Can you stay with family if no heating or hot water?

[IsabelleSE19]

Our boiler has conked out and won't be replaced for another five days. At least four of those days are forecast to be temperatures around freezing. Is it reasonable to stay with family members until then? (They have a self-contained outbuilding, and no, I am not Dominic Cummings.) It is about a two and half hour drive from us. Government guidance says you can stay away from home if you have a reasonable excuse, but our situation is not really described in the list of those excuses. The closest one is 'if you are unable to return to your main residence', but that's not really accurate either. WWYD?

I’m pregnant and asthmatic, if our boiler breaks we will drive to my parents house an hour away!

I'd go. Some people are so ridiculous about "the rules", not a chance in hell would I force my child to sit in a freezing cold house for 5 days. Covid is not the only thing that matters.

You can stay somewhere else if your house in uninhabitable. I would class no boiler/hot water as uninhabitable in this weather!

@Waxonwaxoff0

I'd go. Some people are so ridiculous about "the rules", not a chance in hell would I force my child to sit in a freezing cold house for 5 days. Covid is not the only thing that matters.

It's not even against the rules, some people just make up extra rules!

@Waxonwaxoff0
It’s not about the rules necessarily. Even if we weren’t in a pandemic, I wouldn’t be upping sticks to travel for hours to stay with a relative just because the boiler had broken. A few days without central heating and hot water is fine - even in winter.

We had a power cut for over a day the other week and it was so miserable. I appreciate you have power but the cold really gets to you especially when it’s freezing. I wouldn’t judge you for going especially since it’s a self contained outbuilding.

[quote daisypond]@Waxonwaxoff0
It’s not about the rules necessarily. Even if we weren’t in a pandemic, I wouldn’t be upping sticks to travel for hours to stay with a relative just because the boiler had broken. A few days without central heating and hot water is fine - even in winter.[/quote]
It might be fine for you, it wouldn't be fine for me. If they're going straight there in a car then what's the issue?

If you can’t afford or get quickly enough some electric heaters fhen yes of course, you’re not expected to jeapordise your health. Thr flood victims were moved out as an example of a recent similar activity.

I would without question. You’re in a difficult situation and the rules allow it.

There are people on here who seem to think there will be gold stars handed out for best lockdowning though.

[quote daisypond]@Waxonwaxoff0
It’s not about the rules necessarily. Even if we weren’t in a pandemic, I wouldn’t be upping sticks to travel for hours to stay with a relative just because the boiler had broken. A few days without central heating and hot water is fine - even in winter.[/quote]
Wouldn’t be fine for me either, no friggen way.

I grew up in days heating was one of those 3 bar electric heaters, I hate being cold.

My boiler went, it was colder in my house than outside. Had it fixed within 24hrs as having small child is classed as emergency.

There are list of medical issues that is deemed being priority emergency.

@Waxonwaxoff0

There are two risks:

1. The OP and her family may well have COVID and will be taking it hundreds of miles away.

1. There is always the chance of a car accident on a journey of that length. That is the last thing our poor doctors and nurses need at the moment.

On the other hand, there is no risk from staying at home with junkers and blankets and sucking it up.

Thanks for replies – we've all been doing Just Dance on the Switch so nice and warm now!

Me and DH WFH and the DC aren't at school, also we get shopping delivered so minimal risk from our side I think. But it is a long drive. We've managed to borrow one electric heater and already had one not-great one from Lidl. Might be able to borrow more - a friend thinks she might have some. It feels okay at the moment but it's a lot warmer today than it will be Sun-Wed. I'm still torn to be honest!

I'd go, or book into a hotel nearer to home if possible to avoid the travelling. Don't listen to all the misery martyrs.

I would go.

By the way, new Covid rules stipulate that everyone using the phrase 'suck it up' has to give me £5, and if they add 'buttercup' the fine is doubled.

"So for example- while we're technically allowed once per day, once a week is perfectly adequate for most people and safer for others."

To do what? Take a dump?

I wouldn’t take advice from the Mumsnet martyrs.

On the other hand, there is no risk from staying at home with junkers and blankets and sucking it up.

Actually most hospital admissions are from accidents in the home so no, that’s not correct.

I can’t imagine a broken boiler makes life any safer either.

It didn't occur to me that hotels would be open actually – will check as we have a Premier Inn nearby. Not ideal for working but could at least be warm at night.

[quote FizzyPepsi]@Waxonwaxoff0

There are two risks:

1. The OP and her family may well have COVID and will be taking it hundreds of miles away.

1. There is always the chance of a car accident on a journey of that length. That is the last thing our poor doctors and nurses need at the moment.

On the other hand, there is no risk from staying at home with junkers and blankets and sucking it up.[/quote]
If they can go on a 2 and a half hour journey I'm assuming they are able to work from home so the chance of them having Covid is small.

I’m doing this next week when ours gets replaced. I have a baby and a 4 year old and I’m driving 1.5 hours to my dad.

I dunno why everyone always brings up "poor" NHS staff either. My mum works frontline in a major hospital and no way would she stay in a house with no heating for 5 days herself.

Yes. I would.

Many years ago (before children though) we were in this position. We managed. Bought a cheap blow heater for £10, borrowed earn from work to boil larger amounts of water and had small function baths. This was week before Christmas so it was cold.

Unless you have small children I don't see the need.