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Original poster

Help! No heating there for 3rd night and we're freezing!

53 replies

Cony23 · 19/02/2022 05:16

Hi. We are renting and this is the 3rd night since the boiler has broken down. I let the landlady know since the night it happened and she tried to find someone ho have a look for repairs but it's too old to be repaired! ( I let her know last winter that boiler is not working right but said the gas engineer didn't flag any problems)
Now the day before yesterday she said she doesn't find anyone to install a boiler and yesteday she said she's been speaking to a company I redirected her to but the earliest they can come is Tuesday! I have 4 kids under 5yo and the youngest is only 2 weeks. We have 2 small radiators but just being wake up of one of the kids as it's freezing cold. What can I do?

OP posts:

miraveile · 19/02/2022 05:49

any family or friends you can all decamp to even if you split up? Will landlady pay for a hotel?

LetTheBirdsSing · 19/02/2022 06:00

Oh no, you poor thing! Do you have the funds to buy some cheap electric heaters to tide you over until the heating can get fixed? And an electric heated throw? I would be looking to get the landlord to reimburse you for those costs but for now I’d just focus on getting you and your family warm. Do you have:can you get hold of hot water bottles to go in beds (not the baby’s obviously).

Your local council may offer you temporary heaters, some do. With four very young children you should be prioritised if your council runs such a scheme.

Best of luck

Kissmycousinkate · 19/02/2022 06:04

Ask the landlord to buy some heaters. I'd all be in one room if you cam, get all your bedding and just heat that room. I know it won't be easy but you just have a couple of days. You could spend day times out but all sleep in together

Caspianberg · 19/02/2022 06:06

Can you decamp the children all into one room, probably yours for the next three nights? That way the heater can keep one room warm for sleeping. Pile the older ones in your bed, and younger in carrycot or travel cots.

LollyLol · 19/02/2022 06:33

Tell the landlady you are buying heaters and electric blankets and you will be withholding from the rent to pay for the heaters and blankets and also withholding the cost of the extra electricity.

Tell landlady that she can have the heaters and blankets (as effectively she has both them) as soon as the problem is fixed.

LollyLol · 19/02/2022 06:34

Bought them, not both them

Colderthanever · 19/02/2022 06:36

@LollyLol

Tell the landlady you are buying heaters and electric blankets and you will be withholding from the rent to pay for the heaters and blankets and also withholding the cost of the extra electricity.

Tell landlady that she can have the heaters and blankets (as effectively she has both them) as soon as the problem is fixed.

Please don’t do this. But do call her and tell her it’s unhabitable and she either pays for some cheap heaters till it can be fixed or alternate accommodation,

You can though say you will buy yourself if she approves purchase and confirms in writing that the payment should be deducted from next months rent. In this instance they would be hers when you leave.

Original poster

Cony23 · 19/02/2022 08:37

I can't take them all to sleep in one room as bedrooms are tiny and also not a point as they can't be kept so many days in one room, they play and need to keep moving not like you'd give a phone or tablet and a blanket to a older child. I was wondering if there's companies that can come sooner.

OP posts:

Hollyhead · 19/02/2022 08:40

On a practical note make sure they have enough layers on - thinner layers are more effective at keeping heat in rather than one thick layer. Put hats on them too it helps keep you warm, little kids won’t notice while playing. Hope you find a better solution soon.

Caspianberg · 19/02/2022 08:50

I don’t mean keep in one room all day, but overnight.
So 7pm move heaters into 1-2 bedrooms, then after 30mins those rooms should be warmer. And put smallest two in your room, and the other three sharing. You can go in later at 10pm maybe and put heater back on for 15mins to warm up again.

Akire · 19/02/2022 08:53

You could always try ringing up companies yourself and asking how long. Normal day 1 report fault. Day 2 landlord gets plumber out. Day 3 landlord told of report and needs new boiler. Company say we can fix a new one in 3 days. It’s most of the day job especially if it’s old and pipes will need changing. A decent company may not have someone free to do it that free day even if have the exact boiler you need in stock.

