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!

The management team are going to drop some heaters around until the boiler gets fixed luckily!

Great news. That should help.

Fingers crossed the boiler gets fixed soon. And that the repair guy can show you how to work it. ( although you’ll probably know how to work it now as you’ve tried everything to get it to work!)

They have to provide some form of heat and some source of hot water. We found that in our massive house with a small gas fire and electric shower, the landlord didn't fix the boiler for 2 months, but environmental health said they couldn't help.

The boiler has packed up completely now and we have no pressure and an error message saying to re-pressurise the boiler, so not hot water or heating now.

The engineer who came out told the letting agency on Friday what needed to be done, ie 3 new parts or replace the boiler. We called them yesterday to follow up what's happening and they said the landlord wanted to send out an engineer they know for a second opinion.

Now we have no hot water we've called them again this morning to be told it's not an emergency because we're not classed as vulnerable and they've given the landlord's engineer our contact information to arrange a visit so we're waiting on a call from him.

We've only been in there a week and haven't had heating at all, and now no hot water. Not off to a great start

Get on the shelter website or the cab ensure and see if there is any info about what your landlord is legally supposed to do. The letting agent may be able to speed things up if you keep phoning daily asking ‘have you heard from the landlord about when his engineer is to visit yet’ etc as it will do their heads in.

The engineer ended up coming today and has said the same thing that it needs replacing, but that it's not likely to get done until next week. No hot water for another week?! I will freeze.

It's a converted church building with a beautiful but very cold high arched ceiling with a mezzanine, so it's probably the worst space to try and heat with a portable heater.

I just want to check into a hotel at the moment and stay warm

Will go look at the shelter website now

I just noticed there is info on www.gov.uk under private renting. It says to contact your local council if you have concerns or if your landlord doesn’t fix the issues timeously.

Be interesting to see how long he thinks is a reasonable timeframe. And if the council think it’s ok. Perhaps the letting agency could give you more heaters. I would think one tiny heater per room isn’t enough. Thank goodness it’s not too cold. Yet. I don’t know what they could do about the lack of hot water right enough. Surely a discount in rent would be fair as you will be spending more on boiling kettles and on electric heating via heater than you would if both were gas powered. A discount would help.

When one of my tenants boiler broke down I supplied her with portable heaters for each room until it could be fixed. They had an electric shower so had hot water to wash.
I don't know if that's a legal obligation but it IS being a responsible landlord.

A timely repair is not instant. Even owner occupiers would be expecting to wait for an engineer visit and new boiler fitting. Is there an electric shower? It is an unfortunate start but most of U.K is warm for the time of year. Are there any rooms you can enclose and focus on heating?

I would be asking for a rent rebate and check into a hotel, how can they expect anyone to pay rent with no hot water. Heaters should be ok for now.