landlore wont replace gas fire - advice appreciated

tkwad

I would apporeciate anyone who could give their opinion/advice on the following.
at recent gas safety check gas fire (circa 1970) condemned. landlord approached via letting agent and has replied as follows

as we have another form of heating in the living room (radiator) and the replacement is expensive he deems it to not be viable to replace...

my reaction is this.... after paying rent/council tax/bills we are on a tight budget. Last winter we survived by having the now condemned fire on in living room on lowest setting and had heating on 2 x per day for a couple of hours.....gas bills were over 70 per month just for doing that. Central heating boiler is working efficiently according to recent test but has no thermostat, radiators have thermostats on but are turned down to no 2. If I have no gas fire I don't see how I can afford to keep warm in winter in Scotland!
Have approached shelter Scotland and been advised we can write to landlord under repairing standards of hosing Scotland act 2006 to request all fixtures fitting are to adequate repair but have been advised as we on a short term assured tenancy with a 2 month get out clause which can be instigated at any time we could be faced with a 2 month eviction notice for rocking the boat...we would thou be classed as unintentionally homeless and could end up with a secure tenency but could be in a bad area....

I really am upset by this, as I said we budget and are responsible but we are facing a very bleak/cold future and I worry my 2 year old will be affected

BitterAndTwisted

If there are alternative forms of heating the landlord is not obliged to replace it. That the alternative forms are more expensive to run is neither here nor there. You have had advice from Shelter and had the risks spelled out to you, you don't like the answer but that's just unfortunate.




You have a choice. Actually, you have a number of them:

Live with it.

Negotiate with your landlord about sharing the cost of a replacement.

Make arrangements to move out.



Landlords hate void-periods with no rent coming in and with a non-working gas fire this may make the property harder to let.

dimbo61

A 1970,s gas fire will not be very efficient and very hard to get parts.
It is another gas fitting which needs to be checked and serviced every year.
Why can you not turn up the radiators ? Has the property got double glazing, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation ( I mean 10 inches at least!)
Modern efficient boiler should keep the bills down
Have you got a CO monitor near the boiler/gas fire/cooker?
£70 a month for gas is not bad for scotland

laidbackgjr

I think you might find your gas bill lower by using the central heating and radiators than the gas fire to heat the house.

tkwad

Thanks for the replies.
Yeah I guess £70 a month for Scotland isn't bad but I neglected to say we were Baltic most of the time, very cold....The house has double glazing that is approximately 20 years old, minimum loft insulation and no cavity wall insulation. The boiler is not a modern boiler it is a small potterton one that is running efficiently for its age but is not up to current standards or indeed efficiency.
I am actually scared to turn up the radiators fearing the increase in the bills??/ we are one of the many growing families living in fuel poverty...I do appreciate the comments thou,

tkwad

laidbackgjr wrote: »

I think you might find your gas bill lower by using the central heating and radiators than the gas fire to heat the house.

I only had the heating on 4 hours per day in the house and heated only the living room with the fire on minimum setting

houseimprover

If you know your insulation is poor have you looked at increasing it and making it better?

BitterAndTwisted

Without a thermostat it won't make any difference what the radiators are set to as long as they're not turned completely off. The boiler is either running or it's not. The only thing determining the cost will be the timer.

Have you looked into getting some additional loft insulation? I read somewhere recently that it was being offered to some households fee of charge.

Another suggestion might be to pop over to the Old-Style part of the forum and do a search for a thread entitled "Preparing For Winter". There are heaps of useful hints and tips about keeping the cold out and the heat in.

[Deleted User]

I am on benefits, similiar situation (although probably not as bad). Got insulation at £1 a roll and removed rubble that had been left in loft.., installed insulation. Cost me about £15. Upstairs instantly warmer, in fact it went from unlivable to perfectly ok overnight.

I am going to apply very soon to have a new boiler put in for free (assuming I get landlords permission). Look at 'free boiler insulation' in google. Or look at Martin's most recent mail.

If you meet the criteria and your boiler is over 10 years old.., u could actually get both (i.e. insulation installed as well) done for free, with the permission of your landlord.

I am assuming the same offer is valid in Scotland, it might not be.

DominicJ_2

Gas fires are a very poor way of heating a house.
Even a new flueless one will bring in cold air to heat.
Yours will bring in cold air, warm it then blast it out the chimney.

tkwad

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Without a thermostat it won't make any difference what the radiators are set to as long as they're not turned completely off. The boiler is either running or it's not. The only thing determining the cost will be the timer.


so having the thermostatic rad valves down lower doesn't help keep the fuel bills down? Im sorry if I sound stupid but it doesn't make sense that's all..... the potterton has a temperature dial inside which Is set to max, I have turned this down to halfway...I don't understand and would appreciate any further advice with regard to how this can turn out less expensive than using the fire...