No electricity or heating

Ash490

Hi , we currently rent a property which is totally electric . We are submetered of the owners farm . Thursday morning 6am we had a power cut but under investigation the farm still had power but we did not . I went and checked our sub meter - no power . Contacted the agent and landlord at 7 am to let them know of the internal problem . They have come to a conclusion there is a problem between the house and the farm and it could not be fixed straight away . So me and my partner went out and got a hotel for Thursday night as we have no heating or electricity - or street Lighting as we are out in the country . We have lost all our fridge and frozen stuff . It is now Friday and I have just been told at 6 pm that they still can’t fix it and it won’t be till Monday until I can be looked at again . I’m currently paying for our hotel - food and meals - which is not cheap . Please help with some guidance on where we stand In this situation !? Agents and landlords are dragging there feet - it’s not them without a home ....

Slithery

Ash490 wrote: »

They have come to a conclusion there is a problem between the house and the farm and it could not be fixed straight away.

Fair enough, most problems like this can't be fixed instantly.

So me and my partner went out and got a hotel for Thursday night as we have no heating or electricity - or street Lighting as we are out in the country.

Why? A power cut doesn't make a property uninhabitable.

We have lost all our fridge and frozen stuff.

Claim for this on your contents insurance.

It is now Friday and I have just been told at 6 pm that they still can’t fix it and it won’t be till Monday until I can be looked at again.

Again, this sounds fair. Depending on the problem it could take them some time to even discover the cause let alone fix it.

I’m currently paying for our hotel

Why? Do you not have torches and jumpers?

food and meals

You can probably claim for the cost of a camping stove and gas from your landlord, surely you'd be paying for the food anyway?

Please help with some guidance on where we stand In this situation !?

I'm not sure what sort of guidance you're after? It sounds like the landlord is trying to get this fixed in a reasonable time. Unless this changes you'll just have to put up with the inconvenience like any homeowner. At least you don't have to pay for the repair

davidmcn

Slithery wrote: »

Why? Do you not have torches and jumpers?

To be fair, I don't think some jumpers will really cut it if temperatures are approaching zero (as they will be in many places tonight).

Ash490

Hi thanks for the reply . It actually does make is un habitable . It’s 6 degrees out side - we have no lights - no heating - no hot water .

If I where a home which I also am . It would be down to the energy company but as we are sub metered it’s internal .

Eating out is a lot more expensive than turning on your cooker and cooking for yourself . A meal for 2 will set you back 15 to 30 pound unlike cooking for your self , 3-6 pound ..

The landlords have had opertunities to get temporary electric to the house . Again - now washing machines - clean clothes . We also just come back from holiday on Wednesday .

theartfullodger

Sorry to read your story:



You write (yes, WRITE - keep copy) to your landlord, copy agent about any issues, using the draft letter & guidance here....
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/how_to_report_repairs_to_a_private_landlord

- then follow up, from guidance, if not resolved in a sensible timescale...

Is this an agricultural tenancy?

Ash490

Thanks for the reply - yes it is an agriculture tenancy . Does this make any difference . To the present time I have kept everything _ emails , texts and costings . I also forgot to mention - my partner found the landlords son inside the house when she got home . Let him self in with a key ...!! Really ....

He had also been in the garage and left the door unlocked again with out me knowing ...

I would like to know what is a suitable time - And what measures should be in place when this happens for a tenant . I know things happen but my point is 2 days to be in the same situation with no progress feels poor to me - a generator would have been a good solution until they diagnosed the problem . It’s not the fact we have no electric that annoys me , it’s how it’s being handled . I wasn’t told until this evening that’s it’s still not fixed .. which leaves me yet another late night to get something sorted and more cost .

EachPenny

Ash490 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply - yes it is an agriculture tenancy . Does this make any difference . To the present time I have kept everything _ emails , texts and costings . I also forgot to mention - my partner found the landlords son inside the house when she got home . Let him self in with a key ...!! Really ....

He had also been in the garage and left the door unlocked again with out me knowing ...

I would like to know what is a suitable time - And what measures should be in place when this happens for a tenant . I know things happen but my point is 2 days to be in the same situation with no progress feels poor to me - a generator would have been a good solution until they diagnosed the problem . It’s not the fact we have no electric that annoys me , it’s how it’s being handled . I wasn’t told until this evening that’s it’s still not fixed .. which leaves me yet another late night to get something sorted and more cost .

Did you discuss this with the landlord as soon as the electric went off? What did they say?

If you thought it would be a solution, and the landlord wasn't willing, then you didn't you hire/buy one yourself instead of booking into a hotel? You might find it a lot easier to claim the cost of generator hire off the landlord than multiple nights in a hotel + food.

Also, if it is an agricultural tenancy, presumably you are familiar with things 'agricultural' and getting a generator would have been one of the first things you'd think of? No criticism intended, but something you need to bear in mind if you were thinking of going down the legal route at some point in time. If you aren't really 'agricultural' you might have other issues to worry about down the line.

Ash490

Hi , I mentioned this to the letting agents. But they did not want to come back with an answer . I would and can get a generator but I can’t or get someone to fit it with our permission . The letting agent - it’s a managed property said costings would be covered - but I need to get this in writing . My business is a agricultural contractor ...��

G_M

* getting upset about the LL's son in the house seems strange if (presumably?) he was investigating your issue. Of course, if he was going through your knicker drawer, that's different!

* how have your discussions with the LL gone? eg
* did you ask about hotle costs before checking in?
* have you asked for an oil heater or gas cylinder cooker? I live in the country (get power cuts) and keep candles for emergencies as well as a camping gas cooker
* these things would all make staying at home perfectly possible
* and yes - a reasonable LL would provide them if asked
* so - hotel was your choice
* as suggested, most insurance policies will cover your lost freezer food
* generator as you suggest might resolve
* but ultimately, sadly, power outages happen to the best of us, whether tenant or home-owner - and we just have to

a) push for solutions and
b) cope

EachPenny

Ash490 wrote: »

Hi , I mentioned this to the letting agents. But they did not want to come back with an answer . I would and can get a generator but I can’t or get someone to fit it with our permission . The letting agent - it’s a managed property said costings would be covered - but I need to get this in writing . My business is a agricultural contractor

Is that bit meant to read "fit it without permission"?

Does your tenancy agreement require you to get permission to put a generator on your drive or patio and run a suitable extension lead into the house to plug appliances in? (obviously having regard to all safety/power rating issues)

If you do, I would imagine permission couldn't unreasonably be withheld - and a long power outage seems a very good reason to need a generator. If no permisison is needed, then you could have just gone ahead and done it.

I guess part of the problem might be having to deal with the agent (possibly unfamiliar with this type of problem) rather than directly with the landlord.