Rented House, boiler broken with no hot water or heating for a week

Matty_91

Hi guys

I wonder if I could ask for some advice?

A week ago, the combi boiler in my rented house broke, leaving us with no heating or hot water

I contacted our Landlord immediately, and a day later she arranged an appointment through her insurance company, who sent a third party who came out on Tuesday and decided the boiler was a write off..

This is all fine, however we are now stuck in 'limbo'... No appointment has been made to have this replaced yet, and I have since taken matters in to my own hands and called the insurance company and third party several times to ask for an update...

Apparently the third party haven't provided the insurance company with their report yet...... That's the reason we haven't had the repair arranged.

Where do I stand with this guys?
Any advice for me?
At what point do I start escalating this, and asking for compensation from the landlord?
Or am I being unreasonable, since it's "only been broken a week" you cpuld argue?

I've been more than reasonable until now - but my patience is wearing thin...
All I ask is for my rented house to have hot water and heating....

Thank you all!!

G_M

You write a letter. Yes, a letter, sent to the LL at the address provided "for serving notices". Give bullet points of what happened, with dates eg

* xx/xx/2018 boiler stopped working
* xx/xx/2018called landlord (agent) etc to report
* xx/xx/2018 GasSafe engineer inspected
etc etc

End with a resume of what your were told (eg "beyond repair") and then ask for
* date by which new boiler will be installed
* provision of alternative heating in the meantime eg electric/oil heaters
* discount on rent till new boiler (worth asking - you may not get it!)

Post it 1st class. By all means email a copy to the LL/agent as well for speed, but do send the formal letter.


Remember, new boilers take time whether you are a tenant or an owner-occupier, so some inconvenience is inevitable, but you are entitled to heating, so a temporary alternative should be provided. For hot water, you may have to rely on kettles if there is no electric shower.

theartfullodger

As G_M wisely advises. More guidance on reporting repair issues with draft letter and further actions here...
https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/how_to_report_repairs_to_a_private_landlord

paulinefromtheuk

Even when you own your own home, getting a new boiler is never overnight unless you want to pay 10k for what should cost 3 to 7k. We have a warranty on our boiler a Valiant boiler - broke down under guarantee too 2 weeks to repair as it was a busy period and not get part. So we bought a heater and showered at our parents home.

Landlords are not magicians or usally central heating installers.

gardner1

Ours broke down a few years in the middle of January ago and took 2 weeks to replace,luckily we had electric shower.borrowed oil filled radiator off friends,extra jumpers and more family time around tv at nights in the only cosy room in house

lookstraightahead

This really makes me cross - the thing is if you own your home you will know when it's getting old and cranky (like me) but when you rent you expect at least the decency for the landlord to tell you it's in its last legs, or at least not leave you waiting warmly while everyone tells you to grow some.

paulinefromtheuk

lookstraightahead wrote: »

This really makes me cross - the thing is if you own your home you will know when it's getting old and cranky (like me) but when you rent you expect at least the decency for the landlord to tell you it's in its last legs, or at least not leave you waiting warmly while everyone tells you to grow some.

Not a case of how "old" the boiler is as my parents Valaint combi boiler is close to 20 yrs old and rarely serviced and ours is only three years old and already broken down twice within three years. Then you get the cowboys coming around to repair the boiler but only want to repalce esiecally if the property is let out. So what is an "old" boiler?

lookstraightahead

paulinefromtheuk wrote: »

Not a case of how "old" the boiler is as my parents Valaint combi boiler is close to 20 yrs old and rarely serviced and ours is only three years old and already broken down twice within three years. Then you get the cowboys coming around to repair the boiler but only want to repalce esiecally if the property is let out. So what is an "old" boiler?

Well if it's a write off it was likely to be in not a very good state and, ok 'probably', the landlord knew it. They've made no effort to support the tenant in any way.

phill99

What on earth makes you think you have the right to compensation?


It is about reasonableness.


Is the landlord being reasonable? Yes as he sent someone out pretty quickly.


I work alongside a Gas Safe Engineer and he ius inundated with boiler breakdowns at the moment and is actually turning work away. There are only so many hours in a day for an engineer to attend and at the moment, with boilers going back on after the summer, breakdowns are through the roof.


If you were a homeowner do you think you could make the repair happen any quicker? No you couldn't. And who would pay you compensation then?

G_M

lookstraightahead wrote: »

This really makes me cross - the thing is if you own your home you will know when it's getting old and cranky (like me) but when you rent you expect at least the decency for the landlord to tell you it's in its last legs, or at least not leave you waiting warmly while everyone tells you to grow some.

This really makes me cross. The thing is whether you own your home or are the landlord of a rental you cannot predict when a boiler will break down. Age does not signify.


No one here told the OP to 'grow some'. We advised the OP he should ask the LL for alternative heating and also suggested he balanced insisting on his rights with reasonableness.


As an aside, boilers are a bit like cars - they break down unpredictably which is why there are thousands of AA/RAC/Green Flag/Brittania rescue/etc vans drving around.


No one says the owners "will know when it's getting old and cranky" and should be replaced!

lookstraightahead

You won't get compensation op, check your agreement for stuff like alternative accommodation (long shot) or you could always swap houses with the landlord . It's horrible being without hot water and heating, and often when you have just started renting you don't know your neighbours like homeowners do. After this is over, try to check out the service record of the boiler.