Repairs & gas safety check

cif85

Good morning all,
Just a couple of questions:

1) The cooker hob overhead extractor has stopped working in our rented flat, which is a pain as the whole place fills with steam/smells. It can't be more than a few years old. I'm not sure whether it's up to us to get it fixed - I can't find anything in the tenancy agreement or Section 11 referring to something like this. I was just going to inform the LL and get it fixed myself - any thoughts?

2) Our LL has been brilliant at getting stuff done e.g. broken boiler sorted within a day, gas/elec checks up to date...until now. Our annual gas safety check is over a month overdue & he hasn't responded to texts/calls. I'm just sitting down to write a letter but I don't want to get under his nose as we love this place and don't want to be served notice. What are the implications to him if he doesn't get it done? What should we do apart from gently remind him of his obligations?

Thanks in advance

Werdnal

If your tenancy agreement does not specifically exclude repairs to appliances and electrical items, then the extractor is down to the LL to repair.

Stop texting and write, advising the LL that the extractor has failed, and also reminding that the GSC is overdue. Post first class, and keep a free proof of posting from the PO!

The implications of not doing a GSC is a manslaughter charge against the LL if tenants die in their beds of carbon monoxide poisoning! If LL is usually on the ball with repairs etc, it is likely they have just forgotten, and a gentle and polite reminder is all that may be needed!

cif85

Thanks very much for your quick reply.

I have written a letter to that effect and will post it today - as far as I can see, there are no exclusions regarding appliances, it just refers to his obligations under Section 11.

Thanks again!

Fire_Fox

Write to your landlord on both issues, two copies from different Post Offices getting a proof of posting each time. It's in your landlord's interests to get the extractor repaired because it helps protect his property from damp and smells. Don't text your landlord that is for your mates, use a formal or semi formal method of communication that you can maintain accurate records of in case of later query/ dispute.

G_M

Writing a letter, on both points, is definately the way to go. But given

that Our LL has been brilliant at getting stuff done

the last thing you want to do is alienate him or create friction.

It is perfectly possible to write a polite, informal, friendly letter, thanking him for previous quick responses, and at the same time point out he seems to have overlooked this year's gas check, and by the way the cooker hood has stopped working...

cif85

G_M wrote: »

the last thing you want to do is alienate him or create friction.

Yes, this is the main thing I'm worried about. This place is perfect for us, and to be frank it's a bit of a steal for this area of Bristol. I've tried to be as 'oh, by the way' as possible, and I decided to state at the end of the letter how happy we were, and that we weren't looking to move out for the foreseeable future. Hopefully that will help

Thanks again for everyone's inputs

dimbo61

If you dont have one get a CO alarm from any of the DIY stores or cheap pound shops.
Put it up near the boiler JUST IN CASE

tbs624

dimbo61 wrote: »

If you dont have one get a CO alarm from any of the DIY stores

Good suggestion

dimbo61 wrote: »

or cheap pound shops.

Not so good. I wouldn't source smoke alarms or CO alarms from pound shops. A reliable audible CO alarm will probably cost around 15 quid.

dimbo61 wrote: »

Put it up near the boiler JUST IN CASE

Not too near the boiler, or any other source of heat. See this guidance from CoGDEM (Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring )

• Place the alarm in a central location, like a hallway or landing - not in a cupboard or close to an outside door.
• Fix the alarm to a wall at head height, or place it on a table or bookshelf.
• Place the alarm at least a metre away from boilers, fires, cookers, heaters but ideally in the same room as the appliance - though not directly above a source of heat or steam.
• Test your alarm regularly using the test button and replace batteries annually or when the low battery signal sounds.

Mr_Pitiful

Werdnal wrote: »

If your tenancy agreement does not specifically exclude repairs to appliances and electrical items, then the extractor is down to the LL to repair.

Where would this repairing obligation come from?

dimbo61

All CO alarms come with instructions of where to locate the alarm.
Yes you will pay more like £15 for a CO alarm and I would buy from IKEA or B&Q etc rather than poundland.
You can pick up a smoke alarm for a couple of pounds