Communal Heating dispute -- council flat in privately-owned building

[Deleted User]

I live in a one bedroom council flat on a large East London estate with communal heating.

The block is in a sought-after area, near Tower Bridge, and in 2007, because of its supposed desirability (and poor council management), a group of leaseholders got together and bought the freehold from the council -- out of 300 flats here, only 35 remain with the council. The remaining council flats, like mine, do not have double glazing -- most of the lease flats do.

A committee or board now make decisions about the day to day running of the block; the cleaning, communal areas, lifts, door systems, external maintenance and heating. 

The board decided the communal heating will not be turned on until the weather drops below 10 degrees constantly -- which means my flat is uncomfortably cold at night.

The heating usually runs from autumn to spring, and the cost for this and hot water is covered in the rent -- so I don't really want to be paying for extra heaters if I can avoid it.

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure not allowing a tenant access to the heating isn't legal -- but this isn't the landlord, these are people making decisions on behalf of the building owners.

I have tried contacting my landlord (the council) to see what can be done -- and I'm still waiting for a response as they seemed at a loss with what to do.

The estate manager, answers to the leaseholders 'board' and not the council -- and has pretty much dismissed me with "I'll raise your concerns with the board".

Anyway, if anyone knows what the law actually is, and how to navigate this, I'll be very grateful.

Thanks.

Jude57

UncertainTea said:

I live in a one bedroom council flat on a large East London estate with communal heating.

The block is in a sought-after area, near Tower Bridge, and in 2007, because of its supposed desirability (and poor council management), a group of leaseholders got together and bought the freehold from the council -- out of 300 flats here, only 35 remain with the council. The remaining council flats, like mine, do not have double glazing -- most of the lease flats do.

A committee or board now make decisions about the day to day running of the block; the cleaning, communal areas, lifts, door systems, external maintenance and heating. 

The board decided the communal heating will not be turned on until the weather drops below 10 degrees constantly -- which means my flat is uncomfortably cold at night.

The heating usually runs from autumn to spring, and the cost for this and hot water is covered in the rent -- so I don't really want to be paying for extra heaters if I can avoid it.

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure not allowing a tenant access to the heating isn't legal -- but this isn't the landlord, these are people making decisions on behalf of the building owners.

I have tried contacting my landlord (the council) to see what can be done -- and I'm still waiting for a response as they seemed at a loss with what to do.

The estate manager, answers to the leaseholders 'board' and not the council -- and has pretty much dismissed me with "I'll raise your concerns with the board".

Anyway, if anyone knows what the law actually is, and how to navigate this, I'll be very grateful.

Thanks.

You could try contacting Shelter, who are generally considered experts in housing matters. https://england.shelter.org.uk/get_help

You could also contact your local Councillor or the Councillor with responsibility for Housing, details of both should be on your Council's website.

[Deleted User]

I've used Shelter in the past for a separate issue -- I didn't find them very useful tbh. I might contact a councillor, but I'll see what my local housing officer comes up with first.

This is more about finding the legal requirements when the freeholders and landlords aren't the same organisation.

Racky_Roo

10 degrees is really cold, do you genuinely think they will hold out til it drops that low? You might find that they cave earlier especially when 300 flats are asking for it to be put on.

The minimum permitted temperature for an office is 16 degrees, I would think it's reasonable that should be the same for a flat. Have you spoken to any neighbours to see what their thoughts are? You might be able to rally a group to ask the temperature is reassessed

DE_612183

When you talk about "communal heating" - is this just the heating in the corridors and lifts etc, or ALL the heating to all 300 flats?

DullGreyGuy

Racky_Roo said:

10 degrees is really cold, do you genuinely think they will hold out til it drops that low? You might find that they cave earlier especially when 300 flats are asking for it to be put on.

The minimum permitted temperature for an office is 16 degrees, I would think it's reasonable that should be the same for a flat. Have you spoken to any neighbours to see what their thoughts are? You might be able to rally a group to ask the temperature is reassessed

10C is the outside temp not the inside.

Obviously cannot comment on the OP's home but we went away for 6 months over autumn/winter last year leaving 1 window open. Came back at -2C temps outside but our internal temp was still circa 18C. Guessing we have good external insulation and poor insulation between the maisonettes/flats. Havent putting the heating on this year yet, one window always open, temps not dropped below 21.5C yet.

sevenhills

Racky_Roo said:

The minimum permitted temperature for an office is 16 degrees, I would think it's reasonable that should be the same for a flat.

The OP mentions being cold at night, I would be lovely and warm in my bed, I never have my heating on when I am in bed.
Does the OP mean in the evening? I would think that the OP needs her own extra heating.
I haven't had my central heating on yet.

Alderbank

[Deleted User] said:

I've used Shelter in the past for a separate issue -- I didn't find them very useful tbh. I might contact a councillor, but I'll see what my local housing officer comes up with first.

This is more about finding the legal requirements when the freeholders and landlords aren't the same organisation.

Communal heating is sometimes referred to as district heating or a heat network. 
I agree that Shelter are not usually much help but in this case they do have a useful page:
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/energy-supply/problems-with-your-energy-supply/if-your-home-is-on-a-heat-network/
Because of the way many of these systems were set up there are significant problems with the new Energy Bills Support Scheme.
If you are a Council or Housing Association tenant I agree, talk to them first as every scheme is different.

pinkshoes

UncertainTea said: The remaining council flats, like mine, do not have double glazing -- most of the lease flats do.

A committee or board now make decisions about the day to day running of the block; the cleaning, communal areas, lifts, door systems, external maintenance and heating. 

The board decided the communal heating will not be turned on until the weather drops below 10 degrees constantly -- which means my flat is uncomfortably cold at night.

You need to get onto the council as I'm assuming all the other flats that have double glazing are at a reasonable temperature still at night? It is unreasonable to expect the heating to be turned on for the minority of flats that do not have sufficient insulation. Press the council to double glaze your flat.

In the mean time buy yourself an electric blanket. Apparently some energy companies are giving them away for free! They are a very low power rating (0.04 kW to 0.1 kW) so VERY cheap to run - about 35p for the night!

jj_43

It sounds like a sensible use of communal heating. You remain free to put on your own heating. Talk to the committee.

sidneyvic

I guess the owners of the flats have to contribute their share of the overall bills for the building as part of their lease which is most probably costing them a small fortune that some might be struggling to pay.
The council tenants however will have these costs covered by the council.
It would therefore seem rather unfair that you want to force all the leaseholder's to wack the heating on for your benefit when you could just buy your own electric heater and pay for it yourself......
I very much doubt you have a leg to stand on, heater, electric blanket etc are the way forward rather than alienating all you neighbours.