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AIBU?

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Original poster

Expected to go 2 weeks without heating or hot water

110 replies

parmohotshot · 06/02/2023 12:15

Hi

Private tenant here, the boiler in the property is 20 years old, I know this because the woman who used to own this house lives across the street and she had said boiler installed in the early 2000's!

Over the course of the last year and a half various things on the boiler have failed and there has been at least 10 visits by a heating engineer. The engineers say the boiler needs to be replaced but the landlord is insistent on replacing parts and keeping it limping along.

However on fri 27th Jan the boiler went kaput completely, the pressure gauge had gone to 4 bar and there was water leaking out of it. The engineer came out on the Monday, did a repair then less than 10 minutes after them leaving it failed again, went into lockout.

This resulted in the engineer saying the boiler needs to be replaced and they have sent the landlord a quote.

Managing estate agent said the landlord was blaming the engineer for a poor repair and wouldn't authorise a new boiler.

I kicked off, boiler now authorised but apparently because the landlord didn't pay for the boiler in time I now have to wait until Friday for them to come out and do the job as there's apparently no other availability, meaning I will have gone for 2 whole weeks without heating and hot water!!

Worse still, the estate agents want to come out and inspect this week!!! I can't wash clothes, have a bath (shower works but it's not very nice as the air in the bathroom is freezing), I can't do dishes or anything !!!

I have gone my ends but I've just been told tough titty essentially.

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone, am I being unreasonable to expect a rent reduction or the job to be brought forward???

OP posts:
VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji · 06/02/2023 16:08

I would let them do the inspection to be honest. What do they expect.

use a launderette to dry your clothes and keep the bills, I would act with caution about how I proceed as there’s a good chance you’ll be out at the next renewal if you kick up too much.

you can have a shower at most service stations, it’s what we did when our boiler was out (also private rent). Or join a gym and attempt to claim back.
Your going to have to use the hob to heat the washing up water.

only positive the new boiler should be more efficient so lower bills.

LakieLady · 06/02/2023 16:13

My plumber was here the other day, fixing a small leak that had been going on since the 3rd week in November! I daresay he might have come earlier if it was a real emergency, but he's generally booked up at least a fortnight in advance. He's so busy, he's only doing work for existing customers now. All tradesmen seem to be really busy atm, my mate can't get an electrician for love or money.

Very poor of the landlord not to supply fan heaters though, and stump up some money towards the extra cost of running them. Having said that, you can get them for about £12, and they're great for drying washing.

We were without heating or hot water from before Christmas to early January a few years ago, so I do feel for you. We didn't have an electric shower, either, so I was heating big pans of water on the stove, lugging them upstairs and having very shallow baths. (That was very annoying, it was a new boiler and a part on it had failed within a few days.)

Walkden · 06/02/2023 16:14

Had this happen to me when boiler broke but I had covid at time so had to wait to get someone around.

I got cheap kettles from Tesco etc so boiled 2 when doing dishes. One on the cooker circuit and the other on the downstairs ring.

Dishwasher and washing machine heat water themselves.

To dry clothes I had a heated airer.

Heating wise I lived in 1 room mostly. I tried oil radiators but the thing that worked best was a portable air conditioner with a window kit. The landlord should provide some heaters etc while you wait for central heating to be repaired.

My shower ran off the boiler and cold showers were awful. Ended up with another kettle for upstairs ring, a bucket and a 12v travel shower hooked up to an old car battery!

PrincessConstance · 06/02/2023 16:18

Dp works in this industry.
Two weeks is a quick lead time in the current climate.
As for repairs especially on older appliances, often there are multiple faults that arise rapidly one after another. Unfortunately, you'll just have to manage.

lornmower · 06/02/2023 17:04

I've actually been 2 and a half months without heating or hot water - Mid December - early March 10 years ago

Minimalme · 06/02/2023 17:58

I think the point which many have will fully missed is that OP pays her LL an extortionate amount (much higher than the amount of she were paying off a mortgage) to rent house with a working boiler.

When the boiler started regularly breaking down, the LL should have paid for a new boiler.

But he didn't, presumably because it's not him who will be fucking freezing for two weeks with no way to dry clothes.

As much as I have enjoyed your stories of owning your own home and having to wait for a plumber, it isn't relevant here.

OP - we had a leak for six weeks. Our LL didn't seem to care until we withheld our rent. The leak is fixed now but LL wants to go through insurance to fix the damp and fucked flooring, which will be weeks more.

Since we withheld our rent, out LL has turned up unannounced three times and we have had to host multiple trades to establish who is to blame.

So fucking tedious.

clarrylove · 06/02/2023 18:15

We just had our boiler replaced. Also a 2 week lead time. Gas engineers are busy and some boilers are out of stock.

You have an electric shower so you have hot water. Fill a washing up bowl from that. Take your wet clothes to the launderette this week or ask to borrow someone's tumble drier or just hold off from doing laundry until the weekend.

Ask to borrow heaters from friends/family/neighbours or your landlord.

TiredArse · 06/02/2023 18:20

Do you have a laundrette or one of these locally? www.revolution-laundry.com/en-uk/ Can get loads in the driers and they dry quickly.

Outtasteamandluck · 06/02/2023 18:27

I have just done 4 weeks without heating / hot water. 2 kids too. It was miserable.

Parisj · 06/02/2023 18:29

Well you have a shit landlord, its a crap situation, and not in any way reasonable. Can you take your money elsewhere?

SparkleBrows · 06/02/2023 18:31

It is inconvenient, but I think 2 weeks is quite quick to go from can it be fixed? to no we need a new one to ordering it and finding a contractor to do the work.

