How long can my landlord leave me without hot water or heating?

It only went off last night but no-one can come in to have a look until tomorrow or sat.

I have no other means of heating as the fire doesnt work.

Any help would be appreciated.

Hi bub

Thats clearly not fair and you ask for some monies refunded, it doesn't help your immediate situation, heres some info on repairs http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions

Thanks. I am not well and are under the hospital with COPD (Chronic obstructary Pulmanary Disease) does that make any difference?

The landlord has probably got an odd job guy that does work for him, but this is an emergency so it's not the cost that matters, but that you get heating/hot water especially as you've got a Chronic condition. I ring him up and tell him it's not good enough.

Thanks. I am not well and are under the hospital with COPD (Chronic obstructary Pulmanary Disease) does that make any difference?

If you have a water tank you are likely to have an immersion heater in the top which will give you hot water. It is electric powered so use it wisley or it ends up costing a fair amount.

'Emergency' repairs can take 3 days, but unless you are an infant, elderly or otherwise 'vulnerable' the current weather/temp is not an emergency IMO so I would hope LL could find qual engineer to assess/repair the problem in 2-3 days. If special parts meed to be ordered repair may not be completed for 2-3 weeks.

In the meantime I assume you have a kettle and stove to boil water for washing etc and you can buy a new basic fan heater for £10-20 at Argos etc

Rebel11, the heating only went off last night acc to OP so this is not yet an emergency, even with COPD. If it is gas c/h the LL should use a Gas Safe Regd engineer, not an 'odd job' man.

The OP has hot water alternatives, I presume, and could provide some basic room heat at little cost.

If the OP was a house owner, resp for repair, s/he would have to make temp arrangements and she could use anyone to fix the prob, LL cannot.

Mariner

Heres some info on COPD if you care to read :- http://www.firststopcareadvice.org.uk/downloads/resources/Keepwarmkeepwell.pdf

Thank you for the leaflet, Rebel.

I do not mean to be insensitive to the OP, I also suffer from a chronic condition listed in the leaflet, which is aimed at healthcare professionals, carers and relatives/sufferers. I assume the LL is none of these and may not even know of the OPs condition.

I also read with interest, the page on 'Preparations for a cold snap'

The thread title was How long can a landlord leave me without hot water and heating? and my basic reply addressed LLs resp for any T, inc 'vulnerable' ones. Generally, Council EH dept will allow up to 3 days for a critcal repair and the LL has had less than 24 hrs evem if OP tel him last night.

Ok, LL never had anyone to do repairs and told me he doesnt have any one he uses.

Told me to get someone in I know. which I did but they wouldnt bill LL direct instead I have had to pay them send LL bill for him to then send me money and not having alot of money needed to take out of my rent payment which is due next week, where do I stand on this? It was quite a big chunk, but it is all working fine now.

Please not: The person I got in is fully qualified. Note; Part was more than anything else.

Oh dear.

Lets hope your landlord is an honest person or you may find yourself in trouble for not paying rent.

Oh dear.

Lets hope your landlord is an honest person or you may find yourself in trouble for not paying rent.

There is usually a process to follow in circumstances like this:

http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/repairs_and_bad_conditions/repairs_in_private_lets/tenants_doing_repairs

I will be paying the rent it just wont be the full amount and the shortfall will be paid in 4 days after. So full rent will be paid. I am not withholding rent or not paying, just wont be full amount at the beginning then the rest in 4 days so full amount will be paid.

Forgot to mention been in this position before but the repairs was small amount so could cover them and LL sent me money once he had received bill.

I know once he has received bill he will reimberse monies which will be after the 4 days that I will pay the rest of the money.

So any amount owing on the rent would be paid on the 4th day after it was due. The main bulk of it being paid when due. well 3/4 actually!

Does that make a difference?

Why not speak to your landlord and arrange to pay the rent LESS the cost of the invoice (which he has a copy of now, I presume)? Would mean less admin for you and him...

Right, I have checked my paperwork and I have been without proper heating and water since 28/1/11.

Landlord knows the problem but said he will sort it, but I need to know how long he has. The gas man has spoken to him and explained what needs to b done before it breaks down altogether. I can only use one room at the moment together with the bedroom..

Where do I go from here?

What did the gas man tell you and what was his cost estimate and date he can undertake the repair?

How does the LL 'intend to sort it out'

Heating has not broken down completely acc to your last post, so for the moment it is a non-urgent repair. Give the LL 1 month to repair and negotiate.

I have no heating and no water. Gas man said he could do asap as emergency.

Only electric fire.

Cost is over £2500

Then I guess LL is considering new boiler and or system. Poss checking if qualifies for WarmFront or other grant.

