Rental property with heaters, but no central heating

Munin

The central heating system in the property I am in has failed, and the LL (well, the management acting on behalf of the LL) doesn't seem to want to fix it. Heating is actually still available via wall mounted electric heaters, but in the absence of working central control unit, my options are to a) run expensive electric heating 24x7, or b) have a freezing cold house. I don't really like either option.

I work quite late, and whilst I can manually turn on the heaters when I get home, they do not have time to change the temperature before I sleep. Currently resorting to sleeping in thermals and winter gear, which sucks.

Is there any obligation to have time controlled / central heating? Or does this setup meet the minimum that a tenant can be provided with?

marliepanda

Munin wrote: »

Is there any obligation to have time controlled / central heating? Or does this setup meet the minimum that a tenant can be provided with?

I don't believe so, no.

davidmcn

marliepanda wrote: »

I don't believe so, no.

But surely an obligation to maintain the system which was in place at the start of the tenancy?

marliepanda

davidmcn wrote: »

But surely an obligation to maintain the system which was in place at the start of the tenancy?

The OP has a heating system (they apparently have 2, but one doesnt work?)

If the landlord isn't actually making ANY moves to fix it (rather than 'not immediately') I'd be looking to move.

Munin

marliepanda wrote: »

The OP has a heating system (they apparently have 2, but one doesnt work?)

If the landlord isn't actually making ANY moves to fix it (rather than 'not immediately') I'd be looking to move.

For further context, its a single electric system, but the central controller has failed. You can still manually turn on the wall heaters (there is an override feature on the unit itself). The controller unit itself was listed on inventory as broken, and has not worked at all during my tenancy. Engineers have been sent twice, but they don't seem to be able to fix it, and no progress is being made. It's now been broken for months - but I care more as it's cold!

IAmWales

davidmcn wrote: »

But surely an obligation to maintain the system which was in place at the start of the tenancy?

They're obliged to provide heating, not a particular system (unless it is specified in the contract, very unlikely).

Munin can you get timer plug ins so the heating comes on earlier?

Munin

IAmWales wrote: »

They're obliged to provide heating, not a particular system (unless it is specified in the contract, very unlikely).

Munin can you get timer plug ins so the heating comes on earlier?

Sadly not, it's not a plug socket it's attached to, but straight into a fused wall panel (I'm sure that has a proper name, but I don't know what it is).

AdrianC

Munin wrote: »

For further context, its a single electric system, but the central controller has failed.
The controller unit itself was listed on inventory as broken, and has not worked at all during my tenancy. Engineers have been sent twice, but they don't seem to be able to fix it, and no progress is being made. It's now been broken for months - but I care more as it's cold!

So the heating system is exactly as it was when you moved in, and is as described on the inventory? You're just regretting your decision to accept it...?

Munin

AdrianC wrote: »

So the heating system is exactly as it was when you moved in, and is as described on the inventory? You're just regretting your decision to accept it...?

Inventory wasn't completed until after I had moved in. I (perhaps naively?) also assumed that if it was listed as faulty, that would mean it would be fixed rather than paving the way for it to be left broken. This is unfortunately my first rental property and I'm not especially experienced here.

davidmcn

Munin wrote: »

For further context, its a single electric system, but the central controller has failed. You can still manually turn on the wall heaters (there is an override feature on the unit itself). The controller unit itself was listed on inventory as broken, and has not worked at all during my tenancy. Engineers have been sent twice, but they don't seem to be able to fix it, and no progress is being made. It's now been broken for months - but I care more as it's cold!

Ok, if it's never worked and nobody promised that it would work that's a different matter.

I'd probably sort it out myself, but if the landlords' own guys are having trouble then might not be much you can realistically do.

IAmWales

Munin wrote: »

Sadly not, it's not a plug socket it's attached to, but straight into a fused wall panel (I'm sure that has a proper name, but I don't know what it is).

Buy a heater that you can use with a timer?

https://www.argos.co.uk/search/portable-heater/