Tenant...no heating/hot water Help!

stepha4

Hi,

Just need some help as no idea where we stand.
Back story- We have been spending a horrific amount in oil the last few months, upon mentioning to a friend they asked if we’d looked at the boiler. We checked it and there was an inch of water at the bottom. Reported to agency the next morning, chased 5 days later, chased 5 days after that....2 weeks after the first phone call we came through in the morning to water pouring out of the boiler and had soaked the carpet in adjoining room. Finally the agency listened and sent a plumber to stop the leak (he couldn’t completely but stemmed the flow!)
So today the boiler man comes and condemns the boiler, have spoken to the agency and said he ‘hopes’ to fit it next Monday and will take 2 days. So we now have another week with no heating or hot water (no immersion) I have 2 children under three and it’s snowing!! They’ve not offered heaters or anything to help and they can’t find the dehumidifier that they had promised for the soaking smelly carpet!

Does anyone know what if anything I can do? I don’t think we can stay here for another week with no heating, if indeed he does manage to fit it Monday/Tuesday. The kids especially are freezing even with multiple layers on.

Can we ask for some compensation/some rent back?? When I asked what we should be doing about the playroom with the wet carpet the helpful lady at the agency told me to open the windows and air it!! As if we’re not cold enough already.

Thankyou 😊

silvercar

Your landlord should be supplying alternative heating eg electric plug in heaters.

To be fair, if the boiler was only condemned today, having a new one fitted early next week is very good going. Landlords don't have magic wands and finding decent gas engineers available for a 2 day job at short notice is a nightmare at this time of year.

Grezz24

speak with the letting agent to get plug in electric heaters. Our boiler failed last year and it was only when i put a formal complaint in did i get the authority for them.

I had to purchase them myself and then scan in the receipts for a refund from the agency. (i was allowed upto £50 worth of heaters)

Failing that you can always just go out and buy some yourself anyway even without confirmation of a refund - im sure thats much more preferable than the kids being cold/freezing etc.

I bought two of these - https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7453090 and found one would heat a room nicely

G_M

Hopefully this will be sorted next week, and as others have said, if so that's a fast response for fiting a new boiler.

But don't just wait to find out -get the matter documented properly in writing via a letter addressed to the landlord and sent to the postal address provided "for serving of notices". That may be the c/o the agent in which case that's where you write to him.

Be polite, concise but factual ie

"
Dear Mr Landlord,
thanks so much for arranging for new boiler. We're looking forward to this and have arranged for your engineer to have access (on xx/xx/2019?).

as you know we first reported water in the boiler on xx/xx/18, and then on xx/xx/xx we bla blah...

On xx/xx/19 your engineer came and ......

In the meantime, as we have no heating at all, we'd appreciate your agreement to supplying 2 or 3 electric heaters pending the new installation. would you like us to purchase these and reclaim, or will you provide?

Once again, many thanks for your help

Stepha

cc: letting agent


For speed, as well as posting 1st class you could also email a copy to the LL/agent if you have an email address