AIBU to start deducting rent if i can't actually live in my unsafe flat?

[Sazzle41]

My landlord has a 10 yr old Vaillant boiler. The hose went and i was told a product recall of these went out a few years ago so obviously my landlord had left the faulty one in and done nothing about it. It was replaced: the boiler went again. More new parts, it went again. Each time 2-3 days without heat or hot water til gas engineer came to fix.

I now have no heat and hot water again, after 2 more new incidents where water leaked onto a switch below resulting in flames and burnt fuses and elelectrician call out. The overflow pipe has been bodged basically: it comes out of the boiler, runs along and on top of the surfaces in the kitchen and to the sink. Is this bodge which the engineer and landlord are insisting stays in place, safe? They are doing a powerflush tomorrow and insist it will sort it. As its the fourth time the boiler has failed (various other new parts too on top of hose) I am not convinced?

Also for the third time in less than a month its too cold to live there and no hot water on top of so i am staying yet again, at a friends. Its minus 3 today, I am at work despite a terrible stomach bug (self employed no sick pay) and i am losing it tbh. What would mumsnetters do ?

Ring shelter or CAB for advice.

I would get on to the council and check that the landlord has a gas certificate - it is illegal not to have one and this boiler sounds very dangerous.

He needs to give you some type of alternative heating and a kettle will surfise as heated water I am afraid

I would be trying enviromental at the council ....see what they say?

Has he had landlord safety checks done?

it would not be unreasonable but might be unlawful! I would check with cab on what your rights are and as arrrgh says see if checks have been done. Good luck!

Yes, as another poster said, you must ask your landlord for a copy of the gas safety certificate IMMEDIATELY. If they don't provide it in the next couple of days then ring the council for advice, they will give you a telephone number of someone to call to which you can report your landlord.

Has your landlord supplied you with a smoke alarm? Again, he needs too.

I would also invest in a Carbon Monoxide alarm too, you can buy them at B&Q.

I understand why some landlords don't do some repairs(cosmetic) immediateloy but as a landlord myself I would never delay in getting a gas appliance attended too.

I think legally you are allowed deduct an amount in proportion to the issues. So I once moved into a dirty flat so legally could deduct what it should have cost to get a cleaner in.

It is illegal to deduct rent - don't do it!

But that sounds appalling and you need to get in touch with CAB and Shelter.

If you've not already, put in writing what the problems are, when you've complained about them before, and say that you need them fixed asap.

Definitely get a carbon monoxide alarm if you have a dodgy boiler.

Deducting rent is a fast route to getting evicted!

Tell him about the new green deal. He can get it replaced for nothing.

I would stress what others have said (I don't see much rubbish..... aside from the response encouraging you to withold rent).

First step would be to get a Carbon Monoxide alarm. Second, ring Shelter for advice and take it from there. Shelter are ace.

It's highly illegal to not have a gas safety cert. Your landlord could be in big trouble. It could be that this shoddy engineer (sounds like it anyway) is not Gas Safe registered or has provided false credentials or something.

don't deduct rent, ask for electric heaters and ask to see the gas cert and look up the plumber on the gas safe website to check he is qualified
boilers are a pain when they break. i guess the ll has been paying for these repairs but needs to start thinking about a new boiler perhaps

Does your ll respond promptly when you tell him the boiler has gone? If he's doing his best to get it fixed, then I don't think there's much you can do except keep calling him, and ask to see the gas safety certificates. Although I expect you would know about it of the boiler was truly unsafe because the people that fix them are obliged to tell you.

I have no idea how you would find out if there has been a recall on a boiler, so it's very possible he didn't know about it to be able to replace it sooner.

Don't withold rent.

Don't withhold rent as others have said it is a fast track to eviction and the small claims court.

I would ask for the gas cert and get a carbon monoxide detection thing too. Depending what the local rental market is like and the terms of your contact, tell the landlord that if the boiler isn't fixed within a reasonable timeframe you will start looking for another flat. The cost of finding new tennants and the prospect of a few months without the rental income may focus his mind.

Although I expect you would know about it of the boiler was truly unsafe because the people that fix them are obliged to tell you

That is working on the assumption that the landlord is using proper tradespeople. which in my experience they are loathe to do as it might involve spending money, so they'd rather get some jack of all trades who owes them a favour to come round and bodge it.

I think legally a property is not considered properly habitable without hot water

About ten years ago we had this issue and I think we negotiated a 50% reduction in rent for the time it was going on. It might be a good idea to write quite a hard-nosed email to letting agents about it.

I also know when I was a landlord I wouldn't have expected full rent from tenants if they had these problems but inwould have expected for us to reach an agreement before any negotiation was made.

Sorry - before any deduction was made not negotiation.