New house, no heat, no hot water, washing machine not filling...

Clarita191

Hi Everyone. I'm new and looking for advice. I moved in to a new rental property on Tuesday and since then have had no hot water or heating and have discovered that the washing machine is not filling with water. Furthermore, an electrician arrived at 9am this morning sent by the rental company and spent all day fixing electrics around the house and has to come back again tomorrow to finish. I phoned rental company today at 10.45am to report the lack of heating and hot water and only after 3-4 subsequent phone calls did they eventually send a boiler repair man out at 6pm. However, he has been unable to fix it this evening and also has to come back tomorrow to fit a new gas valve. Tomorrow will be my 4th day in the property and I'm wondering what my rights are with regards to how disruptive these first few days have been and the fact that the landlord is not meeting his side of the contract? Surely heating and electrics should all have been checked and maintained prior to my moving in? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Yorkie1

The LL has a duty to maintain and keep in repair all heating and water systems.

You have reported the issues and he seems to be taking prompt steps to rectify them. Yes, he should have checked this before you moved in but it appears that he didn't do so. Is it a brand new property?

Is there gas to the property? Have you been given a copy of a gas safety certificate?

Clarita191

It is an old terrace house and I have not received a copy of the gas safety certificate. As far as I was aware, a rental property must have fully functioning central heating and hot water. If this breaks during the lease then Landlord must fix it but at the start of lease it must be in working order.

BitterAndTwisted

Sounds like either a newby landlord or they didn't have the money to effect any repairs until they'd banked your rent.

What are your rights? Few, if any. Now, if the landlord was unwilling to get the repairs done it might be a different story.

I'd advise waiting until everything has been done satisfactorily and then try to negotiate a discount of some description, but you must bear in mind that you are not entitled to one

pmlindyloo

A copy of a Gas Safety Certificate is a legal requirement.

Write to your LL and LA (keep a copy and send by first class post) reminding them that you have not had a copy of your Gas Safety certificate.

As B&T says I do not believe that you are legally entitled to any compensation. However, it is always sensible to ask!

Explain the circumstances and the disruption you have suffered and ask for some kind of reduction in your first month's rent.

By the way, has your LL met their other obligations? Is your deposit registered in a protected scheme?

Dunroamin

Clarita191 wrote: »

It is an old terrace house and I have not received a copy of the gas safety certificate. As far as I was aware, a rental property must have fully functioning central heating and hot water. If this breaks during the lease then Landlord must fix it but at the start of lease it must be in working order.

Nobody has to have central heating, rental property or otherwise.

arbrighton

Dunroamin wrote: »

Nobody has to have central heating, rental property or otherwise.

Plus, it's summer. Had it been me, I wouldn't have even tried to switch it on.
They're trying to fix it, give them a break. Repairmen (at least good ones) are usually busy and they cannot be expected to carry every part for every boiler that exists.
Make a fuss about the legal bits- Gas Certificate, check deposit banked but for goodness sake, heating, August?

ETA: Please don't use the pink font colour, it's kinda hard to read

jennifernil

While heating in August is not needed, I would say hot water is pretty essential.

Tiddlywinks

When you do write to the LL, write in black not bloomin' pink which is really hard on the eyes...!