To invoice the landlord for boiler repairs without asking?

[OneStepCloserToTheEdge]

My boiler broke on Sunday night. It started setting the fire alarm off, powered down and hasn't worked since. I called the landlord on Monday morning, and text her. Left her a few messages through the day. Nothing. Called British Gas who walked me through resetting it and then said someone would come out.

Tuesday, no-one came. Called in the evening, apparently BG need to speak to the landlord even though I have the homecare numbers etc. Still couldn't reach landlord. Meanwhile, boiler will now turn on but can't ignite, so still no heating or hot water. Yesterday BG promised to come out again, this morning they said they didn't come because they need a £100 excess before sending someone. I paid it, and the advisor said someone would be with me before 1pm today. He said he'd see if he could get them to leave me an invoice for the landlady.

Still no reply from the landlady today, and no-one has turned up from BG yet, so no heating. It is freezing. There is ice on the inside of the windows; I haven't had hot water in four days. It hurts to breathe. British Gas have just text me that an engineer will attend between 3pm and 6pm on Saturday, so I'm on hold again...

Given that I can't reach the landlady, am I doing the right thing? Surely BG should come today? I've got some disabilities (arthritis, asthma, bipolar...) and it's so hard being in such a cold flat. I don't really have anywhere I can go for heating or a shower to be honest.

That sounds dreadful.

I'd be minded to set out in an email/a text (ie. in writing) to the LL that you've tried contacting her x times over the last y days, that this is an emergency, that BG have quoted you £z for the repair and you'll be going ahead with it today unless she tells you that she intends to resolve this some other way.

It's in LL's interests too - if a pipe freezes and bursts it'd just cost her more.

The BG landlord policy we had covered any call outs without needing to contact me as landlord.

Sating that, I do remember spending hours in the phone, again and again trying to get a call out, and then being put back to the start of the process when I was using my own contract as a homeowner. Both BG and your landlord are being unhelpful. I hope they sort it out soon.

Give shelter a call.

As a former landlord we would never leave tenants without heat or hot water, certainly not this time of year. We had a boiler issue with one tenant over Christmas and paid for him to stay in a hotel whilst it was rectified.

england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/responsibility_for_repairs/repairs_in_rented_homes_-_whos_responsible_for_what

Do you know whether or not your landlady has a service contract for the boiler and who it is with?

You shouldn't have to pay directly for anything like that. She should get and pay all of the invoices as it comes under maintenance of the property.

I am a landlady. I arrange the repairs to my properties as and when necessary and give my details to the appointed contractor. All the tenant has to do is let them in.

Keep badgering your landlady by whatever means you have - text, phone calls, emails, etc. It is very poor that she seems uncontactable. It is also illegal, as she should not be leaving you without a reasonable means to heat the place.

Is she managing the property herself, or is there an estate agent involved?If there is an agent involved then get onto them too and explain your problems contacting her, and your lack of heating. They might be able and willing to apply more pressure for you.

Also, ask your landlady when you send your texts, emails etc. whether or not she has a current Gas Safety Certificate. They have to be done yearly, and she is illegal without.

How long have you been there, and in that time has anyone ever been in to service and inspect the gas appliances? If not then she probably doesn't have the certificate, and that might just put the wind up her enough to prompt a response.

You shouldn't have to pay directly for that sort of thing and it's totally not on that it's that hard to get hold your landlady (and I speak as a landlady).

Keep a record of your attempts to communicate, and send another message explaining that as you have been unable to reach her you are going to go ahead and get the repairs done because it is not possible to conine living in the place with no heating in cold weather. Then take it out of next month's rent.

I was coming on this thread to say you were wrong but if you genuinely haven't been able to reach her for several days that's totally unprofessional of her. I've dealt with things like this from the middle of a holiday in Italy (and worse)! It's part of the package as a landlady.

Some landlords really piss me off.

Call BG, tell them that they need to do an emergency call out as you are disabled and have had not heating for 4 days. They need to arrange someone to come out straight away and they should make you a priority.

WRT your landlord, I take it that it is a private let not through an agency? I would send a message that it is an emergency and as you are unable to get hold of them you will pay the next months rent minus the cost of the repairs and send the invoice/receipt to the Landlord.

Good luck. I have not central heating (my own house) and it sucks.

You are not being unreasonable.

The boiler will need repairing whether she is aware now or in a week. Document how you have tried to contact her, give her a deadline, get the heating on. Do not withhold rent (dont deduct without agreement)!but sort it out when she surfaces, if you possibly can. But doublecheck legal position with ?local CAB or probono lawyer or St Google. Don't get sad or ill, but make a fair decision.