If he had got it done in first pplace properly 3 years ago then there would not have been a problem. Boiler 3 years old. Put in boiler that also should have been a combi and adjusted pipework, They just put in boiler and left pipework as it is.

I didnt know he could apply for a grant and I dont think he does either, any more info on this?

Is this now classed as an emergency!

Because I think it is.

Because they didnt adjust pipework for new boiler it has mucked up pipes so that they need replacing together with the boiler, if it doesnt get changed then everybit of pipework including rad ones need to be done, which means more money than replacing boiler and pipework.

Something else my gas man found was that when they put in something by tank in bathroom they must have had a leak and put alot of putty stuff on it and newspaper underthat. So job not done properly in first place.

This person who installed cannot be contacted on phone number we have, Is it possible to check if his corgi reg was legal? I hav his number remember this was in 2007?

Quick reply now due to hour, but what have you been doing for heating and hot water these past few weeks?

You initially said the problem started 17 Feb 2011, but subsequently stated "I have been without proper heating and water since 28/1/11."

It's pretty much 4 weeks now that you've had this problem (is this right?) and you seem no closer to it being resolved. You may well be able to negotiate a reduction in rent for this period too (depending on circumstances, but no guarantee) but the priority has to be to get the problem sorted

Personally, I'd be seeking a firm undertaking from the Landlord as to his intentions now, as to when he expects to start and complete the work. If you have an email address do it this way, so as to more easily document what's happening. If you get no satisfaction I'd be on to the Environmental Health Department at your Local Authority pdq - I'd be tempted to do this anyway, as it may be a few days before they can get to see you

The downside is that you arel likely to have an AST (Assured Shorthold tenancy) if so you do not have any great security after the initial term has expired, so keep your dealings with the landlord polite, reasonable - but by all means firm

All that aside I doubt that the Landlord would accept this state of affairs in his own home, not after this time, why should you?

(Are you in England and Wales and is your deposit, if paid, protected? Please post here if uncertain as others will be along soon enough too I'm sure)

I have been using kettles and an electrician fiixed the electric fire so that is what I have been doing/using. Which is putting up my electric bill.

I rented my property in Jan 2006. So dont know if deposit is protected or not.

With regards deposit protection the key date was the 6 April 2007

Have a read through http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/paying_for_a_home/tenancy_deposits?gclid=CKDc6vOEn6cCFQwf4QodigpBYg and also through the stickies on CAG too (main page of this part of the forums)

Has anything changed since you moved in in 2006 ie new rent, new agreement, that sort of thing. If so, tenancy deposit protection should then apply (subject to certain conditions) Post again to let us all know

Back to main problem in hand though, if OK

It'll be, I think, 4 weeks this Friday since you've been without proper supplies of hot water and so on - what IS your landlord doing about this?

(I'm out for a few hours now, but someone will be along soon enough I'm sure - plus this will serve as a bump too)

Everything has stayed the same.

He just says get the gas man in which I keep doing and the gas man has told what the problem is.

He said can i get a quote from British gas for work which i cant do as he has to ask them so they say.

Then who knows. BG come in do quote then etc., etc., could be another couple of months.

So I would say not alot he is doing.

In the meantime my electric fire is on continuously from when I get up to when I go to bed which is getting earlier to try and keep warm.

Forgot to add No GSC for 4 years.

Sorry, lost internet connection, so quick post now before it should disappear again

What, if anything, has been put in writing to the Landlord? Do you have an email address for him? If not, a correspondence address will do

It does not sound like very much is going to happen though, without you first upping the ante. If you do you have to consider that the Landlord may (later) seek possession etc, but for now - and apologies for saying so - it does not seem that you can continue as you are...

Personally, I'd be on the 'phone to Environmental Health first thing Monday, if you haven't already. Alternatively, you may wish to, first, write a very firm, but polite email to your Landlord, asking him to confirm his intentions - and timescales for resolving these issues

I'm typing at speed, just in case I lose my connection again, but the proper supply of hot water and heating is your Landlord's responsibility (Section 11 etc) and the fact you now say there is no Gas Safety Certificate for 4 years means the Landlord is either unaware of his responsibility, or unwilling to do anything about it

I would suggest that almost all right thinking people - especially those who are Landlords - try to check and service their gas appliances most years, regardless of legislation. And also sort out our hot water and heating as soon as we can following a breakdown. We don't not do the former for four years and don't leave the latter for, what, getting on for a month now

I'm sorry if it sounds that I may be pushing you in to something you may feel uncomfortable doing, but do you think the Landlord is going to get this sorted, unless you push now? The Environmental Health Department at your Local Authority can assist, as can (indirectty) CAG too

Let us know what you think - and good luck too