I think most home owners would do well to get it done any quicker.

I'd buy an electric heater and keep one room warm and boil a kettle for washing. Probably ask a friend if I could use their washing machine.

SparkleBrows · 06/02/2023 18:33

That said most washing machines don't have a hot water feed these days but heat their own water?

2bazookas · 06/02/2023 18:37

If you have a washing machine it will heat its own water.
Boil a kettle for washing up, or to fill the bathroom basin for a stand-up wash.
An electric shower will still work

You could use a fan heater to warm a room; borrow one or aske the LL to supply one.

HRTQueen · 06/02/2023 18:38

Your landlord should have emergency Homecare cover there is no excuse for how shoddy your landlord has been. When you rent out a property you take on a responsibility and often have to dip your hand on your pocket

but it’s mumsnet one starts with the stupid or nasty remarks and many follow 🐑

CalloohCallayFrabjousDay · 06/02/2023 18:42

All those that are saying you don't need hot water for the washing machine... how exactly is OP supposed to dry the washing in this weather with no heat? And when the landlord starts to complain about mould, what happens then?

PrincessConstance · 06/02/2023 18:42

HRTQueen · 06/02/2023 18:38

Your landlord should have emergency Homecare cover there is no excuse for how shoddy your landlord has been. When you rent out a property you take on a responsibility and often have to dip your hand on your pocket

but it’s mumsnet one starts with the stupid or nasty remarks and many follow 🐑

That's the ideal.
However much like every other industry they're stretched. Dp has larger jobs booked up 12 months in advance.

HRTQueen · 06/02/2023 19:00

You have to pay a premium to have full landlord cover. As a landlord you should supply heaters and reimburse rent (I’ve had to) in situations like this

as a landlord it’s your responsibility to make sure the property you rent out that you financially benefit from is adequate to live in. Heating and hot water is basic, you might have to call around for hours but it doesn’t take 10 minutes to order a couple of heaters from Amazon. You have to at times pay out more than what you might earn from your property that month (or year) but that is how it is

Hankunamatata · 06/02/2023 19:33

You don't ask, you don't get.
Send email asking for heaters to be supplied, money to cover the electric to run them, heated clothes airer to dry your clothes and rent reduction.

2bazookas · 06/02/2023 19:39

Worse still, the estate agents want to come out and inspect this week!!!

Perfect opportunity for you to show them all the problems caused by LL and his ancient boiler , and list what he needs to do NOW (loan kettle, heaters etc)

2bazookas · 06/02/2023 19:42

CalloohCallayFrabjousDay · 06/02/2023 18:42

All those that are saying you don't need hot water for the washing machine... how exactly is OP supposed to dry the washing in this weather with no heat? And when the landlord starts to complain about mould, what happens then?

Tumble dryer? On washing line outside? ask friend to use their dryer/line? Take clean wet laundry to laundrette dryers?

On a rack by a wide open window in bathroom?

NeverYouMindMyName · 06/02/2023 19:44

YABU for expecting a rent reduction I'm afraid, I think you'd have to prove damages in court to get money back for something like this. BUT. Do you have children under 5, any dependants or elderly members in your household? Because that often puts a different spin on things and gives them an obligation to provide emergency support. Not necessarily a boiler fix though, sometimes an urn and some space heaters Smile. If there's a particular reason why you're panicking about being without heat, even if it's your own health, you should get in touch with them and divulge a bit more about your circumstances, if you can.

NeverYouMindMyName · 06/02/2023 19:50

Please also know that despite all of my 'advice' (like I'm qualified Confused) I was actually without hot water for a month when I moved into my home with my DC under 5, and there wasn't a thing I could do about it. In fact I seem to recall I had to pay them even more rent for the first few months, for the privilege of not paying a month upfront.

HolibobsinApril · 06/02/2023 19:54

Those of you who thinks it's possible to get a new boiler installed within 24 hours need to give your heads a wobble!! At this time of year - It is impossible. You may get a survey or a quote within that time but a full boiler replacement is out of the question.

Your landlord needs to offer you electric heating and money to cover the difference in cost. Also, maybe some cash to use a launderette.

But you need to get a grip and use your initiative!

Ask on FB for friends who may have a spare kettle
Go to a launderette
Use a bowl of luke warm water to wash the dishes etc.

Mew2 · 06/02/2023 19:55

You can't necessarily say it is an extortionate rent...
I am a landlord my mortgage has gone up from 3% a year ago, to nearly 10% now (an extra £300 a month as a buy to let customer)- the rent in that time has gone up by £60....
It now costs me about £250 more a month to run than I get in rent....
I hate how people blame landlords for rent prices (however we always pay much more than the base rate for mortgages)- and lots of us small landlords are now losing out month on month....
However I have cover on my boiler and someone will go out within 24hrs to look at it. How do you know the landlord has the £10,000 to get a new boiler....

PonkyPonky · 06/02/2023 20:00

I feel your pain! This exact situation happened to me a couple of years ago. Landlord dithered about getting multiple quotes for a couple of weeks while there was snow on the ground and we had a newborn! I didn’t get anything in terms of rent reduction or even sympathy. I used the hob to do baths for the baby then we showered at in-laws house. I would ask them for electric heaters and use the laundrette for your washing. Definitely ask for the rent reduction though, some would say yes I’m sure. This was actually one of the many situations that made us determined to to buy our own place. Along with being told we were lucky to even have a garden when we chased up why the fence was still not fixed after 3 months of sharing gardens with the neighbour 🙄