Gas Boiler broken on day 1 of our tenancy.

theartfullodger

You write (yes, write/email) to the landlord (yes LANDLORD, copy agent, keep copy about this an any other repair issues using both the process & draft letter on Shelter's excellent website. See

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/how_to_report_repairs_to_a_private_landlord

If not sorted in a sensible timeframe follow the further advice on their website.

hazyjo

Can he use a friend or family's shower on the way home?

ChloeManoey

What would you like them to have done differently? 
What would you have done differently if you owned the property as opposed to renting it? 

[Deleted User]

It is tough to not have a working boiler on the first day you move in, but I'm afraid you will just have to cope as you would if you'd been living there six years.  I have boiled water on the stove for baths or gone to other people to use their washing facilities  when I was in social housing and had no hot water for six weeks (with a young son with skin condition) due to parts needing to be made for the ancient boiler.  The LL/LA should provide heaters though or you can buy something cheap of your own. In many years of renting, its something that does happen occasionally although thank goodness its rare.

Anamox

whirlyhead said:

At the moment repairs people are having difficulties sourcing parts so it's not unusual for it to take a while.  Last time my boiler broke it took 10 days to fix, so even when you own a house, it's just one of those things.  You just work around it.

I spend half my life as a skilled handyman and have had no difficulties with parts at all, during lockdown it was easier than normal to get parts thanks to DIYers not nabbing them. As a gas and oil boiler engineer I can't think of anything that would take 10 days to fix... my local heating parts wholesaler literally stocks every component of most boilers built in the last 20 years and they're nothing special! Looks like you were using a larger company whose own bureaucracy caused such delays! 

OP, that sucks! Sorry you've found yourself in this situation. Does your partner know anybody that is a dab hand at heating engineering, being in his line of work? In my experience heating engineers used by agencies/LLs are one of the following: p*ss poor or brilliant. If he couldn't diagnose a fault then I'm guessing he is the former. 

Murphybear

Your LL/LA has acted very quickly.  It’s not their fault that it couldn’t be fixed immediately.  You can’t get a faster service if you rent, rather than own a property.  

My OH and I did up a house some time ago.  We didn’t move in completely until it was finished but often stayed overnight.  We didn’t have any hot water but it’s amazing what you can do with a very large bowl of hot water placed in the bath/shower, fabulous shower gel and a large sponge.  I felt just as clean as if I’d had a shower.

Kettles boil water quickly these days!