How long is acceptable to be left without heating?

[lostandforgotten]

Living in a housing association property and the heating has broken down this morning. I am more annoyed as it was already leaking brown fluid all over my worktops when the engineer came out to look at it and the part was supposed to have been ordered and it turns out it hasn't although I'm not sure if this part is the reason it's broken down. The lady on the phone says it will be tomorrow when someone can come out and couldn't give me a time, they've got till 4 o'clock apparently. They are also refusing to provide any temporary heaters and told me to put some more blankets on . I also have no hot water either expect the shower. It's snowing a blizzard out there aibu that this isn't acceptable and they need to do something today?

If your boiler is a condenser it may be worth checking the flue outlet is clear as they can freeze in cold conditions. You and they cannot know it is the same fault and you are probably not the only tenant with no heating.

OP - what were you hoping people would say?

"Yes, it's totally unreasonable of them. They should have heating engineers, fully stocked with all the parts that might possibly be required, on site within 3hrs, and guarantee a full repair within another 3hrs of arriving."

That's not the real world. You could be a millionaire and you still wouldn't get that.

@LIZS

If your boiler is a condenser it may be worth checking the flue outlet is clear as they can freeze in cold conditions. You and they cannot know it is the same fault and you are probably not the only tenant with no heating.

This is a good shout.

@lostandforgotten. Have you been told yet how many homeless families you denying a roof over their head?

Don’t mention about the ponies you keep in the garden they get enraged enough if you have a tv.

Hope you managed to get heaters off a friend.

Always said council are better than H/A as they are regulated and scrutinised.

Op is also accusing posters of being out of touch with the real world - while ignoring everyone telling her she is out of touch with the real world!

Quite. Perhaps it hasn’t occurred to OP that many homeowners used to rent? Privately and/or even in - gasp - social housing? And may have much hard-earned experience of sorting out heating problems in different scenarios?

OP, it is rubbish that you have no heating. NOBODY is denying that. NOBODY thinks you deserve worse service because you rent. Some people do appear to think that because you pay £500/m you ‘can’t expect much’ which IMO is rude and illogical, but may be a knee jerk reaction to your apparent belief that paying £500/m entities you to instant service from your HA.

Honestly OP, I don’t know how old you are but if you adopt this bitter, demanding victim attitude when something completely normal happens to you, life is going to be difficult.

OP I think the service you're getting is not unreasonable, as long as the delay in them getting out to you doesn't go on for more than a day or two. You can still have a warm shower to warm up a bit. We own our home, and were without heating for a few days plus no hot water at all for about 36 hours, and it was the no hot water that was the real bother. We didn't have anyone to direct our blame to or demand heaters from, so just had to put up with it until an engineer had availability.

@LIZS

If your boiler is a condenser it may be worth checking the flue outlet is clear as they can freeze in cold conditions. You and they cannot know it is the same fault and you are probably not the only tenant with no heating.

I'd never thought if this, I'm glad now our boiler outlet was fitted into the sink waste now, I had wanted him to run the pipe outside

I'll say it again. It's not acceptable to be without heating, none of us would be happy and it's an essential service. So you're right to feel annoyed. However, There needs to be a realisation that crap happens and you have to wait. At this point in the year there would be delays as all companies prioritise their most vulnerable customers, on top of that, British gas who has the biggest customer base is on strike and using other people contractors and ph jones who is potentially cover your housing association property, are covering the strike action.

It's the same as anything though, is it acceptable that people need to wait for medical treatment? Of course not, but if your NHS or private there will always be a wait and priority to who is seen first.

The demand is currently high, everyone is struggling, there are several posts stating that people are without heating on here, so sucks, but constantly going on that it's not acceptable isn't really going to get you anywhere. Everyone would agree it's not ideal, but there isn't a lot that can be done. Lots of people have offered suggestions on how to keep warm, if you have no alternative heat source then ask them to supply heaters.

