Social Housing Landlord

rarasarr23

I have lived in my home for 15 years, and according to the Social Housing Landlord's website, boiler replacement should be every 15 years. Every website I've looked at also suggests 10 - 15 years.

My boiler is 15 years old, although was put in two years before the properties were let. It is not as energy efficient as it once was, and my home for the last two winters have been freezing, having to keep the GCH on longer, and the house is still cold. All normal checks done, bled radiators etc.

Also been getting spots of mould around window frame over last two winters, easy to wipe away but it returns.

Now my landlord says, because it's a high efficiency boiler, it could last longer, although I am pushing for a replacement given it's age, as the cold inside here this winter has been awful.

Any tips I can use, and is the mould perhaps connected to a poorly functioning boiler?

theartfullodger

Mould - almost certainly more ventilation & heating, IMHO and experience. Are there trickle vents, if so open??

What EXACTLY does your tenancy or your landlord's website say about boilers, replacement etc?? I'd be very surprised if it specified replacement timescales.. (some go wrong very fast, maybe months, others go on for decades).
s
Have you formally (in writing or email) asked for boiler to be replaced?? If so what reply, please??  How do you know it is not as "energy efficient as it used to be" please?? Measurements??

Your social landlord: - Housing Association or Council??

marcia_

 My aunt in social housing has a 20yr old boiler. Spoke to the HA and they said so long as it works and they can still obtain parts for it it won't be replaced 

rarasarr23

theartfullodger said:

Mould - almost certainly more ventilation & heating, IMHO and experience. Are there trickle vents, if so open??

What EXACTLY does your tenancy or your landlord's website say about boilers, replacement etc?? I'd be very surprised if it specified replacement timescales.. (some go wrong very fast, maybe months, others go on for decades).
s
Have you formally (in writing or email) asked for boiler to be replaced?? If so what reply, please??  How do you know it is not as "energy efficient as it used to be" please?? Measurements??

Your social landlord: - Housing Association or Council??

Housing Association property.

Trickle vents in the windows are always open, have been the 15 years I have lived there. Also over the last two years, I don't half get a draft from the window frames... Not sure if this is the right word, but looks like the window frames have shrunk, as some windows you can see a plastic type insulation film coming out, the frame, which clearly should not be visible.

The landlords website has a page dedicated to planned replacements, and that says boilers 15 years, kitchens 20 years etc.

I have now emailed the gas team with my thoughts and concerns, waiting on a reply. Initially they replied through my neighborhood officer, citing the boiler was installed in 2008 (I moved in 2010, and was the first tenant) and they said they would contact the tenant when it was due for replacing. I now obtained a direct email, so am waiting a response.

I am using more gas, the boiler is one for at least three to four hours more a day, than normally this winter, it just doesn't seem to be heating the flat efficiently.

Also flat does not have a up-to-date EPC certificate, it expired in 2019, a surveyor recently came out to repeat this, earlier this month, but not been updated on gov.uk website yet.

HampshireH

rarasarr23 said:

Also flat does not have a up-to-date EPC certificate, it expired in 2019, a surveyor recently came out to repeat this, earlier this month, but not been updated on gov.uk website yet.

Very unusual for replacement dates to be a commitment. 

There is no need for there to be a new EPC as there hasn't been a new tenancy created. They would only do a new EPC if they required it for works (such as checking for whether it's a C to meet thermal efficiency to get online ready for targets on bringing properties up to a C or after works have been completed.

We've used more gas this winter too but it's been colder which has lead to it being on longer. 

400ixl

I wouldn't be focussing on dates, I would be focussing on the performance of the boiler.

If it is not able to heat the radiators to the correct temperatures then that is what needs fixing, whether that is a service, the radiators flushing or a boiler replacement.

theartfullodger

What EXACTLY does website say about replacement?   E.g. roughly 15 ,years, some time after 15 ,years.. we might start thinking about if it's broken down after 15 years?  Kindly quote EXACT wording please.

FlorayG

HampshireH said:

rarasarr23 said:

Also flat does not have a up-to-date EPC certificate, it expired in 2019, a surveyor recently came out to repeat this, earlier this month, but not been updated on gov.uk website yet.

... They would only do a new EPC if they required it for works (such as checking for whether it's a C to meet thermal efficiency to get online ready for targets on bringing properties up to a C ...

Oh no, this new regulation of efficiency 'C' is only going to apply to PRIVATE LANDLORDS it isn't going to apply to any SOCIAL HOUSING; they will be able to continue to house their tenants in freezing, uninsulated dumps 

Herzlos

rarasarr23 said:

Trickle vents in the windows are always open, have been the 15 years I have lived there. Also over the last two years, I don't half get a draft from the window frames... Not sure if this is the right word, but looks like the window frames have shrunk, as some windows you can see a plastic type insulation film coming out, the frame, which clearly should not be visible.

It sounds like the windows are the problem and not the boiler. If the windows are letting in a draft then the best boiler in the world won't be able to counter it.

How old are the windows? Have you asked the landlord to have someone come out and check them out?

I'm assuming the boiler is being serviced annually and the radiators and taps are getting hot? If so then the boiler seems to be fine.

rarasarr23

Herzlos said:

rarasarr23 said:

Trickle vents in the windows are always open, have been the 15 years I have lived there. Also over the last two years, I don't half get a draft from the window frames... Not sure if this is the right word, but looks like the window frames have shrunk, as some windows you can see a plastic type insulation film coming out, the frame, which clearly should not be visible.

It sounds like the windows are the problem and not the boiler. If the windows are letting in a draft then the best boiler in the world won't be able to counter it.

How old are the windows? Have you asked the landlord to have someone come out and check them out?

I'm assuming the boiler is being serviced annually and the radiators and taps are getting hot? If so then the boiler seems to be fine.

They are 15 years old, same age as the property, although I guess they would have been done 17 years ago, as the property was empty for two years.

rarasarr23

Update: EPC was done in January and now showing on relevant website. Discussed boiler performance with energy team, and they are sending someone out to check if it's working efficiently. If they say it's ok, then I'll focus on trying to get them to offer some extra insulation for the window frames.