immersion heater in a rented house

unimum1

Help. My uni daughter in her first rented house is having a bit of a stressful time.
In the kitchen there is a boiler but it doesn't appear to work. In the cupboard there is an immersion heater but the ' just' hot water switch doesn't work. So maintenance man has said turn off the radiators and get hot water from that!? He said the boiler in the kitchen has a dual channel fitting but it's single channel and....
I am trying not to do the mummy thing but need some advice..
1. Even though there is an immersion heater shouldn't the other boiler work.
2 if doesn't have to surely the immersion heater as should work properly.
3. If just uses an immersion should it have a working timer setting.
4. Should we have checked heating more specifically before committing to rent!!!!

Help. All advice gratefully received

theartfullodger

The tenant (presumably a shared house so letter from all of them) - i.e. not "mummy" - should write (yes, WRITE! - keep copy) calm & polite email or letter to landlord (yes, LANDLORD, copy agent) listing issues and requesting prompt answer on how & when they will be fixed. Until the faults are reported formally clock don;t start ticking...

You may be able to help draft said missive: But keeping reasonable relationships with agent & landlord is wise so steady with it..

The university may have an "accommodation office" (or similar title) who may "know" this landlord & have ways of dealing with him

Landlord must provide effective heating & hotwater: Somehow. But things sometimes break & need fixing, which even for you in your own home takes time.

No need to have checked earlier - it;s a legal requirement! (However if the heating is very inefficient & therefore expensive a check would have been prudent, to use a Brownian expression).

Good summary on repairs in private lets here...
http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_in_private_lets
Shelter also have an excellent free helpline.

PS This is a private let not a "hall of residence"?? (Laws being different for them)

HappyMJ

Not necessarily. is the other boiler a gas boiler? If yes, does the property have a gas safety certificate, if not are the gas appliances capped (disconnected and not able to be used)?

The immersion heater should be able to heat water. The timer doesn't have to though.

No.

Yes.

The landlord must provide a property with hot water and heating. If the landlord doesn't do this then you have a reason to complain. The heating does not need to be efficient at all nor does it need to have basic controls such as a thermostat or a timer.

The hot water must provide hot water at the taps and the heating must be capable of heating living rooms to 21 and bedrooms to 18 when the outdoor temperature is -1 degree.