Heating/fire safety and other issues in property rented via an estate agent.

[lou5357]

Hi all,

I am really hoping someone can help with this. I've lived in a rented property for 9 months, and since moving in I have had a few problems.

1.The central heating has not been working properly; when you put the hot water on the radiators come on as well - it was a nightmare in the summer. It was first reported 6 months ago, and it still has not been fixed - apparently the LL can't afford it.

2. No carbon monoxide detector. Is this illegal?

3. None of the doors upstairs shut.

4. Front door catch is broken, meaning no access via the front. These are surely fire safety issues?

5. The owner has occupied the loft with all her stuff. This was not in the contract.

6. Use of her aviary - we requested use of it, it was in the contract and we can't use it as her garden furniture is in it.

All of these issues were reported when we first moved in. Most of it ignored.

I am to report all that is applicable to the environmental health officer, but wondered if there are clear breaches of contract here, and is there anything else I can do?

[Steve__M]

2. is not mandatory.

 

5. is a grey area. Unless specified in the contract I don't think you have a right to access to the loft, so what the LL has there is not your concern. I keep stuff in the loft of my property (mainly relating to maintenance of the property)

 

The rest sound like breaches of contract and/or are issues that should be fixed. There is a sticky post on disrepairs which you could consider.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?74057-Disrepairs-in-privately-rented-accommodation

[mariner51]

If combi boiler c/h hot water & rads together sounds like simple summer/winter changeover switch under T control

[lou5357]

2. is not mandatory.

 

5. is a grey area. Unless specified in the contract I don't think you have a right to access to the loft, so what the LL has there is not your concern. I keep stuff in the loft of my property (mainly relating to maintenance of the property)

 

The rest sound like breaches of contract and/or are issues that should be fixed. There is a sticky post on disrepairs which you could consider.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?74057-Disrepairs-in-privately-rented-accommodation

 

Many thanks - have looked, and commenced appropriate action under s11.

[lou5357]

If combi boiler c/h hot water & rads together sounds like simple summer/winter changeover switch under T control

 

Thanks a lot for suggestion, but no, not a combi boiler. The plumber, employed by the estate agent, has examined the whole central heating system and said this: an essential part in the hot water cylinder has been fitted upside down resulting in low pressure. This means that there is not enough pressure to heat the radiators and consequently they need bleeding every 3 weeks. The thermostat is also broken. The same incorrection of installation causes the radiators to come on when the hot water button on the downstairs boiler is pushed to the 'on' position.

The owner was not happy with the quote for repairs (a big job as all access to the pipes/parts have been blocked off by the addition of a shower and bathrooom tiling) so he asked for another quote by a different builder. That quote was even higher (kitchen ceiling will need pulling down and part of the bathroom), so nothing has been done because the owner can't afford it.

In the meantime, I now have no heating at the moment at all - probably because the rad's need bleeding (partner refuses to touch them as the bleed screws are,in his words, 'made of chocolate'.)