Complaints Box: post your daily moans...

[MyNameIsTerry]

I think here in the UK no heating and hot water is classed as. an emergency and has to be looked at within 24hrs.
I don't think any lease agreement here in the UK would be down to the tenant nor allow a tenant to wait two weeks.

Yep:

Heating: What are the legal requirements for landlords? (cover4insurance.com)
Is the Landlord or Tenant Responsible for Boiler Cover? | Warranty People
Heating and Hot Water - Repair of Rented Properties (thetenantsvoice.co.uk)
Are landlords responsible for the boiler? | Boiler Plan (boilerplanuk.com)

[MyNameIsTerry]

Carnation, Your landlord has to legally have your heating and hot water fixed within 24hrs I believe.

By the way, Matt, my toilets blocked and just won't shift. Any ideas? There's a drink in it for you...

[Carnation]

Thank you Terry and Matt. x
I didn't know that about the 24 hrs.
Although if the company dealing with the repair won't come sooner, I don't know how that would be solved.
It's a week before they come out and access the job then a further one to two weeks before they will repair.
We collected portable heaters yesterday from our wonderful community and have the emersion for hot water. This is at great cost on our electricity bill.
So we are basically back to life as it was 40 + years ago.
I don't know why homes are not built with an additional electric or gas fire for back up.
A lot of people suffer with boiler breakdown and normally in the hard months of the winter.

[MyNameIsTerry]

MrsC it says in one of those links, the tenants site I think, who you can contact at the council.

It also says in one of those anything more than a few days is a major breach of a tenancy agreement. And another that alternative accommodation may be offered.

Covid makes things more complicated but best endeavours to honour a contract will be expected. I would get some advice because what I read from those links pointed to a legal obligation due to the relevant Act. And the links stated a legal obligation on the landlord to ensure you have heat.

It may be they use a certain company for work and they are busy. The law seems to suggest they just have to get it done, not wait for their cheaper regular guy.

[Carnation]

Thanks Terry x
Although we have a private landlord.
And we have heat with the portables.
Our landlord is generally a good one.
We are also in the middle of severe weather conditions.
Roads cut off intermittently. No bin collections, no food deliveries. Snow drifts over 3 ft. Minus temperatures.
We were so lucky to get out and pick up these heaters tbh.
My moan is with the boiler company tbh.
Estimating 2-3 weeks is not a good service.
A local guy came on immediately but couldn't do the job unfortunately.
It's these big companies who don't seem to provide emergency services. I'm not the only one this has happened too. Another neighbour waited over a month!

[MyNameIsTerry]

Sounds to me like the onus is on the landlord to ring around. They should have insurance for this so it may be who the insurance company use but it sounds dodgy to me. This will be a regular occurrence across the industry so there should be a pretty standard cover for it. If it's the landlord insurance they should be sourcing another contractor if the usual ones are busy, surely?

Is it a full boiler replacement job? If so it's an all day job. But still 2 weeks seems far beyond what the legal expectation is. If the house could be classed as uninhabitable the landlord could be in trouble under the Act.

[Carnation]

It's a repair job not a replacement Terry.
The part needed is the issue with the delay.
I've already checked this from several companies.
Post taking 3 times as long as well.
I hear what you are saying but I don't want to cause any trouble or fall out with the landlord.
The assessment is now 5 days away.
Maybe when the chap comes I can insist on the urgency of the job.
I said earlier that I would move into temporary accommodation, but we can't because of lockdown.
My complaint is about companies supplying emergency services. I'm sure this applies to most emergencies.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I understand. Kicking landlords can be messy, depends on what they are like.

Definitely lay it on thick though with that guy. It's a cold snap around here so it would be pretty unpleasant without heating.

Hopefully if it's just a part at least it will be a quick repair on the day at least. Very annoying how it is taking so long due to a part though. Could be an international issue too with all the mess at the borders if it's coming via the EU in some way?

It was cold enough for us in November when ours was on it's last legs and dad didn't want to chance the radiators with it. But being worse months of Winter it's just typical it hits you now. Just before this we also had the gas guys replacing the mains in the street and piping in the surrounding streets and due to one of their guys going off sick after he switched our gas off we had to chase them up into the evening. The left everyone off who has a replacement mains with one guy trying to do his work in another street then onto ours. We rang the gas emergency line in the end who rang them up to chivvy them on. Fancy leaving 2 pensions without heat for over 12 hours in Winter

I wonder if the landlord will help out with your electric costs for those heaters? At least you have them. You look after yourselves. Any slightly higher elec bills can always be spread.

[Carnation]

Thanks Terry x

A hard winter makes everything seem so catastrophic.
I've just emailed my landlord with a gentle slip about the facts you pointed out to me.
I thought it good idea for him to know that I am aware of the law and rules.
Thanks everyone for listening to my whinging, but seriously can't promise I won't whinge again.

[BikerMatt]

Thank you Terry and Matt. x
I didn't know that about the 24 hrs.
Although if the company dealing with the repair won't come sooner, I don't know how that would be solved.
It's a week before they come out and access the job then a further one to two weeks before they will repair.
We collected portable heaters yesterday from our wonderful community and have the emersion for hot water. This is at great cost on our electricity bill.
So we are basically back to life as it was 40 + years ago.
I don't know why homes are not built with an additional electric or gas fire for back up.
A lot of people suffer with boiler breakdown and normally in the hard months of the winter.

No worries Carnation.

I hope you get sorted. It is also your landlords responsibility to supply you with alternative heat sources, so you shouldn't have needed to travel around neighbours to sort these.
I've read through what you and Terry have discussed and hope you get sorted sooner rather than later.