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A bit of advice regarding no hot water/heating after 3 weeks

HaylzRandom
Posts: 1 Newbie
Hi,
(This will be a long one but kind of need to rant and get some advice, basis of story no hot water/heating for 3 weeks!).
I rent a 2 bedroom house myself through an estate agent. On Friday 27th July I phoned up at 5pm to say that my boiler had just died and was showing a fault. The day before it had been making a clunking noise inside and the pressure gauge was going crazy.
Guy on the phone said ok, we will arrange for a plumber to come and see you. I didn't get a phone call till the following Monday (30th July) at 17:12. I was out at this point so had to ring back the following day. Eventually got through to the plumber and he came on Wednesday 1st August. He looked at it and said the boiler needs powerflushing in order for it to work. He said a plumber will be contact soon as he can't do it.
Cue me waiting until I e-mail my estate agents on Friday 3rd August asking for an update (I sent it to three people until I found one that wasn't on holiday). No reply. Sent another e-mail on 7th August asking for more updates as nobody was answering the phone. Got a reply asking if the plumber had called to gain access. Had to explain that the previous plumber was suggesting powerflushing. That day they emailed to say they were only just getting quotes about powerflushing! Two days later still never heard anything.
Then got a phonecall on 9th August from estate agents to say a plumber will be phoning shortly. Pop into the branch on 10th after work and told no plumber phoned so they gave me his number. Tried to ring him but no answer on Friday, Saturday or Monday. Emailed estate agent again on 14th stating plumber hasn't been i contact and they said they will get in touch with him to contact me. Finally later on that day the plumber rings and is very confused as to why he should be powerflushing the system as that won't fix the no hot water issue.
Finally got it sorted on 16th August as landlord decided to put a new boiler in and I finally had hot water after nearly 3 weeks of having none.
Looking through my contract today I found a Tenants Timescale of Repairs and it states "Total loss of Heating and Hot Water between 1st May - 31st October should be repaired within 3 - 5 working days." From my blurb above I am counting 14 working days? Is there any sort of compensation I could get for it such as reduced rent for next month?
Cheers for reading, feel so much better after that :rotfl:
Ta
Hayley
(This will be a long one but kind of need to rant and get some advice, basis of story no hot water/heating for 3 weeks!).
I rent a 2 bedroom house myself through an estate agent. On Friday 27th July I phoned up at 5pm to say that my boiler had just died and was showing a fault. The day before it had been making a clunking noise inside and the pressure gauge was going crazy.
Guy on the phone said ok, we will arrange for a plumber to come and see you. I didn't get a phone call till the following Monday (30th July) at 17:12. I was out at this point so had to ring back the following day. Eventually got through to the plumber and he came on Wednesday 1st August. He looked at it and said the boiler needs powerflushing in order for it to work. He said a plumber will be contact soon as he can't do it.
Cue me waiting until I e-mail my estate agents on Friday 3rd August asking for an update (I sent it to three people until I found one that wasn't on holiday). No reply. Sent another e-mail on 7th August asking for more updates as nobody was answering the phone. Got a reply asking if the plumber had called to gain access. Had to explain that the previous plumber was suggesting powerflushing. That day they emailed to say they were only just getting quotes about powerflushing! Two days later still never heard anything.
Then got a phonecall on 9th August from estate agents to say a plumber will be phoning shortly. Pop into the branch on 10th after work and told no plumber phoned so they gave me his number. Tried to ring him but no answer on Friday, Saturday or Monday. Emailed estate agent again on 14th stating plumber hasn't been i contact and they said they will get in touch with him to contact me. Finally later on that day the plumber rings and is very confused as to why he should be powerflushing the system as that won't fix the no hot water issue.
Finally got it sorted on 16th August as landlord decided to put a new boiler in and I finally had hot water after nearly 3 weeks of having none.
Looking through my contract today I found a Tenants Timescale of Repairs and it states "Total loss of Heating and Hot Water between 1st May - 31st October should be repaired within 3 - 5 working days." From my blurb above I am counting 14 working days? Is there any sort of compensation I could get for it such as reduced rent for next month?
Cheers for reading, feel so much better after that :rotfl:
Ta
Hayley
0
Comments
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No, it's summer so no heating really isn't an issue and you have a kettle / hob for hot water.
You can ask by all means and they might offer as a good will gesture to knock some money off the rent.
But ultimately I don't think you were particularly pro-active. - if it's so important why email and not phone (or preferably both)0 -
I went 13 weeks with no hot water or heating earlier this year in my rented house! It can be difficult to get a plumber out at short notice and if it was your own house it may have taken around that sort of time to fix it (the 14 days not 13 weeks - don't ever use SSE repair service). So long as you had access to hot water (e.g. via a kettle) then it's liveable, heating isn't needed this time of year thankfully. As they did come out within the 3-5 working days to have a look at it, they may be able to argue that they were attempting to fix it? I'm not sure but I don't think they will reduce rent as they may be able to argue you had other ways to heat water and of course the rest of the house was still habitable.MFW - OP 10% each year to clear mortgage in 10 years!
2019: £16,125/£16,125
2020: £14,172.64/£14,172.64
2021: £12,333.62/£12,333.62
2022: £10,626.55/£10,626.55
2023: switched tactics to saving in a higher interest rate account than mortgage interest rate
2024: mortgage neutral!0 -
So long as you had access to hot water (e.g. via a kettle) then it's liveable, heating isn't needed this time of year thankfully
Thing is I don't quite get this thinking, how do you propose people shower? And before you say have a bath, that's not practical for a morning routine, but I've lived in rentals that only have showers with no baths - what do you propose people do in this situation? Hot Water is essential for personal hygiene saying it isn't a big deal because it's winter is a nonsense, yes it's not life threatening in summer like it could be in Winter, but it's still a big issue that needs to be fixed sharpish.
