Council Refusing To Do Repairs

Norman_Castle

They sent the contractors who did the previous heating calculations to do the elbow and it's always the same man who comes and he knows me and he knows what jobs he did at my place.

Did you ask the cost of increasing the radiator size? Doing this and draught proofing could be cost effective. What flooring have you got?

theartfullodger

dollydoodar wrote: »

Thank you, everyone. I do rent the place yes. After the ...............

Thanks Dolly: I had earlier asked you

.....

If renting - from council, housing association or private landlord, please?



Have you written, keeping a copy, a calm polite letter of complaint to your landlord, please?

Kindly answer both questions if you possibly could, please.


Best wishes

AlexMac

Your case is reasonable, but it's probably best to take a few other steps first. I'd suggest that before trying to take legal action that you might not win (your original Q about finding a solicitor).

You seem to have already written to the Council...

dollydoodar wrote: »

... "I made a formal complaint as my housing officer suggested and this time they sent a council heating engineer (who...had) 25 years experience (but) had forgotten his tape measure... and reported that I do not need a bigger radiator (but may) need to have the walls insulated... (but he is) not a builder...

..but have you actually asked for and invoked their "Complaints procedure"? Even if you have, I'd give it another go, with a letter enclosing the contradictory technical advice from the two earlier visits. Be as precise as you can about dates of visits and names of the surveyors, but maybe keep it a bit more concise than your posts above.

Begin with a summary and simple statement of what you want (radiator upgrade? Insulation?...).

Add the context of your needs as a disabled person. But keep it as short as poss, don't whinge, be courteous and space out the paragraphs a bit more when you go into detail so that you sound reasonable.

Meanwhile, find out the name of your local ward Councillors (from your town hall website or https://www.writetothem.com/ ). Warm them up - not with the full story - but maybe by saying you may have a housing problem you'd like to discuss at one of their local "surgeries" (most Councillors have them).

Then, if/after the Council reject your final attempt, take (or write) the problem to the Councillors with detail -face to face if they have surgeries, or in a concise letter or email, with evidence.

You could also step it up via your MP (via the same website). But

- start the with the Council staff at senior level (the Complaints system- or if they deny having such, a letter to the Director of Housing ),
- then the Councillors (who you elect to run the Council), before the MP.

Be persistent- good luck

Night.s

The difficulty you have here is what you mention sounds more like a piece of investment work rather than a repair. You can challenge them under the Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act 2018 but you're unlikely to be able to do a straight disrepair claim. Excess cold is covered in the act, but it would have to be so bad that it makes the property not fit to live in.

I agree with AlexMac above me. A formal complaint is your best option. Make a formal complaint to your landlord. If they do not follow up with it in the way that you wish, make a formal complaint with the Housing Ombudsman. You can also try councillors prior to this.

Chandler85

The work is an improvement not a repair, the local authority, housing trust or whatever it is will likely not just be allowed to put a bigger radiator in one room. I am not saying you would, but this leads to, well my bedroom isn't warm enough either and neither is the kitchen etc.

So they'll be treating it as needing a new heating system, which it may well do, but is more expensive. It is also an improvement not a repair, the property has heating and we can probably assume livable (by the fact you live there), although cold.

Do you actually provide the council with evidence of how cold it is during the day with heating on, and not just what numbers bashed into a computer say. For example if you have the heating on all day and your house gets to 15 degrees, that would be unacceptable. If it gets to 18 or 19 then you are the same as thousands of other people out there.

I would use temperatures of evidence, then back those up with the calculations. A calculation alone is a little meaningless without them, as it is the temperature they will care about. I say "they" I mean the people you complain to (as in the handler) and the council as a whole.

dollydoodar

Thank you for your great advice. I have put it all in writing to the lady who was dealing with my original complaint but she is not answering my emails anymore. I guess I will now have to complain about the complaint not being dealt with.