Could one adult sleep in bedroom with a heater and 3 children then your partner (if you have one) sleeps on sofa with a mattress on floor for other 2 with the second heater. Kids who are in layers and running around house playing should be able stay warm even if going from room to room. Especially if 2 rooms have heaters on.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 19/02/2022 09:00

Honestly, given that this is Saturday and they are coming on Tuesday, I don't think you would get anyone quicker (renting or not renting).

If there really is nobody you can stay with, your landlord should provide radiators, and I would focus on keeping the room the baby is in reasonably warm. The older children are bouncing around, and if they are warmly dressed they will be fine. She should also offer to pay for a hotel, but tbh that sounds like a nightmare with a new baby.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 19/02/2022 09:03

Convector heater from Argos , they're cheap and heat the room fast.

EvilPea · 19/02/2022 09:08

What’s your l hot water situation?

MrsMigginsCat · 19/02/2022 09:11

We were in this position before Christmas. No heating or hot water for 10 days. Luckily no small children though. Our landlord provided us with a couple of those small fan heaters and they were great. Set one up in a room and keep the door shut. They soon warm a room up. They are only about a tenner each from Screwfix or similar if your landlady won't buy them which she ought to really

M0RVEN · 19/02/2022 09:15

You won’t get a gas engineer any quicker. You need to focus your energy on getting an alternative heating source for the next few days and wearing appropriate clothing,

You and your children need to wear wearing full sets of thermal underwear and then layers of fleece or wool clothing. Nothing cotton like jeans or sweatshirts.

Hats make a big difference .

MNHQ

DawnMumsnet · 19/02/2022 09:46

Hi @Cony23, we're sorry you're going through a difficult time. We're going to move your thread over to our Chat topic to maximise the responses you get.

Thanks to everyone who's replied so far. OP, we really hope this gets sorted for you soon.

LadyEloise1 · 19/02/2022 09:46

Four children under 5 including a two week old and no heating.
Oh my word !!
My heart goes out to you.
Hope it gets fixed asap.
Those little fan heaters are great but do be careful with them around children as they are a fire hazard - a fire caused by a space heater in New York recently killed 19 people.

Original poster

Cony23 · 19/02/2022 09:48

Hot water is working thanks God, as the tank os switch on electricity now. We've bought a radiator from tool station and is non stop on since boiler broken, day time is in living room where we stay all day except nap time for toddler and night time we took it upstairs. Last night my brother in law brought another small thing that blows hot air and help but can't be left overnight. I'm worried about the next electricity bill

OP posts:

Akire · 19/02/2022 09:56

Fan heaters are very safe I use one. They only work when it’s upright and will cut off straight away if knocked over. Anything in front of it it’s cuts off, soon as room reaches temperature or it’s starts to over heat it switches it self off. There is nothing hot to touch if child tries out hand over the encased fan it will shut off straight away. Honestly your not really helping suggesting an electrical heater will burst into flames and kill whole household.

Daenerys77 · 19/02/2022 10:14

I'd be tempted to buy some electric heaters from Homebase and take them back for a refund when the boiler is fixed.

TooTiredForAdventure · 19/02/2022 10:20

@Daenerys77

I'd be tempted to buy some electric heaters from Homebase and take them back for a refund when the boiler is fixed.

Why would you do that?

LizzieMacQueen · 19/02/2022 10:27

Coming Tuesday for a problem flagged on Thursday (or even last Wednesday) is not that unreasonable so I think you'll have to wait. Is there anything in your rental t & c s regarding alternative accommodation?

Notwithittoday · 19/02/2022 10:30

This happened with my tenants in the first year they were there. Boiler kept breaking down. I took electric fires round until we could get it sorted and I did fit a new boiler. Ask for heaters.

FudgeSundae · 19/02/2022 10:36

I’m a landlord and I’d help you out as much as I reasonably could. What would you like your landlord to do? Buy heaters, put you up in a hotel, help with electricity bill? No harm in asking. I don’t think Tuesday is unreasonable though.

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