No hot water or heating since Christmas Day

[Sabrina961]

I have not had heating or hot water since Christmas Day morning, my boiler just stopped working. I contacted my landlord on their emergency number on 26th and they got an emergency engineer out on the 27th - engineer said boiler is unfixable and they need to replace my boiler but would need scaffolding due to me living in a flat. He provided me with 2 little heaters as I have a 10 month old and 4 year old. Then got a call 5 minutes after he left my property to say they can’t get any scaffolders down to me so need to wait for that to be done before sending engineer out. Scaffolding has been up for 4 days now and still no engineer. I have been calling them back and they have no direct answer to when an engineer can attend. Now due to the snow (I have 1cm snow where I am) my 10 month old and 4 year old are now poorly coughing and sniffly and both always end up hospitalised across winter months and I’m really trying to prevent this all from happening again as our last stay in November was for 5 days with oxygen tubes for baby. My landlord isn’t fussed, gas company hung up on me after couldn’t give me a clear answer. My electric meter has sky rocketed across this week and half and I cannot afford to keep topping up right after Christmas and still isn’t helping with heating my home up much as it’s -3 here.

surely having babies in a property is priority emergency? I was told has to be sorted within 24-48 hours of first contact. I am still no closer to a boiler, hot water and heating. Where do I stand? Is there any advice or guidance anyone can do for what I need to do now?

Threaten environmental health and ring them at your local council

Thank you, will this push it forward do you think?

Is it a private landlord or social housing?

Doesn’t have to be fixed within 24-48 hours that’s unreasonable especially with a combination of replacement/scaffolding/weather/time of year etc.

now the scaffolding is up I’d imagine it would have moved forward but the weather hampers it.

cold won’t make your children ill but it is miserable. Anyone you ca stay with?

you could ask your landlord for more efficient heaters? Oil filled are good. We gave our tenant some electricity credit and good heaters whilst we waited on a boiler part to come. Thankfully it wasn’t the depth of winter.

Put the heater in your front room and keep the door shut all the time so it keeps one room nice and toasty. Do the same with the other in the bedroom.

It's really bad timing as engineers will be super busy this time of year plus the holidays.

It's really common to have to wait over a week for an engineer even when you own the property. I think most people who own a house have been in the same situation once of twice. You need regular updates but I don't think it's necessarily the LL's fault.

My boiler has been erratic since the beginning of November, it has now failed completely and I'm due to have a new one installed at the end of this week. I have an excellent heating engineer who has been out several times, including on Christmas Eve, with attampted fixes but there have been a lot of delays waiting for parts. He said he's been overwhelmed with people who aren't regular customers hoping he could help them in an emergency and he's had to turn a lot of them down. So I think that it's really difficult to get heating fixed at this time of year and people are probably already doing their best for you. By all means chase it up but I'd get some more heaters too if you can.

I completely forgot that I had an immersion heater in my tank as a backup and until the engineer reminded me I was showering at the gym. At least now I have hot water. Is it possible that you have one too?

I d keep calling the landlord and pushing.
As others suggested , I'd put a heater in the living room/ lounge and keep the door closed and the other in a bedroom.
I think the time frame of having to be sorted in 24-48 hours is very unrealistic, which won't be helping your mindset.
The boiler needs replaced and you have the added complication of needing scaffolding etc.
We were without a boiler for 12 days due to engineer availability for fitting our new one. That was at the end of August, I am guessing they will be even busier now because boilers are significantly more likely to run in to problems in the winter.
Edited to add we own the property, so even when you are paying yourself and not relying on a landlord etc there is a wait.

go to your local council private rental department and ask them to help you get this sprted

also if you are on a low income/UC then put in for dip, as this will help with household expenses

Yeah I have one in living room and one in hallway so it points to both the kids rooms for evenings etc to warm up their rooms before bed time. Unfortunately they are both very low immune children so tend to get poorly a lot quicker than others. Which is my only concern, if it was just myself I would not be fussed about the wait. And I totally agree, the timeline is not realistic at all especially during winter months and now snow as a factor. I have now had another call to say they are hoping the engineer can get out to me tomorrow - weather dependant. So fingers crossed. I am housing association, and the current boiler has been breaking on and off 3/4 times a year and I’ve been here 8 years. Luckily the housing association has changed over gas companies recently else I really don’t think they’d of said I need a new boiler finally!

I hope by this time tomorrow you have your new boiler. I was so happy when I had hot water again, it was a long 12 days!

Put the kids in the same room together and one heater for that and the other for living room/your room.

Cold very much makes people ill @UncharteredWaters especially children and old people. You would not tolerate what you expect your tenants to put up with.

your local council should have a private landlord section speak to them also

Housing association? Are you just calling the contractors or the HA as well? It's worth complaining to the HA so they are aware and can light a fire under their contractor to get moving.

Also complain about the increased costs of the temp heaters. My HA provides rent credits for these additional costs.

I contacted my HA first, who then put me through to gas company. I have been speaking to both of them and neither have many answers tbh. I have emailed my HA today in regards to electricity costs etc so that it is in writing

thank you!

Both my boys suffer with low immune systems, soon as weather dips for winter they are always getting chest infections, colds, coughs etc so yes children can definitely get poorly from cold weather. It was only in November that my baby had a 5 day hospital stay due to chest infections and other factors that he needed oxygen for. Obviously their health is my priority

the scaffolding has arrived so that show intent. You don’t just go to a store and buy a boiler. It needs to be ordered and shipped and somebody be available to install….over a number of bank holidays and a peak period.

I agree you need it sorting, I do believe your landlord is on it. The timing is unfortunate.

I wouldn’t keep the kids in separate rooms if it’s freezing, can they not come in your bed with a heater in the room to keep warm?

OP, I don't have any advise but can empathise, as I've had no heating or hot water since yesterday lunchtime!

Thank you everyone!

engineer came out at 8 this morning, started all his work and realised I have a gas leak when he went down to the meters. Which he then had to get Cadent out to sort the leak so he could carry on his job.

Turns out that Utilita installed my gas meter incorrectly 2 months ago and it has been leaking this whole time!

Positive note is that after 7 hours of work the poor engineer has finished the job and I know have a new boiler/hot water/heating. My boys were very happy to get to have a bath tonight instead of the dreaded showers!