Ongoing shower issue in rented flat

Stardustjunkie

Hi all,
I hope this is the right forum. We have been renting a flat for a year, paid our rent on time every month and have generally been ideal tenants keeping the flat clean and well looked after.
We have a few issues with the flat but the biggest one is the shower. It’s horrendous. It’s either scalding or bitterly cold. The landlord replaced the actual shower unit but this made no difference.
He is building a house in the land out the back and says that when the water mains work is completed, it’ll solve the problem (which he says is a water pressure problem). This date has changed a lot, especially because of COVID, and we’re reaching the point of tears and frustration because of it. We’ve tried an extension on the taps for hair washing but the taps are an unusual shape so it doesn’t stay on properly.
It looks like because we have a bath, the landlord is still providing reasonable access for our hygiene requirements. Is this the case?
This has been going on for a year and honestly it’s driving us mad. Imagine not being able to have a shower.. at all.
At the moment we can’t afford to move, so we’re stuck and I don’t want to do anything that could jeopardise our tenancy agreement. Any advice would be gratefully received.
Thank you. 

AdrianC

Stardustjunkie said:

We have a few issues with the flat but the biggest one is the shower. It’s horrendous. It’s either scalding or bitterly cold. The landlord replaced the actual shower unit but this made no difference.

Is it an electric shower, or is it a mains-water one with hot and cold feeds? If mains-water, is it thermostatic?

It looks like because we have a bath, the landlord is still providing reasonable access for our hygiene requirements. Is this the case?

Yes.

At the moment we can’t afford to move, so we’re stuck and I don’t want to do anything that could jeopardise our tenancy agreement.

It would be illegal for him to "revenge evict" you because of you requesting repairs to the property. https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/revenge_eviction_if_you_ask_for_repairs

Even if this didn't qualify, then s21 requires six months notice at present, with no probability of any rapid court possession hearings - so unless he's willing to get seriously illegal (in which case, moving is definitely your best option), then your tenancy is not at risk.

Stardustjunkie

AdrianC said:

Stardustjunkie said:

We have a few issues with the flat but the biggest one is the shower. It’s horrendous. It’s either scalding or bitterly cold. The landlord replaced the actual shower unit but this made no difference.

Is it an electric shower, or is it a mains-water one with hot and cold feeds? If mains-water, is it thermostatic?

It looks like because we have a bath, the landlord is still providing reasonable access for our hygiene requirements. Is this the case?

Yes.

At the moment we can’t afford to move, so we’re stuck and I don’t want to do anything that could jeopardise our tenancy agreement.

It would be illegal for him to "revenge evict" you because of you requesting repairs to the property. https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/revenge_eviction_if_you_ask_for_repairs

Even if this didn't qualify, then s21 requires six months notice at present, with no probability of any rapid court possession hearings - so unless he's willing to get seriously illegal (in which case, moving is definitely your best option), then your tenancy is not at risk.

Thank you Adrian, that’s reassuring to read.
It’s an electric shower. By thermostatic do you mean a temperature dial on the shower? If so it has that but it may as well not exist. It’s a cheap trident shower.

NameUnavailable

Sounds like it might just be a faulty shower unit if it's not maintaining a set temperature.

anselld

Are you in a hard water area?  Sometimes limes scale can build up restricting the flow rate and since the electric shower is constant power it has insufficient flow to absorb the power so over heats, then trips and goes cold.
Have you tried descaling the head or getting new one, also take the hose apart both ends in case there are blocked filters.  Finally, there is sometimes an internal filter but that is more of a plumbing job.

youth_leader

Sorry to read this, watch you don't get scalded.  I don't like washing my hair in the shower as it's long but have odd shaped taps on the bath here too.  I have to wash my hair leaning over the bath mixing the hot/cold water into a jug, it's like being in the fifties. 

Stardustjunkie

Thank you all for the ideas. The shower is a new replacement so the hose shouldn’t be blocked already.
We’re a top floor flat so there is an issue with water pressure definitely, but we don’t have any temperature issues with the other water supply in the flat, only the shower. We hear the shower click and then it’ll go ice cold (not even a bearable level of cold, it’s like being plunged in to ice).

hannah021

ugh, i feel you, when i was living in london, for a whole year i had to live with this shower alternating whenever it felt like it, from burning hot to ice cold, it would not keep a constant temperature! it was really frustrating, i ended up moving out with no hesitation

AdrianC

Stardustjunkie said:

but we don’t have any temperature issues with the other water supply in the flat, only the shower. We hear the shower click and then it’ll go ice cold (not even a bearable level of cold, it’s like being plunged in to ice).

Electric showers don't have a supply from the hot water in the property - just cold. They then heat the water internally. The bath/sink hot taps come from whatever hot supply you have.

The "click-then-cold" says that the shower is tripping and turning off, and you're then getting unheated cold water. Does it have a "low water pressure" light on it?

Stardustjunkie

AdrianC said:

Stardustjunkie said:

but we don’t have any temperature issues with the other water supply in the flat, only the shower. We hear the shower click and then it’ll go ice cold (not even a bearable level of cold, it’s like being plunged in to ice).

Electric showers don't have a supply from the hot water in the property - just cold. They then heat the water internally. The bath/sink hot taps come from whatever hot supply you have.

The "click-then-cold" says that the shower is tripping and turning off, and you're then getting unheated cold water. Does it have a "low water pressure" light on it?

Thank you. It’s not something I’ve had to deal with before so I appreciate the explanation. It doesn’t have a low pressure light, no. The temperature issues happen regardless of the pressure it would seem, sometimes it’s a trickle and scorching hot, other times it’s full blown pressure but ice cold - or vice versa!