pass it onto his manager who would then contact our letting agent, telling me this would all be done asap as we no had no heating.
A week goes by and we still hear nothing, so we call the letting agent who says that they will get the engineer/plumber/whatever he was to call us as they needed to do more tests.
He didnt call, so my partner found his number from the gas certificate and calls him directly. He then gives us some guff 'oh yeah I'll be there on Monday'
On Monday just gone he turned up at 9PM!! Saying he needs to see the vents that are in the bedrooms, we have a nearly 3 year old who was in bed in one of the rooms and an 18 week old baby in our bedroom so obviously he couldnt get in to do that so he said he will come the next day. He didnt turn up. Called him, he will come on Wednesday. He didnt turn up. He'll be there first thing Thursday morning. Get a call at midday saying he can be here at 2pm, I was already out at my daughters sports day so he said he will be here at 8.30am on Friday. Get a call Friday morning saying his colleague has a hosp appt at 9.15 and should only be an hour so he should be here by 10.30 but definately before midday. He didnt turn up.
Had been calling the letting agent throughout the week, 'oh he'll be there' is what we got (funny how the bloke who was meant to turn up and the woman at the letting agents are married!). Oh and when my partner called the letting agent to tell them we really need this sorting as we have 2 small children and its not the warmest of summers the response was 'well it needs sorting regardless of your situation', not really something that needs to be said is it? Im not allowed to speak to the letting agent as I can be a little hot headed and loose with my words, good job she wasnt on the phone to me when she said that.....:o
Sorry I know this is really long Im trying to get it all down!
Anyway, after the guy didnt turn up on Friday, my partner managed to track down our actual landlord (knew his name and roughly where he lived so got his tel no out of the pages) as he had been quite friendly and sometimes pops round to check this that or the other.
It turns out the landlord knew nothing of the gas safety check, nothing of the no heating situation, nothing at all. The letting agent hadnt even contacted him. He wasnt happy to say the least, even said himself that we cant not have heating with two small children.
So we gave the landlord the engineers/plumbers/whatever he is number and miracle of miracle he turned up this morning. Went up onto the roof to have a look down the chimney, came down, told us he couldnt do it as the chimney is falling apart and is likely to come down, fab! He called that through to the letting agent who have said that they will provide with some temporary heaters on Monday.
Landlord turned up shortly after to check he had turned up, not sure what happened after that as my partner talked it over with him.
What Im most annoyed with is the letting agent and the gas/plumber/whatever for the amount of fannying around they have done. It will be 3 weeks with no heat by the time we get some temporary heaters, surely they should have provided these as soon as our boiler was cut off? Especially with two young children?
Is there anyone I can complain to? I dont feel that complaining to the actual letting agent is enough, they wont do anything I shoudlnt think. Was thinking environmental health but not sure they're the right people?
So sorry this is so long but I dont think I could have really explained it all in a shorter way!
Thanks in advance
Sealed Pot Challenge Member 151
Targets for 2014......
CLEAR THE OVERDRAFT - £700
SAVE DEPOSIT FOR HOUSE £10,000 SO FAR
LEARN TO SEW - Have made two little stuffed rabbits so far, I love them!
Targets for 2014......
CLEAR THE OVERDRAFT - £700
SAVE DEPOSIT FOR HOUSE £10,000 SO FAR
LEARN TO SEW - Have made two little stuffed rabbits so far, I love them!
0
Comments
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Would the world really have ended if you'd woken the children at 9 pm?I am not a cat (But my friend is)0
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No, but I didnt and that was nearly a week ago. I asked who I can complain to, not an opinion on whether I should have woken the kids or not.Sealed Pot Challenge Member 151
Targets for 2014......
CLEAR THE OVERDRAFT - £700
SAVE DEPOSIT FOR HOUSE £10,000 SO FAR
LEARN TO SEW - Have made two little stuffed rabbits so far, I love them!0 -
Ok, you can complain to anyone who will listen, try letting agent or landlord. Try environmental health if you think it's worth it.
But you already know that.I am not a cat (But my friend is)0 -
Environmental Health are your first port of call. Some Local Authorities also have a dept dealing exclusively with private lets, but if that is the case in your area, environmental health will put you onto them. Might also be worth suggesting that your Landlord gets a second opinion from another Gas Safe engineer.0
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Ok, you can complain to anyone who will listen, try letting agent or landlord. Try environmental health if you think it's worth it.
But you already know that.
Try reading the OP before replying. The letting agent AND landlord have already been made aware. It was the LA who sent the engineer at 9pm who wanted to wake the children. Do try and keep up, there's a good chap, otherwise you may appear to be a bit of a witless tlt!0 -
Wee_Willy_Harris wrote: »Try reading the OP before replying. The letting agent AND landlord have already been made aware. It was the LA who sent the engineer at 9pm who wanted to wake the children. Do try and keep up, there's a good chap, otherwise you may appear to be a bit of a witless tlt!
Of course they have been made aware, the OP asked where to make a COMPLAINT. It is always necessary to complain in the correct place first. Surely even you know that!I am not a cat (But my friend is)0 -
9pm is not office hours and the last 'plumber' who tried to get into my home unarranged at that time turned out to be a guy who worked for the local authority who decided to go on a bender and was arrested later that night trying to assault a woman. Thank you for two large dogs.
I would call the landlord and ask him to arrange for a second opinion, something smells like week old fish guts. I'd also call EH and speak to them as well as trading standards.0 -
Trying to stop laughing at the above posts and thanking WWH for making me laugh! On a serious note.. It might be worth having a chat with your health visitor (if they are still called that) there must be some concerns regarding children's health and carbon monoxide poisoning, I wouldn't have a great deal of faith in the ability of the guy who can't be bothered to turn up especially when he has a personal relationship with the landlord.0
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ikati5, married to the letting agent, which makes it sound like they are trying to scam the landlord. Also,
the little todger. lol 0 -
When this happened to me a few years back I made it clear to the landlord that I would be paying no rent for the period we were without heating. It is his responsiblity and no doubt in the contract you signed when you moved in.
Its surprising, when he considers lost rent against the quotes he recieves, how quickly he'll get it sorted.Proud to Be Dealing With My Debts! (Since July 2011;))0
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