Boiler repair - private landlord

[Claireabella1809]

Hi everyone,

Sorry if this is long winded, I will try and keep it as brief as I can and not confuse you all with my story.

I currently live in a privately rented property. I am ‘friends’ with the landlord - not close friends but friendly enough that I would stop and talk to them if I saw them in public. However, the house I’m renting was let through an estate/letting agent.

Last Sunday, my boiler broke. I reported it to the landlord direct as I know letting agent charges them for any call outs or repairs. No one turned up to look at the boiler as I was promised.

Monday I went to the letting agent. They said as I had gone direct to the landlord they would wait and see what happens throughout the day before they intervene but brought me two electric heaters to use in the meantime.

I explained to them that I’m currently 14 weeks pregnant, I have mental health illness, as well as cardiac failure and my DD (age 13) living in the property. We are unable to bath as we also don’t have hot water since the boiler broke. This i feel is unacceptable as DD has menstrual periods and for obvious reasons it is important for her more than anything to be able to maintain personal hygiene.

To try and help the repair situation I said I would see if I was eligible for assistance under the replacement boiler scheme. Turns out I am and the letting agent advised me I am now just waiting on the company to contact me to arrange an inspection and installation of new boiler. On Thursday, I hadn’t heard anything so I rang the boiler company and they told me different information. Basically been given different information from one or the other but they clearly just passing the buck. Meanwhile it’s now Saturday and 6 days since the boiler broke. I have two electric heaters I am using but no hot water. I’m now pulling my hair out as all this time has passed and we are no further along repair wise.

Does anyone have any advice please? Or anyone know what my rights are? Or am I being unreasonable?

That’s useful to know, thank you xx I had a look at the link which was given and I’m going to mention it to them tomorrow xxx

I think I am :-( from what I can gather from skimming over information online it’s the Tennant’s responsibility to meet the running costs of the heaters. Just the LA responsibility to provide them.

Dreading my bill. People have told me they are expensive to run and I’ve had mine on continuous since I had them last Monday. If they’ve had 5 hours turned off then that is the very maximum time it has been since we had them xxx

Hi, I have read your messages and as a landlord myself, who had tenants supposedly able to claim for a new boiler but never got round to it, their boiler broke, within two days I got a new one installed by boxy for a fraction, maybe just over quarter, of what I was getting quotes for. I would not leave then without hot water, I consider it inhumane. Suggest Boxt to your LL, it could work it far cheaper than providing alternative accommodation whilst they scrimp to fix boiler.

Boxt, not boxy

www.boxt.co.uk

Thank you for the recommendation. That’s fab. I’m sure if it’s the cost side of things which is making them drag their feet then they too will be grateful for the recommendation you have given me. Thank you so much xx

@Soooooooo that’s an excellent service they offer on there :-) thank you for pointing me in that direction.

I don’t think it’s particularly cheap but the speed of service they are offering is amazing Plus finance options. No excuse

Please dont leave it until lunchtime for an update from your agents - be on the phone first thing (or go in if its nearby). The squeaky wheel gets the oil and all that.

Thank you, will do xx

Just an update and hoping someone can tell me what to do next :-)

I’ve had a call this morning from an engineer. They are calling Next Wednesday (27th) to do the survey on my boiler and they have informed me that following that they will be able to book the work in to be done.

I have just emailed the letting agent to inform them of this and in short have said that I’m obviously looking at another few weeks without a boiler and asked them if they can advise me of the next steps as I face a further week of up to a few weeks. This is all being carried out through the replacement boiler scheme.

I politely stated in the email that I am happy to have the boiler replaced through the scheme to avoid cost to the landlord but this is an emergency situation and I am facing a prolonged wait still. I also said that I accept that I am responsible for covering the running cost of the electric heaters they have replied but I worry about this going forward as there is still a long wait ahead. My next sentence was is there an alternative or temporary measure we could put in place whilst we are awaiting them to replace the boiler thru the scheme.

It has all been put in writing, via an email so that I have any communication written written down going forward.

Does it sound okay what I have asked them or am I fully expected to wait the next few weeks until the boiler scheme do the replacement? I guess what I’m wondering is if the ball is now out of their court, as we are waiting on the scheme now or do they still have a responsibility to me as a tenant in the interim period?

heaters they have supplied

I really don’t think you should have done that

I would say you insist you have hot water within twenty four hours and that you have waited long enough simple stop being so nice

Sorry do you mean boiler scheme or send the email? Xx

Very straight to the point lol but I know you are right. I just can’t handle fallouts and atmospheres or any sort of confrontation xx

The boiler scheme. The trouble is now if this drags on and on you’ve shot yourself in the foot. They will be able to quote you in writing that you are happy to wait

Ah right got you. Yes you are right there I can see what you mean with that. Luckily I don’t think I used the words happy to wait. I think how I put it was that I am okay with going through the boiler scheme to get the boiler replaced but can they advise me of the next steps as I am still facing the next two weeks without a boiler and hot water.

The next sentence was after that was that this is unacceptable as this is an emergency situation and what will they be doing in the interim period.

Sorry for the confusion. My fault I did say in the post I wrote here that I was happy to wait . Thankfully I didn’t use those exact words coz I can see exactly what you mean. In fact, I was very careful with the wording I used in the email as I know they can use it to life parts and quote me directly.

Panic stations over. Had an update within the last half hour to say for me to cancel the boiler scheme and a new boiler being fitted tomorrow :-) thank god!

That's great news! Roll on tomorrow

Yay! Great news. Lovely heating and hot water! I'm so pleased for you.

Thank you both xxx really can’t wait, feels do good to see a light at the end of the tunnel xx

Blimey, that was quick.

Our boiler packed up the Friday before last and I rang loads of companies to try and get it sorted quickly. The earliest anyone could come and look at it was last Friday, he had to order some parts and we're now waiting for them to arrive and the plumber to come back and fit them.

I'll be amazed if it's sorted in under a fortnight.

Lots of plumbers/boiler engineers round our way seem to have retired over the last few years, there aren't anything like the number of firms there used to be.