Still no heating - am now checking the weather forecast for each night daily...

[SpikeandDru]

...as it's so blooming cold here. Landlord is supposed to be sorting it all out now but I think we are without heating all over Christmas. Am frozen - thank goodness for heaters but they are only just taking the chill off in some areas. They do keep the bedroom nice and warm though. DS'sroom is so cold that he is sleepng in with me - DH is away till Xmas Eve so it's okay.

Fed up though.

Isn't there a legal requirement for them to sort your heating?

Can you not withold rent, or parts of the rent as you have no heating?

Yes - have checked the contract - servicing and maintainance of the heating is down to my landlord who - to be fair - has said he will sort it out. However, we have this every single year so I will be moving very soon as I don't think I can cope with another winter here.

The man who does the heating (the heating here is through an oil fired Rayburn) is a friend of the landlord and VERY abrupt with me last week when I phoned. The Rayburn needs some part which is very difficult to get (which I didn't realise) and he also said that in any case he wouldn't deal with me - only with the landlord.

Oh Oh, I get your name now!

Such a dish......

Well I don't get your name but I do really sympathise with having no heating. Our house is cold, I've just been going round checking out the drafts, but at least we have heating of sorts. I can't imagine how you're coping with none at all. Not surprised you're fed up.

Spike and Drusilla - from Buffy the Vampire Slayer - sad I know but I love the show. And yes - Spike is a dish.

could you ring or write to the landlord to say you will be arranging for the heating to be fixed as he hasn't bothered and will be deducting the amount from next month's rent?

Kbear has a good suggestion.

Another Buffy fan here!

I think this is really unacceptable, I remember your thread from the other week , it's going on much too long. I have tenants and panic if I can't get heating back on in a day if it breaks down and make sure I have British Gas cover to get it up and running asap. I know a Rayburn is different but he can not expect you to be without heating for so long, especially in these temperatures.

I would get on the phone to shelter or the CAB and ask for advice on this. I have a feeling that legally with holding rent is not a good idea, but in the circumstances the least this man can do is provide adequate heaters so the whole place is warm and pay the extra on the bills that electric heating will be costing you.

We were watching Buffy last night, Spike was on top form !

I think you have a very good case for telling landlord that if it is not fixed or some adequate heating supplied within 48 hours, you will be moving into a hotel and he can pay for it. Is this a private agreement or are there agents involved (even if they only collect rent)? If so, contact them immediately.

I would also try to find out what the part that is needed is and contact Rayburn myself as can't believe that it will take this long for some bit to come. I would charge my landlord a management fee for doing this. The landlord should be providing a proper service, not relying on a mate to do favours for him (reason he was abrupt is landlord probably buys him a pint rather than pays properly).

Agree with Chocolate about speaking to legal centre, Shelter or CAB.

Sorry, never watched Buffy .

Thanks all - am STILL without heating. Rang the nasty abrupt man on Monday - left a message asking if he had the part and if I was likely to have heating by Xmas as I have my parents coming - asked him to leave me a message to let me know as I need to arrange heaters etc if the heating was not going to be fixed in time- to date he has not responded.

Tbh I have gone beyond annoyed now - don't care if the heating is fixed or not as I am moving out asap - the landlord will be getting notice as soon as I have identified somewhere to go. At the moment this looks like a shared ownership thing but I am flexible.