Compensation from landlord no heating for 4 months

allison445

In August the boiler broke down the pump went and the boiler started leaking water all over the place had to shut it off myself
I deal with a letting agent and owner the letting agent has to contact the owner who uses his own repair people
Gas man arrived a week or 2 later and said he would have to order in a pump and would be back in a few days he came back fitted a pump so I then had hot water but no heating as something else was wrong and he would be back to fix this,
A few week later the owner arrived with a builder to measure for new windows at this point I told him the boiler was still not working and I had no heating he argued that it was working.
He then went on about me moving stuff to let the builder get the window measurements which I wasn't happy about as he had not given notice.
He phoned a few days later to say he would be back with the builder and to make sure that I moved things to allow the builder access I asked him again about the boiler and he said he would look when he came back with the builder he never came back
Now i may be wrong but I believe this is down to the fact the letting agent has been asked for reference's as after 18 years here I am moving in January lack of heating and single glazing being a main factor.
sorry for the long story I am just wondering if I should ask for some compensation for the lack of heating I am using 2 electric heaters and there costing a fortune the property is a single glazed 5 bedroom Victorian terrace house I also have water leaking into some of the upstairs rooms and the single story extension at the back this has been an ongoing issue for the past few years which both the landlord and letting agent know about the house is general in a state of disrepair as the owner refuses to spend any money and in the mean time myself and my 9 year old daughter are freezing

AdrianC

Have you chased the landlord since September...?

daveyjp

Call your local Council housing environmental health department tomorrow and explain the situation.

allison445

AdrianC wrote: »

Have you chased the landlord since September...?

Sent the letting agent a few emails but got a sorry there is nothing we can do as repairs are down to the owner and he is aware

MaxiRobriguez

The boiler isn't broken, it's just been turned off by a landlord that doesn't like you having people to stay over for four nights in a row.

Slithery

When did you first write (paper, envelope, stamp etc) to the 'address for serving notices' stated in your tenancy agreement?

Until you do so then legally you haven't reported the issue.

G_M

Sent the letting agent a few emails but got a sorry there is nothing we can do as repairs are down to the owner and he is aware

Yes but....

AdrianC wrote: »

Have you chased the landlord since September...?

as in written to him at the correct postal address, as provided by law, "for serving notices on the landlord"?


If yes and no reply within a few days, what did you do?


Read
* Repairing Obligations: the law, common misconceptions, reporting/enforcing, retaliatory eviction & the new tenant protection (2015)

AdrianC

allison445 wrote: »

Have you chased the landlord since September...?

Sent the letting agent a few emails but got a sorry there is nothing we can do as repairs are down to the owner and he is aware

So... that's a no.

G_M

MaxiRobriguez wrote: »

The boiler isn't broken, it's just been turned off by a landlord that doesn't like you having people to stay over for four nights in a row.

just in case the reference is missed:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6084749/guests-sleeping-over

allison445

I filled in a repair request and sent it recorded delivery to the letting agent at the end of September
The broken boiler was one of a list of other repairs noted on this
I was getting an answer via email from the one man letting agent until the beginning of last month now all has went silent
when I try to contact either by phone I get voice mail which is never replied to.
I have not even had a conformation they have received my written notice which was sent and delivered on the 12th of December
I visited the letting agents office last week and it was closed and I could see a pile of mail lying at the door.

G_M

What is the name of your landlord on your tenancy agreement? Is that who it was addressed to?

What is the address on your tenancy agreement "for serving notices on the landlord"? Is that where it was sent?

When you received no response to your letter in Sept (and it's important for future action that this was sent correctly), that was the time to follow up forcefully, perhaps by coming here to help on how to do so.

I was getting an answer via email from the one man letting agent until the beginning of last month now all has went silent .....got a sorry there is nothing we can do as repairs are down to the owner and he is aware

So all the more reason to contact the landlord! If the LL is not paying the agent to manage repairs, there is noting, absolutely nothing, the agent can do.


But now you have the link you know what to do next.