Plumbers! If a boiler breaks down in winter, are you meant to prioritise households with babies?

[SpeedyGonzalez]

Please say yes. Somebody say yes!

Are you renting? If so your landlord should especially if it's a HA.

Otherwise I would have thought private plumbers could atke on whatever jobs they wished.

Hope you get it sorted soon. I have a newborn and it must be really worrying.

*take

Thanks! We are renting, yes, but not HA. I wad thinking more about plumbers' obligations, somehow I thought the law required them to prioritise babies and elderly people.

Plumbers -unless on council/ha contract - can do what they like.

No, no law I'm afraid. Def get on to your landlord though. Make a fuss!

nobody is a priority!!

hot water and heat arent a necessity...apparently!! according to HA....no laws it seems

Why would the law tell them who they should work for Sorry for your situation but you can't make them come to see you. Google local plumbers and call and call.

No sorry. We go out to emergency callouts on a first come first served basis according to who is available with the relevant qualifications.

We have in the past pulled somebody off a job when the heating broke down in an old peoples home who were regular customers and we are also MUCH more likely to prioritise someone who gets their annual service from us.

How bizarre. Can't imagine where I got that idea from. Oh well, thanks all!

On the plus side your landlord will need to have gas safety checks carried out each year. These are relatively simple jobs so an engineer who has his regular custom for those is more likely to respond faster to a call out.

We've got boiler coverage with one of the energy supplies and when our boiler broke down last winter they did ask if there was any babies or elderly people as they would try to send someone quicker if so, but that was just a company thing not a legal obligation.

If you have cover from your gas provider they should get a engineer out same day if there are babies or elderly in the house.

Thanks elpha. Jamie and Katie, perhaps that's where I got the idea from, probably a British Gas ad or something! Glad to see it's not just my imagination doing odd things. Gosh, 'tis cold...will slip under duvet. Thanks again, everyone!