No heating & hot water, what should I do?

danielachileva

Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum and I am looking for advice. We moved into a house in mid September and for the first two-three weeks the boiler was working properly. Since mid October it's been broken down more than 5 times for about a week and every time we were left WITHOUT heating and hot water at all. The last time the boiler was broken from 26th of November to 11th of December (it was below 0 outside), the house was freezing, there was no heating and no hot water AT ALL. I live with my fiance and my closest friend and we all had to sleep on a mattress on the floor in the living room because it is the only room with an old gas heater. When taking a shower we had to boil water in pans+ the microwave. And this is happening for the 6th time!!! Previously when the boiler has been broken an authorized engineer made a quote and it turned out the boiler is no good and has to be changed but my landlord doesn't seem to care. The last time the boiler broke down for 2 weeks I messaged him to ask for compensation because we've been living without the central heating and hot water for 2 weeks.We live in a 3 bedroom house and we've been using only the living room. I told him we've been way to patient about it and it is right to get compensation from the rent for this month. He told me he is going to reduce my rent 25 pounds. Do you think I can do anything? Because 25 pounds for living in a freezing cold house when outside is below 0 for two weeks sounds like a joke to me.

G_M

danielachileva wrote: »

Hello everyone,
I am new to the forum and I am looking for advice. We moved into a house in mid September and for the first two-three weeks the boiler was working properly. Since mid October it's been broken down more than 5 times for about a week and every time we were left WITHOUT heating and hot water at all. The last time the boiler was broken from 26th of November to 11th of December (it was below 0 outside), the house was freezing, there was no heating and no hot water AT ALL. I live with my fiance and my closest friend and we all had to sleep on a mattress on the floor in the living room because it is the only room with an old gas heater. When taking a shower we had to boil water in pans+ the microwave. And this is happening for the 6th time!!! Previously when the boiler has been broken an authorized engineer made a quote and it turned out the boiler is no good and has to be changed but my landlord doesn't seem to care. The last time the boiler broke down for 2 weeks I messaged him to ask for compensation because we've been living without the central heating and hot water for 2 weeks.We live in a 3 bedroom house and we've been using only the living room. I told him we've been way to patient about it and it is right to get compensation from the rent for this month. He told me he is going to reduce my rent 25 pounds. Do you think I can do anything? Because 25 pounds for living in a freezing cold house when outside is below 0 for two weeks sounds like a joke to me.

Pity you waited tll 3/4 through the post to tell us you are a tenant!.

So what have you done so far?

Please list each date when you have written to the landlord at the correct address. Has each letter
* simply reported the issue, &/or
* requested a new boiler, &/or
* requested alernative heating
* or what?

Ultimately you can involve Environmental Health, but you must follow te correct process first.

see

* Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new tenant protection (2015)

danielachileva

Hello!
Yes, he is aware of the issue. As I mentioned, he has received a quote for a new boiler because every time the engineers come they say that the boiler is not good and has to be changed. I was told by the landlord that if the boiler breaks down again they are going to get new one but this didn't happen. It is a private property so I am communicating directly with him. It's been broken 6 times for about 3 months, obviously there is something wrong with it. Am I right to ask for compensation ?

G_M

I repeat:

what have you done so far?

Please list each date when you have written to the landlord at the correct address. Has each letter
* simply reported the issue, &/or
* requested a new boiler, &/or
* requested alernative heating
* or what?

Ultimately you can involve Environmental Health, but you must follow te correct process first.

see

* Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new tenant protection (2015)

danielachileva

Sunday 1 October > Breakdown & report the issue for the first time
Monday 2 October > plumber (landlord's friend NOT authorized plumber) came to "fix it"
Wednesday 3 October > Breakdown & report the issue for the 2nd time
Monday 9 October > plumber came again to fix it (again the landlord's friend)
Thursday 12 October > supposed to have boiler service but NO ONE SHOWED UP!
Friday 13 October > boiler service
Tuesday 31 October > Breakdown. Report the issue for the 3rd time. Another engineer came to "fix it"
Saturday 4 November > Report the problem for the 4th time
Thursday 9 November > Quote for new boiler & British gas engineers came to fix it
Sunday 26 November > Breakdown & report the issue for the 5th time
Monday 11 December > British gas came to fix it again.