I'm having issues with our hot water this week, which I think is an issue with the water pressure rather than the LL so haven't reported it to the LL but have the water co, and it's been a nightmere - it's just about doable because thankfully it's a boiling hot/freezing cold alternating issue, so there are moments you can quickly wash if you wait in the shower long enough, I can't imagine having just cold water for 3 weeks, not being able to shower or keep clean. Although admittedly perhaps a bigger issue for me than others as I do have a medical condition which requires me to keep clean, but still...Despite my name, I'm not a student any more0 -
studentguy wrote: »Thing is I don't quite get this thinking, how do you propose people shower? - with cold water... And before you say have a bath, that's not practical for a morning routine, but I've lived in rentals that only have showers with no baths - what do you propose people do in this situation? - see above Hot Water is essential for personal hygiene - no it's not saying it isn't a big deal because it's winter is a nonsense, yes it's not life threatening in summer like it could be in Winter, but it's still a big issue that needs to be fixed sharpish.
I'm having issues with our hot water this week, which I think is an issue with the water pressure rather than the LL so haven't reported it to the LL but have the water co, and it's been a nightmere - it's just about doable because thankfully it's a boiling hot/freezing cold alternating issue, so there are moments you can quickly wash if you wait in the shower long enough, I can't imagine having just cold water for 3 weeks, not being able to shower or keep clean. Although admittedly perhaps a bigger issue for me than others as I do have a medical condition which requires me to keep clean, but still...0 -
studentguy wrote: »Thing is I don't quite get this thinking, how do you propose people shower? And before you say have a bath, that's not practical for a morning routine, but I've lived in rentals that only have showers with no baths - what do you propose people do in this situation? Hot Water is essential for personal hygiene saying it isn't a big deal because it's winter is a nonsense, yes it's not life threatening in summer like it could be in Winter, but it's still a big issue that needs to be fixed sharpish.
I'm having issues with our hot water this week, which I think is an issue with the water pressure rather than the LL so haven't reported it to the LL but have the water co, and it's been a nightmere - it's just about doable because thankfully it's a boiling hot/freezing cold alternating issue, so there are moments you can quickly wash if you wait in the shower long enough, I can't imagine having just cold water for 3 weeks, not being able to shower or keep clean. Although admittedly perhaps a bigger issue for me than others as I do have a medical condition which requires me to keep clean, but still...
As I say, it was NOT fun. I had a large bowl filled up with hot water and a measuring jug for pouring and had a few evening baths by filling up the kettle, having all pans on the go on the hob and putting a casserole dish full of water in the oven. The rest of the time I showered at work or at my parents. If, at the time, the OP had asked for some provision to be made such as money towards a gym subscription so they could shower there then they may have obliged (although they don't need to). Perhaps if they can show receipts where they suffered a financial loss through the lack of heating or hot water they may pay towards that but I doubt it.MFW - OP 10% each year to clear mortgage in 10 years!
2019: £16,125/£16,125
2020: £14,172.64/£14,172.64
2021: £12,333.62/£12,333.62
2022: £10,626.55/£10,626.55
2023: switched tactics to saving in a higher interest rate account than mortgage interest rate
2024: mortgage neutral!0 -
If the agency had ignored you for all this time, then you could feel that they hadn't met their requirement as a LL. As it is, the issue seem to have stems from unfortunately normal plumber attitude, along with you not being easily available.
I own my home and getting any trade person is a nightmare where I live. They are only interested in big job (like replacing a full boiler) and can't be bothered with smaller jobs, which they will fit between bigger ones if it suits their diaries. That's how it is whether you're a home owner or renting your place.
What do you do when this happen? You shower at a friend, the gym, your parents, your work place, the local swimming pool... wherever had a hot shower!0 -
studentguy wrote: »Thing is I don't quite get this thinking, how do you propose people shower? And before you say have a bath, that's not practical for a morning routine, but I've lived in rentals that only have showers with no baths - what do you propose people do in this situation? Hot Water is essential for personal hygiene saying it isn't a big deal because it's winter is a nonsense, yes it's not life threatening in summer like it could be in Winter, but it's still a big issue that needs to be fixed sharpish.
I'm having issues with our hot water this week, which I think is an issue with the water pressure rather than the LL so haven't reported it to the LL but have the water co, and it's been a nightmere - it's just about doable because thankfully it's a boiling hot/freezing cold alternating issue, so there are moments you can quickly wash if you wait in the shower long enough, I can't imagine having just cold water for 3 weeks, not being able to shower or keep clean. Although admittedly perhaps a bigger issue for me than others as I do have a medical condition which requires me to keep clean, but still...
Soap is pretty useful for hygiene! Hot water is nice for comfort of course. When my boiler broke over Easter weekend I didn't want to pay for BH call out charges so I boiled the kettle and used a bucket+cup. Even for my hair, which yes took longer, but I was certainly still clean enough to be presentable at work! Also had one (very - I'm in Scotland!) cold shower.
OP my boiler was out for almost two weeks all told and the person I eventually got to come fixed it the same visit, so your timescale sounds pretty normal. Good tradesfolk are in demand, so this is how it goes sadly.0 -
One would expect a plumber knows how to power flush a system (the first one, even though not the issue).
Second one didn't fix it.
Landlord decides to install a new one after being messed around in terms of fixing.
Estate agent and landlord are not qualified plumbers they did what they did and called the "experts".0 -
I would be extremely miffed. Wouldn't expect reduction in rent as a tenant should apparently not expect these things.
Im wondering how people would feel
On a two week holiday without hot water? Just put up with it?0 -
Don't do this but if you didn't pay rent that would be ok because the landlord doesn't need it - they can put up without payment like you put up without hot water.0
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