thinking my boiler should get fixed!

[OurMiracle1106]

I rent through a lettings agent. Its shared accommodation. Since September we have had issues with the boiler. So tonight yet again my bath was cold. We had no heating or hot water over Christmas.

I phoned them last week about the problem. Apparently someone was sent out and its fixed so why tonight Is my bath cold yet again?

They have arranged appointments for tomorrow and then no one turns up until Wednesday and they still expect us to be present.

Its been blamed on only a small about (8 pounds) being on the gas. Its the pressure.Its on a clock . We've been told the pumps faulty but apparently the landlady isn't happy with the Cost of a new one.

I'm now at my wits end. I'm yet again on a bus to my best friends house (god bless her) to be able to have a hot bath.

Also as it goes scolding hot to freezing it means we can't shower

Aibu in thinking just freaking pay for a pump n get It fixed. Surely these call out charges are costing more?

This is the landlords responsibility.
We are landlords or professional shared accommodation and last Tuesday one of our boilers went totally up it and they have no heating or hot water.
We need a new boiler but unfortunately it cannot be fitted until next Monday! Thankfully we had a room coming up (obviously not currently re rented due to boiler), one tenant has gone on holiday, one tenant is happy having cold showers and the other tenant isn't too bothered either.
We have a house directly over the road from them which we've cleared with them to have hot showers etc if they want them, and we've provided electric heaters to use.
You cannot be expected to put up with this, your must insist it is sorted with your landlord.

You should also not be expected to be present, but sometimes if no one from the letting agency or the landlord can make it, obviously it helps as it'll get fixed quicker :)

The landlady had surveyors visit one Saturday. She owns the shop downstairs so asked on of her employees to buzz and tell us they would be attending about an hour and a half before hand.

We don't have her details to contact her and the letting agents weren't open to Confirm. She then asked the agency to charge us some of the call out charge as they couldn't access all rooms. I was under the impression they have to give reasonable notice for access? And surely it shouldn't be done through a third party.

It depends on your agreement. If you are on an ast (usually sole lets), they have to give you min 24 hours notice.
Our tenancy agreements mean we have access to our properties 24/7 (we do still inform tenants obviously especially if we are accessing rooms).
The agency should have keys to all your rooms for emergencies.
Sometimes access to rooms is necessary without notice or if we can't get hold of tenants etc. In the case of the surveyor (I assume a gas surveyor?), I assume the LL was trying to get someone in ASAP.
If the LL owns the shops downstairs, can you get her details from them?

Nope it was surveyors and had apparently been booked for a number of weeks as it was also the building site next door surveyor. They had no keys. The landlady nor agency were present. And it wasn't even them that informed us. Just because a random person buzzes our intercom and says the landlord has arranged a visit we are supposed to let them in? without questioning it.

The landlady had know about the cracking for a period of approx 4 months and done nothing.

It was a building surveyor. Unfortunately so not even to fix the boiler.

In the case of an emergency, then it would be essential to let someone in after being informed by the LL, but that wasn't an emergency, and the fact she knew for weeks was not acceptable.
Obviously with an emergency, sometimes not all tenants can be informed straight away (change of phone number etc) and access is required.
Sorry I thought you meant the boiler surveyor and they needed access asap to sort it.
You need to contact the agency and insist this is sorted by the LL.
Do you pay your own bills?

I may be wrong, but aren't you within your rights as a tenant to withhold part of your rent until it's fixed if it's been ongoing for a while? If so, that would perhaps get the LL's focus.

But I could be wrong.

No you cannot withhold rent, but I would certainly be giving my notice if it's not sorted!

Don't withhold rent that's the fastest route to eviction and no reference for future lets. Have dealt witg penny pinching landlords before I would guess that the people they're sending out are either untrained and unregistered handymen or tradesmen doing it as a cash in hand 'foreigner' without their employer knowing (calling in the evening is a tell tale sign) that's why you have got confusing and inexpert advice.

I would be calling the landlady or the agents every morning with a demand thst the pump is replaced and a reliable supply of hot water and heat resumed by the 15th February and (on the proviso that you are outside the first six months of the tenancy) you will be looking for a new flat. The cost of advertising and getting new tenants along with the potential of a flat lying vacant for a few months) should be sufficient to spur them into action.

What is it with landlords who think they can do this. Ive noticed a few cases in the last few weeks and two of them were housing associations.....one of whom is supporting a campaign for better access to flats and houses to do the gas safety checks. Another one left someone without heating and hot water for SEVEN WEEKS The articles ive seen about it blame it all on tenants. And doesnt mention no shows from engineers. Ironic

TIN i think the tenant is within their rights to find their own plumber after a while and send them the bill. Assuming the tenant has the money in the first place.