Rent Reduction due to lack of central heating?

MissMoneypenny

sooz wrote: »

Why ask for a rent reduction AFTER the problem has been fixed?

Because now the OP will know how many days to charge for.

sooz

MissMoneypenny wrote: »

Because now the OP will know how many days to charge for.

Yes - but if they had negotiated a rent reduction during the problem, and for its duration, it might have concentrated the LL and BG's minds more.

Also, if they had used, and/or bought electric heaters, then it would have been easier to work out a figure for extra purchases/electricity used.

As it is, the OP says they are renting a house costing over £2000 a month, shared by 4 people. Central heating is presumably not the only amenity in the building , and during the problem it worked on one floor, and I guess there was also hot water, or we would have heard about this too. So 2/3 of the central heating system was working.

Perhaps you could ask for 10% of your monthly rent back, but split between 4 this isn't much. Much better to have used portable heaters and produced a bill, and stayed warm

scrummy_mummy_2

Asking for a rent reduction during the Term of an AST varies it's Terms and thus an entirely new contract would need to be generated. Even if your agreement becomes periodic, chnaging the amount of rent paid varies its Terms and so invalidates it and a new contract would be required.
If the OP's want to claim back from the LL a proprtion of rent paid as 'damages' a result of not being suppplied with a service that was covered in their Tenancy Agreement (and for which they have clearly paid for as part and parcel of their Tenancy Agreement) they will have to claim it back by bringing action against the LL for damages through the small claims court.
Do not withold rent....you may have action (rightfully) brought against you.

The LL is obliged to provide equipment (such as portable electric heaters) for you for the duration of the 'loss' of supply of the heating system. He is required to provide them, but you would be required to pay for the electricity required to run them! They can be quite costly to run!

Have you asked the LL to supply alternative heating sources until the heating is fixed?
Perhaps you could negotiate with him on filing in the small calims court if he pays some of the additional heating costs you will incur?

real1314

jamesd wrote: »

iolanthe07, they are paying for a place with central heating and not getting it. What the past was doens't matter, it's simply paying for something not being delivered: places with central heating rent out for more than places without.

real1314, for health effects see for example "All else being equal, the proportion of deaths from circulatory & respiratory causes significantly increases with age, and with lower temperatures" and the other summaries there.

I'm not sure how a report from northern ireland over a 26 year period relates to Sept to Nov 2007?? At -10 we all feel the cold a little more, and mortality might hit hard, has that happened recently? and where's the direct link from cold to SIDS? I think most studies arrived at an overheating issue in SIDS.
And, yes, maybe at the extremes, older people may be at increased risk, but not at those times of the year.
I've no issue with the OP wanting some sort of refund on their rent (and it's doesn't need to go to court), but suggestions of SIDS and high health risk are just being silly. very silly.

Perhaps you'd now like to google "being cold kills"?

flower_72

Hi ModernSlave, how did you get on with your rent reduction discussion?
I would peronally I would ask for one!
Now he could just have refused and it seems he's quite within his rights to do so but. If one doesn't ask, one doesn't get!
Good luck with it!!

Generali

iolanthe07 wrote: »

What a lot of molly-cuddled moaners we've all become! I grew up in the forties and fifties and central heating was unheard of then for ordinary people. You often woke up to ice on the inside of the window. So what - no one worried about SIDS then - what the hell is it, anyway! For goodness sake people!!

You sound like something out of Monty Python!

Infant mortatlity in the UK has dropped substantially since the 1950s.

e.g. Scotland:

http://www.phis.org.uk/pdf.pl?file=pdf/Infant%20mortality.pdf

More than 4% of boys didn't make their 5th birthday in 1950, less than 1% fail to make that date today.

SIDS is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (aka Cot Death).

Personally, I much prefer living in a centrally heated house with a colour TV, internet, microwave, reliable car, modern healthcare, no rationing, no conscription, cheap consumer goods, high disposable incomes, cheap and quick travek to all parts of the world......

I'm sure you could introduce a 1950s-style austerity in your home by denying yourself the above stuff and giving away a substantial part of your income if it makes you happy. I'm a great believer in individual freedom.

The OP is paying for central heating in the rent paid. Why should the LL get away with not providing what OP's paying for?

carolt

Yes, this is DEFINITELY not the weather to be without central heating - -4 degrees this morning....

Hope you've got it fixed. When our central heating broke in December in a former property we rented, the landlord came round that day with portable heaters (we did have 2 under 5's at the time...).

Ignore those who say living with the cold is fine. That's their choice - you chose and are paying not to.

Just speak to your landlord about it, before getting into letters - they must realise 2 months, in this weather, with no central heating is pushing it a bit....

Good luck!

RHemmings

scrummy_mummy wrote: »

Asking for a rent reduction during the Term of an AST varies it's Terms and thus an entirely new contract would need to be generated. Even if your agreement becomes periodic, chnaging the amount of rent paid varies its Terms and so invalidates it and a new contract would be required.

Does this apply if a rental increase is suggested by the landlord too?

ModernSlave

flower_72 wrote: »

Hi ModernSlave, how did you get on with your rent reduction discussion?
I would peronally I would ask for one!
Now he could just have refused and it seems he's quite within his rights to do so but. If one doesn't ask, one doesn't get!
Good luck with it!!

Hi All

We found out today that the heating problem has existed for 15 years!! The previous tenants just didn't complain for all that time. The agency now says that the boiler will have to be moved, which is a major job and likely to cost a lot of money and inconvenience.

The agency are being really good and communicative with us but the landlord lives in Spain, so it takes time to get anything approved. They have agreed to put in portable heaters but the rent reduction is still up in the air.

I can't comment on the issue about cold causing SIDS but I can tell you that my housemate has had to take lots of antibiotics this winter. She can't shake the flu off.

Will update if we make any progress or manage any money saving!:o Because that's what it is all about.

sooz

RHemmings wrote: »

Does this apply if a rental increase is suggested by the landlord too?

no - but the rent can only be increased once per year using a section 13. the tenant doesn't have to accept the rent increase, and can go to the rent assessment committee.