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?

We had boiler problems before christmas. We were 3 days not the 5 l, the op mentions. We just used alternative heating. The lack of hot water was difficult but not unsurmountable.

Yes, it’s with the rules.

I actually haven’t any heating on at all.

When the temperature went below minus 10 we broke off Grannie's fingers and had them as ice lollies

That gave me a much needed laugh @RubyandPearl!

@IsabelleSE19 I don’t know, but why take the risk?

Hotels way riskier than staying w family. Go for it OP.

I’d go.
Getting cold so your immune system is depressed is also not ideal in a pandemic.

@SnowmanDrinkingSnowballs

I guess you could but don’t you have any fall back solutions? We have an open fire, several oil filled electric radiators and fan heaters. We would just manage with these and hot water bottles tbh.

Most people aren't doomsday prepping 50 propane tanks and winter wheat in Vermont.

Of course you should go. If it's self contained, what's the risk?

ReluctantHomeSchooler you don't know? But you said I'd be breaking them?

I am extremely against people bending the rules OP but this is one of the scenarios where you absolutely would not be being unreasonable to move out until the boiler gets fixed, maybe in the middle of summer you might be but when its forecast to be the coldest weekend of winter in some areas then definetely not unreasonable !

I don’t know, but why take the risk?

Because she’ll be cold and miserable and it’s potentially dangerous to her health.

And she should do all this despite you not even knowing it’s against the rules.

That’s batshit reasoning.

I’d go if you want to. But I also think Covid is almost a red herring here. I would probably find it more hassle to pack and travel then just stay home and suck it up. Does your parents outbuilding have WiFi/phone reception for example? That might be my decider!!

Equally with bubbles- technically allowed but not really within the spirit of the rules and most people could do without imo.

Honestly just go.
Do you need to ask Boris’s permission for every daily decision? 😳

I guess you could but don’t you have any fall back solutions? We have an open fire, several oil filled electric radiators and fan heaters. We would just manage with these and hot water bottles tbh

Pissing myself laughing at this. We live in a 500sq ft flat with no garden and no loft. Oh yes, we have tonnes of alternative heating solutions just scattered about the place.

Some really do live on another planet don't they.

@elizabethdraper

At one point it was -8 outside and we lsurvived Snowflakes anyone

Yep. I'd be twinned with a snowflake if I stayed in an unheated house in the predicted temps for the next 5 days.

Just bloody go, OP.

I wouldn't think twice about going.

There will always be posters on these threads who will say "No!" just for the sake of it.

Listen to common sense.

Common sense to me is staying where you are. To uproot your family, your work, and transport everything and everyone across country, just because the boiler is broken is insane. It’ll be fixed in a few days. Nothing to do with a pandemic.

Who will let the boiler repair person in if your are 2.5 hours away?

@SnowmanDrinkingSnowballs

Who will let the boiler repair person in if your are 2.5 hours away?

Surely you would come back for the appointment as it’s not as if you need to leave afterwards since the heating will be back on.

@alwaysplayingplaydoh

I guess you could but don’t you have any fall back solutions? We have an open fire, several oil filled electric radiators and fan heaters. We would just manage with these and hot water bottles tbh

Pissing myself laughing at this. We live in a 500sq ft flat with no garden and no loft. Oh yes, we have tonnes of alternative heating solutions just scattered about the place.

Some really do live on another planet don't they.

In that sized flat one oil filled radiator would be enough and as someone mentioned unthread they are £15 from a descent sized supermarket.

@FizzyPepsi what an absolute joy you are! Bubbles are not against the “spirit” of the rules there is no “spirit” there are rules and bubbles are allowed and a lifeline to people. Also exercising once a day is not a rule it’s guidance and it’s not enough for most people who give a damn about their mental and physical wellbeing let alone once a week. I’m a runner in normal circumstance I run 4 times a week and go to the gym or swim on the other days so you think I should sacrifice my fitness because it’s not in the spirit of your interpretation of the rules?

OP you have no heating it’s cold, if your family aren’t vulnerable just go no one is going to stop you and check anyway. We really need to get back to being able to make decisions for ourselves as adults without feeling the need to ask random strangers on the internet.

I would go. I was without heating for 2 days a few weeks ago and it was miserable. I did have a few fan heaters but they were absolutely useless and it was freezing in the bathroom. Staying in a cold house could be dangerous. You could get hyperthermia, have an accident with a fan heater or you could have an accident whilst boiling water in order to wash.

Boiler will not arrive until Wed so we would come back Tues. But tonight we've had an electric radiator in the lounge and it worked well, so maybe it will be okay. Warmer today though!

I have three points -

1. I work for a holiday home company. Obviously we are closed but we are allowed to take bookings in exceptional circumstances or if they are key workers. We have to get a special permit from our council based on individual circumstances and display it in the window. We’ve had two separate families stay in properties, one because their boiler broke down and the other because their electrics failed. So it is allowed and you should go.

2. What is with people coming over like 2.5 hours away is the other side of the world? I drive 40 minutes each way for my commute three days a week, before that I drove 1.5 hours each way five days a week. My family life 300 miles away and I’ve done that journey for a night or two nights regularly. 2.5 hours for 4 nights is perfectly fine and reasonable. You should go, OP.

And finally, 3) You should go, OP.