Broken Boiler

Collapse
X
Collapse
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous Next
    #1

    Broken Boiler

    HI - our boiler broke yesterday - our landlord is currently waiting for a quote for a new boiler - however one of the problems we have is that she lives abroad. It consequently means she's able to speak to people in the uk about any sort of business matter for 3 hours in the afternoon. I'm wondering where we stand as tenants with regard how long it takes her to get a new boiler in place, pretty cold in the UK and we don't have hot water either. We have had a number of problems with the property and the landlord has taken time to get them fixed. Normally I wouldn't mind as much but with heating / hot water its something I'm highly concerned in regard to it getting resolved quickly.
    Anyone got any advice - I'm happy to be flexible with things and appreciate things can take a bit of time - but I'm wondering what's considered reasonable when the issue is heating/hot water
    cheers
    Tags: None
    #2
    Being a tenant of course means you should have repairs arranged far faster than a homeowner could manage.

    Comment

      #3
      No not at all - I'm conscious that repairs that might have been considered not urgent have taken sometime in the past - this i'd regard as urgent - and I'm just wondering what people think is reasonable - I've also got to factor in the fact there is only 3 hours during the day that the issue can even be looked at! I'm just wondering at what point (and hopefully it doesn't come to that) I'd need to go further.

      Comment

        #4
        I won't deal with the legal issues/address for service of landlords who live abroad here.

        I would

        a) Write to landlord to say that you wish to purchase 3 or 4 electric heaters in the meanwhile, and you wish to subtract that from your rent. Also say that you would wish her to pay any excess electricity costs (minus gas savings) over the period. Regardless how how she responds, go ahead and do that (wait a day or so to make sure it is not something simple and will be repaired immediately) making sure your expenditure is reasonable.

        b) Do you have an electric shower? If so, the lack of hot water is a trivial issue.

        c) With your electric heaters you really will be in a similar position to that if the heating system was working.

        Make sure everything is well documented. Remain polite.

        Depending on the problem/cause it is reasonable for it to take however long a homeowner would take to find a DECENT workman (not just the first who answers the phone). However she has to get on to dealing with it today. It may take weeks to get a new boiler quoted and fitted.

        Also offer to facilitate the repair (waiting in for workmen etc) as far as possible.

        Comment

          #5
          Unfortunately we don't have an electrical shower - the boiler has been faulty a number of times, and yeah we always make sure we are available to facilitate any repairs (and there have been a lot believe me!)

          Comment

            #6
            No immersion heater, I take it?

            Comment

              #7
              You could suggest the landlord allows you to sign up to one of the many repair contracts around (eg British Gas) and deduct the monthly charge from the rent. You could then arrange the engineer visit to suit you.

              Comment

                #8
                The first figures that Google returned ( https://www.gght.org.uk/home-repairs...riorities.aspx ) were between 4 and 48 hours to a restoration of heating, depending on detailed circumstances. That includes, for example, loads of fan heaters, rather than a repaired boiler. In general, only social landlords quote such figures.

                It's a condition of my council's selective licensing that there should be provision for handling emergencies if the landlord is absent.

                Comment

                  #9
                  I live in the US at the moment, 7 hours behind the UK, yes its difficult BUT when my boiler broke I had someone out within 2 days, one thing she should have in place is a boiler cover or she should have tradesmen lined up who she trusts so if something goes wrong she can get in touch with them immediately, its not acceptable to be without heating or hot water for any longer than a day or two in my opinion.

                  Comment

                    #10
                    its not acceptable to be without heating or hot water for any longer than a day or two in my opinion.
                    thats your opinion NOT fact.

                    as others have pointed out, its not always that simple. there is nothing to stop the OP going out and getting heaters is there? if I was that cold thats exactly what I would do.

                    beg steal borrow or heaven forbid actually buy one if its that bad. when someone is that cold its not about who pays, what went wrong, its about keeping warm !

                    I do think it is a good idea though for an overseas or distant landlord to have some sort of emergency cover that the tenant (or agent) can access

                    Comment

                    Previous Next

                    Latest Activity

                    Collapse
                    • Can I ask for a doctors note
                      michael james
                      Hello, I am looking for advice regarding a tenant who initially told me in December that he had been in hospital for 2 weeks for an operation on his nose and would not be able to pay his rent until January 2017 saying he will have to stay in hospital longer another 2 weeks at their request and as a...
                      18-01-2017, 11:39 AM
                    • Reply to Can I ask for a doctors note
                      michael james
                      Hello all, I have phoned the police regarding the room but they are saying it is a civil matter if the tenant occupies the room. They said I could change the locks but they just advised both me and my tenants to phone them if there are any more incidents. My tenants are not going to do this again as...
                      23-02-2019, 10:05 AM
                    • Gifted appliances
                      Commonsense
                      I hope I’m ok to ask a question as a tenant here! I have lived in a rented property for almost ten years. It’s rented from a large housing association at market rate rent on an assured shorthold tenancy. Within the rent, we pay a service charge of about £30 a month for maintenance of landscaping,...
                      22-02-2019, 10:40 AM
                    • Reply to Gifted appliances
                      nukecad
                      HA's do have to carry out GSC's, although some don't seem to think so and subsequently get into trouble for not doing them:

                      http://www.agsm.uk.com/as-a-number-o...for-providers/

                      Even if they remove the appliances and cap off the pipe they still have to have that inspected....
                      23-02-2019, 09:49 AM
                    • MCOL contested, gone to mediation, no reply from T
                      Berlingogirl
                      Just a quick question - I made a MCOL, which has gone to meditation due to T's request. If the T does not respond to the mediator to agree the date within the given time does the claim go to an actual court or can I request judgment via MCOL?...
                      23-02-2019, 09:30 AM
                    • Reply to Gifted appliances
                      Berlingogirl
                      I'd be interested to know too....
                      23-02-2019, 09:22 AM
                    • Giving Notice
                      jasper74
                      Hello, this is my first post.

                      I am about send a notice to quit to my tenants, they have been there for over 3 years. The tenancy began on the 27th day of the month. My question is, does it have to end on the 27th or can it end on any day of the month, say the 2nd?

                      Thanks...
                      22-02-2019, 20:18 PM
                    • Reply to Giving Notice
                      mariner
                      You think?
                      You should also include 'Info reqd from new posters' from the stickies.
                      23-02-2019, 04:24 AM
                    • Help with bad landlord
                      SacreLao
                      I have a friend who has rented a property on an assured shorthold tenancy for 3 years now. The tenancy has long expired and so has automatically converted into a periodic tenancy.

                      Recently following an inspection the boiler in the property was condemned and switched off as a result. She...
                      21-02-2019, 16:00 PM
                    • Reply to Help with bad landlord
                      KeepTheFaith
                      She seems to have her own ideas of how the law works, else she is trying to convince you that's how the law works.

                      You have told her she can't just write that she is putting it up without your friends agreement and your friend doesn't have to leave if she doesn't pay the increase. No need...
                      23-02-2019, 01:09 AM
                    View All
                    - Advertisement -
                    Working...
                    X