I live in a housing association property and have been without heating for two weeks. I first reported the issue two weeks ago today (Monday), and an engineer came out the next day. However, they couldn’t fix the problem as they said they didn’t have the necessary parts, which he apologised for and said it was something he usually carry’s around with him. They said someone would contact me to rebook the job. I waited patiently, but I didn’t hear anything back from the housing association.
That Friday, I purchased space heaters to keep warm. The following Monday, I called the housing association to follow up. They apologised and from how the helpdesk assistant was speaking it appeared there had been no communication between them and the repair company. They promised to address the issue, and I accepted that. Later that same day, I discovered I also had no hot water. I informed the housing association, and shortly after, they sent an email to all residents acknowledging ongoing issues with heating and hot water. They apologised for the inconvenience, especially given the cold weather, and said resolving the issue was a priority.
On Wednesday, they sent a follow-up email stating an engineer would come on Thursday to resolve the issue. However, it’s now Monday, 14 days since I first reported the problem. While I now have hot water, I still don’t have heating and continue to rely on an electric heater.
My questions are:
1. What are my rights in this situation?
2. I’ve been without heating for two weeks, and briefly had no hot water. Am I entitled to ask for a rent reduction for this period?
3. If so, what would be a reasonable amount to request for this inconvenience and considering the additional costs I’ve incurred for electric heating?
I wouldn't normally ask for this, but the length of time it's taking and considering how cold it is, I am a little frustrated by this