Broken boiler

Pages_Tenant

Hello,
On the 23rd of December (4 days ago) the boiler stopped working. I tried to call the landlord unsuccessfully, and when I texted him he replied he was out of UK and I should try to reset the boiler. I wrote back to say I've done that and I tried to explain that the boiler is trying to light up, but after 30 seconds I hear it turning itself off. He never replayed back.
I tried calling, including one voice message, he never replied.
I texted him 3 quotations of emergency plumbers , he didn't reply.
Still today, no reply. No heating, no hot water.
I can't really afford to pay a plumber, especially as I don't think he will give me the money back.
The property is not managed by an agent and the landlord is the only contact I have.
Which is the best way to solve this serious problem ?
Thank you in advance for your advice.

agrinnall

Well if the LL won't do it then paying for the repairs yourself is your only option if you want the boiler fixed. See the Shelter guidance on this (assumes you live in England)

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/what_to_do_if_your_landlord_wont_do_repairs

pimento

Is he holding a deposit in a scheme?

Do you have an actual address for him?

I would write to his address (don't worry that he's out of the country, that's his problem) and say that as per your strenuous methods to resolve the broken boiler have failed, you will be getting your own plumber in (use the middle quote) and will be stopping the payment out of next month's rent.

Then text him to tell him that's what you're going to do.



EDIT: See Agrinall's link.

davidmcn

If you don't have any money and you can't sort it yourself then I guess you'll need to wait until the landlord instructs a repair.

pimento

Agrinall, does the same procedure apply even if it's an emergency repair like a flood or no electricity or no heat and hot water?
It seems to me that the proscribed way is likely to take at the very least several days and may take several weeks.

Pages_Tenant

Hello.
Yes, the deposit is with TDS.
I will follow your advice and go through the materials provided previously.
Thank you very much.

Jenniefour

Worth putting the boiler make and model onto Google to see if you can download the manual - it may be something as simple as finding the specific instructions for starting it and keeping it going. Or the water pressure needs increasing. Manual will tell you how to do/check these and then you will know whether you have a conked out boiler and plumber needed or not.

G_M

1) do you have an address for the LL in England/Wales?

If yes, write to him (yes, a letter) there.

If no, stop paying rent. Rent is not payable without a postal address. See the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 Section 48

2) Follow the process from Shelter above on getting repairs done and reclaiming off rent

3) contact Environmental Health. They can enforce repairs - though if the LL is resident overseas they will have difficulty too, but at least you get some me support

see also

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

Marvel1

pimento wrote: »

Is he holding a deposit in a scheme?

Do you have an actual address for him?

I would write to his address (don't worry that he's out of the country, that's his problem) and say that as per your strenuous methods to resolve the broken boiler have failed, you will be getting your own plumber in (use the middle quote) and will be stopping the payment out of next month's rent.

Then text him to tell him that's what you're going to do.



EDIT: See Agrinall's link.

Keep a copy of the letter and send by post office and ask for a receipt (free) - no need for recorded/special delivery.

agrinnall

pimento wrote: »

Agrinall, does the same procedure apply even if it's an emergency repair like a flood or no electricity or no heat and hot water?
It seems to me that the proscribed way is likely to take at the very least several days and may take several weeks.

The OP should contact Shelter, they have far more knowledge than I do. But I would say that there are alternative ways to get heating and hot water in the short term, so a broken boiler may not be regarded as an emergency in the same way that a flood or a full power blackout would.

Pixie5740

The landlord just has to repair the boiler in a reasonable time frame. It's only been 5 days and 2 of those days were at the weekend and another 2 bank holidays. If you want to pay for an emergency plumber OP then knock yourself out but (legally) your landlord won't have to reimburse you.