New flat, radiators not working

[GinaCarbonara]

Just moved into a new rented flat yesterday and there's no heating. There's a combi boiler which was just on the hot water setting, so I changed it to the hot water/heating one and the CH light turned on and the boiler started making noise.

That was last night and it's been a toasty 13 degrees in here ever since.

There's also a wireless quite old looking Honeywell thermostat which seems to be connected to the boiler because if I turn the thermostat off it turns the CH light off on the boiler too.

So how come I have no heating? I've checked all the radiators and turned them up to full, and there aren't any warm spots on any of them anywhere so didn't think they all needed bleeding?

If anyone has any ideas to try before we freeze I would appreciate it!

Try bleeding one, if you can hear and feel air hissing, repeat on all, if instead, when you do it, you get water straight away, it is something else. When you touch them, are the radiators lukewarm or totally cold?

Have you tried googling the boiler brand and see if you get any tutorial or user's manual. Can you turn the temperature up on the thermostat? Years ago, I had a brand, and the technician told me to add 4 degrees for the heating setting (so if I wanted 20, to set 24) .
Worth trying?

Let the landlord know asap? They can see to it?

Have you tried putting just the heating on without hot water?

@LazyFace no I haven't, I'll try that.

Just stuck it up an extra few degrees and will see if that helps. I'll try and find a radiator key and see what happens if I bleed them. Just seems weird that it would be every single one and they're completely cold, not even lukewarm anywhere.

I feel like there must be something obvious I'm missing and want to call the property managers but wanted to try and see if it was something I'll feel stupid calling them for first

Is there enough pressure in the system. There should be a dial somewhere on the boiler (may be behind the cover at the bottom). Is the needle about 11 o'clock

Do you have neighbour who could help, they would probably have the same system.

I'm not a plumber but had the full variety of heating issues

Is the master thermostat turned up? Without that the pump and valve won't kick jnto action?

Is the pressure (assuming it is a pressurised system) adequate. Should be on at least 1 on the gauge?

If not a pressurised system, is the water supply tank in the loft supplying water. I suspect you haven't got this.

Do any of the supply pipes get hot to the radiators at all. Unlikely they all need bleeding but if they do and air comes out, if a pressured system you will need to keep additional water to the system. Should be a valve by the pressure gauge to push water in the system.

As others, if no luck contact the landlord as these are all the basic things.

So it's a combi boiler.

When you turn on a hot tap, do you hear the boiler fire up, and the tapwater goes hot?

How does it compare to the noise the boiler made when you turned the CH on?

There isn't a hot water cylinder, is there.

Is the gasmeter prepayment?

If the hot water works, it isn't a pressure problem. If none of the radiators pipes are hot it isn't a bleeding problem.

Oh and look for a timer.

Post photos of the boiler controls, thermostat and timer.

@PigletJohn when I turn the hot tap on the water runs hot and the boiler makes clicking sounds and starts to make noise. I think it's the same sound as when I turned the CH on.

No water heater and it's not prepaid gas

The boiler feels warm to the touch

From the timer you've posted, it looks like the boiler is off. You need to twirl the dial so that the arrow is pointing to the hour it is now (so almost at the 21, if you're in the UK). Then you make sure that the little black nubs are pushed outwards for the time you want it on, so maybe 6-8 and then 17-21. Then run the thermostat on manual, ensure that the room temperature is set to the level you want. That should sort it, your boiler settings looked fine.

Sorry, it's not a 24hr clock on the timer - so almost at the 9pm marker.

wireless thermostats are prone to loss of communication. The display on yours is poor. Start by changing the batteries (two alkaline AAs)

hold the stat close to the boiler and see if it reacts to putting the heat up and down on the stat.

With that kind of stat (which includes a timer) the timer on the boiler should be set to permanently on.

p.s.

the thermostat is not calling for heat.

When target temperature is above room temperature, and you are in an "on" period, a black flame shape should be displayed above the temperature. If you press the large long button on the right, the display should be illuminated and the display should change from "room temp" to "target temp"

Is your landlord is responsible for repairs, contact him by email now.

These are the timer instructions so I think the boiler is set to be on constantly already and not use the boiler timer?

I've put the thermostat right next to the boiler and put the target temp way up and there's been no change in sound from the boiler. It does however turn off I switch the stat to 'off'

I can't see a black flame appear on the display, not sure if that's due to the bad display though. I'll get some new batteries tomorrow and morning and try that. When I change the temp or turn it off and on from the stat it does have a little 'signal' icon flash in the top right corner that looks like a sideways WiFi picture

have you tried the thermostat knobs to make sure they have not been turned off?

I've tried new batteries and no change, the screen is still the same.

However I tried turning the temp down on the thermostat and when it got down to 19 it turned the CH light on the boiler turned off. Then when I turned it back up to 22 it turned back on again. The room temp still said 15 though.

So it looks like it is connecting to the boiler? But we're just getting nothing from the radiators? I guess I'll have to call the property management today. Thanks for trying to help!

have you tried the radiator valves?

Can you turn it off the timer off automatic or whatever it’s at onto constantly on? Turn the thermostat in the living room or whatever up full bung? Phone the landlord or the central heating boiler assurance company he will hopefully have set up. No heating is a major issue in the winter and you need this sorted soon. Especially if you have children it health issues.

The engineer has been and says the diverter valve isn't working, and it'll only work if he manually pushes something at the back of the boiler. Two other parts need replacing as well so it could be a week before we get heat, unless the management agree to replace it with a brand new boiler. I was so hoping for a fix today!

hot tapwater is more urgent, so if you have that, huddle round an electric heater for a few days. Oil-filled radiators are the safest. You will find inexpensive ones at places like Argos and DIY sheds.

Unfortunately the best time to buy them is at the end of winter, when nobody wants them.

Given its a rental, what obligation does the landlord have to provide a source of heat and hot water until fixed? Given the potential lead time for the part.

Have a look at the Shelter website. It may have advice on there as to what you should be able to expect. The landlord may have to supply plug in heaters or something.