I believe this is the whole story. Even though engineers came to fix it it was not fixed at all cause it was not working properly until an actual British gas engineer came to take a look. After his service the boiler was working alright for 2 weeks and on the 3rd week broke down again. As we are studying we were missing lectures cause you can see how many times people were coming over so we had to make sure someone is at home. Sometimes it would take them 4 hours to fix it which means we had to cancel any important appointments and work shifts to make sure one of us is at home.

elsien

When you say you have reported the issue, how did you report?
What GM is telling you is that to be effective and to be able to follow it up you need to di it in writing to the landlord.

danielachileva

As I have mentioned, I speak directly to him so by ''reporting the issue'' I mean either calling him on the phone, sending him a text message etc. He has come over himself to check the boiler and ensure that there is an actual problem.

theartfullodger

danielachileva wrote: »

As I have mentioned, I speak directly to him so by ''reporting the issue'' I mean either calling him on the phone, sending him a text message etc. He has come over himself to check the boiler and ensure that there is an actual problem.

Great: Confirm all that, in writing, using Shelter's process and draft letter here...
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/how_to_report_repairs_to_a_private_landlord
Call their helpline 0808 800 4444 if you get stuck...

danielachileva

Thank you!
The thing is that I am foreigner and I am not fully aware of the laws in the U.K. I read everything that I found and this is why I decided to ask in the forum. I do not know if I can or can not ask for compensation and if the 25 pounds he is ready to cut from the rent are reasonable. Because it is December after all, it is not June/July.

FBaby

It's not black and white. You are counting times the boiler broke down when really it just hadn't yet been repaired.

It sounds like they tried to sort it themselves, that didn't work, so in the end, agreed to get a British Gas engineer to do so. Beside suggesting a new boiler (which is what they do, I was told, as an owner that I should replace my boiler too, yet it continued to work perfectly well for another 6 years!), what did they say was the problem?

It is not unreasonable that if a part has now been sorted by a British Gas engineer, that they would want to see whether this has resolved the issue before rushing to buy a new boiler. It's been a week working so far, so cross fingers.

I do agree that £25 reduction is cheap.

What you need to do now is write officially, say that you understand that there have been numerous attempt to fix the boiler a few times and that you were told verbally that the boiler would be replaced if the problem wasn't fixed long term this time. You would like this confirm in writing. You also feel that £25 compensation (assuming that's for the three of you, not each?) is not very reasonable for the discomfort you've had to endure during this time and you were hoping for £100 (or whatever you want).

Do you have a 6 months ast? If so, and you continue to have problems, I would say it's time to look for somewhere else to move to.

G_M

1) In future, when anyone comes to fix the boiler (or any gas appliance) ask to see their 'GasSafe Register' identity card. Then check it here. If they are not GasSafe registered, do not allow them to touch the boiler.


2)

He told me he is going to reduce my rent 25 pounds.

Do you mean he will let you pay £25 less rent every month? Or he is giving you a one-off compensation of £25? I shall assume it is a one-off payment.


3) Is the boiler now working? If the boiler is now fixed by BG, and works, write a letter (yes a LETTER) to the landlord at the address on your tenancy agreement:

Dear Mr landlord,

Thank you so much for arranging to get the boiler fixed. British Gas came again on 11th December and (replaced a part?) and since then boiler appears to be fine. If there is a further problem, I will, of course, let you know.

Since October, the boiler has rarely worked properly. I have had to report repeated breakdowns to you on

Sunday 1 October
Wednesday 3 October
Thursday 12 October when your plumber failed to attend
Friday 13 October
Tuesday 31 October
Saturday 4 November
Sunday 26 November

This has all clearly had a sgnificant impact on our residence here as tenants. We have had to take time off repeatedly to be in the property to provide access for contractors. We have also had to live for considerable periods of time without heating or hot water during winter.

We therefore feel that a more reasonable level of compensation would be £10 per week for the period from start of October to the 11th December.

Hopefully we can then put this behind us, the boiler will remain functioning, and we can enjoy the reminder of our tenancy here.

We'd like to thank you for your understanding.

Yours sincerely

danielachileva