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable

Top tip though - if you ever want to retrain, heating engineers earn a very good living!

I suggested that to DS. Definitely a job where you are in demand

@tilder

HA is different to owner occupier. They have a responsibility and should deliver. 24hrs sounds pretty quick, but yes ask about alternative sources of heat. £30 to purchase plus running costs is not cheap. I know you are borrowing some, but they aren't cheap to run.

I do understand why you have been getting the responses you have though.

Also. I know HA is different but this:

In my experience our local ha is sloooooow with all repairs, even changing light bulbs can take months

Not from the op but seriously . The HA are responsible for changing light bulbs??!!

In communal stairwells, yes.

That makes sense @NeverDropYourMoonCup. Bit of a h&s issue.

At the HA where I work, we change bulbs in communal stairwells, some forms of outdoor lighting for H&S if they were fitted by the HA and bathroom round sealed unit lights- anything else is tenants own responsibility

Of course a tenants forum is going to be pro tenant. However I can tell you a court would find that as long as a landlord books a plumber/heating engineer within a reasonable time then they are unlikely to be in serious breach of the tenancy agreement.

As other posters have said the HA have acted. If you were an owner occupier you would be in the same situation if the engineer physically can't get to you sooner. Indeed in many of those situations owner occupiers would not only be worrying about the lack of heat but the massive bill they face too.

I’d get an electric blanket and stay in bed I think! electric heaters are expensive to run and only take the chill off a small room.

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable

Top tip though - if you ever want to retrain, heating engineers earn a very good living!

Not according to MN standards they don't and don't forget they have to use the back /service entrance and must not ever use the toilet. 😆

When I had my previous boiler, it packed up on Dec 23rd and the part wasn't delivered until the 2nd week of Jan because the manufacturer closed down over Christmas.

I think we went 3 weeks without heating or hot water in the end. The bloody thing was under warranty, too, we'd only had it installed 6 weeks earlier. They then took about 3 months to pay the plumber's labour charges.

What has taking care of Covid patients got to do with it?!

"@Whyyyyyythough What has taking care of Covid patients got to do with it?! "

Nothing! strategically drip fed so we would all then suddenly feel a huge pang of guilt and agree with the OP's sense of entitlement.

@lostandforgotten I'm sorry you sound really entitled. Temporary heaters?? Just put a jumper in it's only a day!!!

Op yes its shit, I get that but you really coming across as entitled (and out of touch with reality).

Its nothing to do with housing associations (and you are right 'the tax payer' doesn't subsidise for HA/Council property's). Its just that whether you rent or own, getting a professional out to fix boilers takes time.

Hope it gets fixed soon.

@MichelleScarn

No they are outside and and communal stairway lights. The same bulb is used in every ha property. So its kind of sad when the repair man turns up, months later, without the right bulbs but with a docket that tells them what the job is.

I'm surprised you've not been given a temporary heater, at least enough to keep one room warm.

A fix of the fault I can forgive if you've got heat of some kind.

Ah caramel pretty logical when you think of it!

@lostandforgotten

Please explain to me how I am expecting other taxpayers to fund my life? This thread is getting ridiculous. I claim no benefits whatsoever, I pay my own rent out of my wages and how exactly are housing associations funded by the taxpayer? I wish people would get their facts right before getting on their high horse and attacking me. It's almost like people are jealous that I have to live in social housing, it's bizarre

Housing associations are independent not for profits, but commonly receive public funding. So of course its subsidised by the public purse. It’s the new version of council housing, for people who cannot afford to fund private rent or purchase a home.

@lostandforgotten

According to google leaving you without heating for more than two days can be interpreted as a serious breach in the tenancy agreement 🤷🏼‍♂️

Yes it can if you have a baby less than 12 weeks in the property as they can’t temperature regulate and similarly the frail elderly. ‘Can be’ is the key. You’re perfectly healthy and are capable of putting on a jumper.