Boiler has been condemned - can I sue Scottish power home comfort

Linny61

Hi

After numerous call outs to SP, the last one was 3 weeks ago and the boiler was back on the blink within 2 days, I finally called in an independant plumber last week who said that SP had left boiler in a dangerous condition. I paid the boiler maker (Apha) to come out today to try and repair the boiler and they have condemned the boiler and the condition that SP left it in. The property has tenants with a 9 mth old baby who have been told that they cannot use the boiler. I lost the last tenant 6 weeks ago due to 6 months of continual boiler callouts, no heating etc over the winter. I don't know how to solve the problem on a Friday afternoon!

Does anyone know if I can sue SP for their appalling handling of my issues?

footyguy

Linny61 wrote: »

Hi

After numerous call outs to SP, the last one was 3 weeks ago and the boiler was back on the blink within 2 days, I finally called in an independant plumber last week who said that SP had left boiler in a dangerous condition. I paid the boiler maker (Apha) to come out today to try and repair the boiler and they have condemned the boiler and the condition that SP left it in. The property has tenants with a 9 mth old baby who have been told that they cannot use the boiler. I lost the last tenant 6 weeks ago due to 6 months of continual boiler callouts, no heating etc over the winter. I don't know how to solve the problem on a Friday afternoon!

Does anyone know if I can sue SP for their appalling handling of my issues?

You can sue who you like. Whether you win is another matter,

Seek independant legal advice.

As a landlord, you have responsibilities to your tenants.
Get a local, trusted gas engineer to sort it all out for you. I wondering why the guy who you say condemned it didn't offer to. That's typically what cowboys do. Condemn the boiler and offer to replace it for a cheap £20k cash in hand

If you cannot sort something sharpish, you need to look at alternative arrangements for your tenants. Something they can use to heat the property and something to give them hot water.

Or offer to rehome them at your expense whilst you sort out the issues you as the landlord are entirely responsible for.

Perhaps in future, if you wish to continue being a landlord, at least use the services of a local managing agent.

ollski

You'd need to tell us why it was left in a 'dangerous condition' and why it has been condemned.

Pincher

If you are lucky, your landlord insurance has Legal Assist, but good luck if they will pay out. Sue the insurance company, too?

rochja

Do you have a valid gas safety certificate? When was it issued? It does seem to me that losing tenants due to leaving them with boiler problems all through the winter months seems an inevitability, and then allowing the problem to persist for the new tenants knowing that there was to be a child in residence amounts to a gross failure to keep the property in habitable condition which will in the long run cost you extra money and sully your reputation. ChumpusRex is spot on with the advice given, but in addition I would add make sure the installer also issues a gas safety certificate.

wavelets

Looks like we'll never know.

Another post & run.

Why do people waste their time here doing that??? :huh: