How to approach this with EA/LL

alias*alibi

I've rented the same house for nearly 8 years. Been a good tenant, keep the house looking good, fix minor repairs, never missed any rent. In return EA and LL have been great, fixing essentials pretty quickly.

The boiler is the original from when the house was first built some 20 years ago. It's knackered. It's one of those that has a seperate water tank in the loft and immersion heater in the airing cupboard. Boiler started playing up this time last year with the pilot light keep going out; it's taken this long for the gas engineer to try to work out what's wrong with it, ordering new parts which are becoming obsolete due to the age of the boiler and him resorting to making one. Still not working properly and still having to manually light the boiler at times. For about the last week the boiler has got loud, I can hear it in the bedroom and it's in the kitchen. Have to shut the kitchen door to drown the noise out. Immersion heater made a really odd noise at the weekend so I've reported this to EA who will probably send out their gas guy again. The thing is we've put up with this boiler not working properly for a year now; it needs replacing but they are reluctant to do 1) due to cost I'm assuming and 2) the kitchen layout isn't correct so they'll have to change it? I'm sure the British Gas guy said something along those lines a few years ago.

Any ideas how I approach this as I'm so fed up with the boiler problems now. I think I've been patient long enough.

Thanks!

alias*alibi

Anybody?...

Pixie5740

Ultimately it's the LL who will decide whether to replace the boiler or not. The LA can only act on the LL's instructions. You've reported it to the LA (I assume the address for the serving of notices in your TA is care of the LA?) so wait and see what the gas safety engineer says. I'm surprised you put up with this for a full year.

I tend to ignore most of what BG engineers say as they're just trying to get you to buy a new boiler, or the cure-all power flush.

alias*alibi

We've put up with it for a year as we are on pretty good terms with EA and LL but it's got beyond a joke now; swear the thing is going to go bang any day now. The engineer says constantly it needs replacing but nobody is taking notice; they just keep trying to repair it.

19lottie82

Yes ignore BG engineers they are essentially salesmen who will say anything to bag a sale.

You need to realise that a new boiler is VERY expensive, so it's ubderstandable that a LL may be reluctant to shell out unless absolutely necessary.

Does the boiler have a safety certificate? These are a legal requirement in rented properties and a new one is needed every year. If so this proves your boiler is safe.

If your LL won't replace you really have two choice. Put up with it and stay, or move. However if you really want to stay then it may be worth trying to negotiate with your LL, perhaps a rent increase and a new 12 month contract in exchange for a new boiler?
If you want to take this approach don't bother going through the letting agent, contact the LL directly.

G_M

1) What is the address provided to you (usually on your tenancy agreement) for serving notices on the landlord?

2) Have you written to the LL at that address (it may be c/o the agent) detailing the problem, listing each occassion you've had problems/call outs etc?

And asking what the LL intends to do, and when.

3) Have any of the engineers put in writing anything to the effect that the boiler is obsolete/needs replacing?

4) Is there a valid gas safety report?

5) Is the boiler actually working (producing hot water & heating)? If yes, why are you using the emmersion heater (electricity is an expensive way to heat water)?

Ultimately, the LL has an obligation

to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling-house for space heating and heating water.

Landlord & Tenant Act 1985 S11 (1)(c)

As for the meaning of 'proper working order' I suspect noise from a 20 year old boiler would not be enough to fail that test wihout additional problems or expert testimony.

alias*alibi

It's not a combi boiler; its a boiler with a thermostat switch on it; an immersion tank in the airing cupboard. A very old set up. The EA's gas man does the gas safety cert every year but says the same thing that it's old and knackered etc. The gas guy has been out to fix the boiler problem but doesn't know what's wrong as the pilot light keeps going out and he's replaced all the parts he can think of. This has been going on for a year; most recently the boiler has got really noisy and the immersion tank has been making intermittent high pitched squealing noises.

Where we are is ok, DD's school is close, so is DH's work and it suits til whenever we decide to move on. We keep it up together like its our own home and have no quibbles and haven't done except now this boiler issue is getting me down.

martindow

There is nothing inherently wrong with having a hot water tank - many people prefer that to a combi boiler. I have a system like this with the gas boiler heating radiators and hot water and an additional electric immersion heater. This is definitely an advantage as I can have hot water even if there is a problem with the boiler.

Your LL is probably going to be reluctant to pay out for a new boiler. The main thing is to be sure that gas certificates are up to date and have a CO detector.

G_M

It sounds to me like dirt/sludge in the system. Water circulates slowly due to blockages so boiler cannot get rid of the heat it generates fast enough.

Needs Power flush (if I'm right - I'm not a heaing engineer!).

British Gas charge about £800. Independant engineers charge about half that. Has the engineer never suggested this?

But to get the LL to do this, or anything, you need the engineer to write something......