Tenants are scared the boiler gonna blow.

[pugilist]

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen!

 

I have a suspicion that smth is going wrong with our boiler. It started to make a suspicious noise(not always, but from time to time). The radiators now are not that hot as they used to be, because the boiler stopped heating them properly all of a sudden. They are twice less warm than usual.

I believe it is the LL duty to check the boiler regularly, once a year. He did it only once in a 5/6 years time. It happened 2 or three years ago when I smelled gas. But I still haven't got a copy of that visit. He didn't even instructed me with basic knowledge of using boiler..

Well, I'm really scared it may explode...

 

I want to notify him with an sms. I'd like to know which words should I tell him to make him react to my plea immediately. Coz I know him, he may start explaining me what I can screw there or unscrew. Or he may even not pick up the phone.

 

Could anyone please tell me where should I address if I can't reach my landlord straight away?

In the morning I'm going to text him the following message, what do you think of this text:

 

"Hi Mr XXX. Can you please urgently arrange a visit of your CORGI-registered engineer to check what's happening with our boiler? It stopped heating the radiators properly and produces very suspicious noise. We are really worried about gas safety, all the tenants are scared that the boiler may explode."

 

Please tell me what else do you think would be reasonable to mention in my sms and whom should I contact in case I won't manage to get through to my LL.

 

Thank you very much in advance.

[nohope]

By law a landlord has to have a gas safety certificate done for the boiler once a year. The landlord gets a copy for his records and the tennant gets a copy to be kept at the property.

 

If he has not had one done then remind him he must have it done every year or he is breaking the law.

[nohope]

And if he trys to tell you to do something with the boiler then refuse. If you touch the boiler other than to turn it on or off or top up the water system if its a combo boler then you are breaking the law.

[Geordie911]

Health and safety executive site all the info is here

 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqlandlord.htm

 

Gas safety - landlords and letting agents

 

 

As a landlord, you are responsible for the safety of your tenants. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 deal with landlords’ duties to make sure gas appliances, fittings and flues provided for tenants are safe. You are responsible for the maintenance and repair of flues,appliances and pipework which you own and have provided for your tenants use by a Gas Safe registered [3] engineer . Although there is no prescribed timeframe for these duties, good practice would be the demonstration of regular, annual maintenance checks and subsequent repairs.

 

You are also responsible for ensuring an annual gas safety check is carried out within 12 months of the installation of a new appliance or flue which you provide and annually thereafter by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. You must keep a record of the safety check for 2 years and issue a copy to each existing tenant within 28 days of the check being completed and issue a copy to any new tenants before they move in.

 

 

 

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen!

 

I have a suspicion that smth is going wrong with our boiler. It started to make a suspicious noise(not always, but from time to time). The radiators now are not that hot as they used to be, because the boiler stopped heating them properly all of a sudden. They are twice less warm than usual.

I believe it is the LL duty to check the boiler regularly, once a year. He did it only once in a 5/6 years time. It happened 2 or three years ago when I smelled gas. But I still haven't got a copy of that visit. He didn't even instructed me with basic knowledge of using boiler..

Well, I'm really scared it may explode...

 

I want to notify him with an sms. I'd like to know which words should I tell him to make him react to my plea immediately. Coz I know him, he may start explaining me what I can screw there or unscrew. Or he may even not pick up the phone.

 

Could anyone please tell me where should I address if I can't reach my landlord straight away?

In the morning I'm going to text him the following message, what do you think of this text:

 

"Hi Mr XXX. Can you please urgently arrange a visit of your CORGI-registered engineer to check what's happening with our boiler? It stopped heating the radiators properly and produces very suspicious noise. We are really worried about gas safety, all the tenants are scared that the boiler may explode."

 

Please tell me what else do you think would be reasonable to mention in my sms and whom should I contact in case I won't manage to get through to my LL.

 

Thank you very much in advance.

[mariner51]

Rads not heating correctly, noises in system could indicate rads need bleeding followed by boiler water pressure top up, both of whicha re within T resp. A GSC only checks gas pressure, boiler operation and flue integrity, annual GSC will not include boiler service or rad functioning as a stat requirement, though LL does have a duty to maintain adequate space heating and hot water

[nohope]

I agree with the above but the point is, there has been no gas safety check done on the boiler and has not been one done for some time so the boiler itself needs checking before worrying about rads not getting very warm.

[stu007]

Hi

 

I fully agree with mariner51 and nohope yes you are correct about the gas safety check.

 

Please have a look at the 'Gas Safety Register' Website.

 

Heres the link: www.gassaferegister.co.uk

[pugilist]

Nohope, Geordie, Mariner and stu,

 

Thanx a lot guys for ur advice. The boiler does not produce that noise anymore, but it still does not heat the rads properly. I'll study all the information u provided and will let u know about the result.

[mariner51]

Boiler noise COULD have been an 'airlock' due to water being heated and driving off dissolved air or air entering closed system. This may now be displacing water from some rads, so little heat. Simple enough to 'bleed' the rads when heating off.

Do you know how to bleed the rads? Do you have a rad key?

[R J Dearden]

1st thing I would be doing is getting the LANDLORD to arrange for a Corgi registered heating engineer to attend - one as above to get the safety certificate done and secondly to check the whole system over.

 

It is a Landlords responsibility under law to produce/instruct both a safety cert and provide space heating/undertake repairs.

Edited January 23, 2012 by R J Dearden

[mariner51]

You may want to use a gas engineer displaying Gas Safe logo. Anyone still using Corgi may not be regisatered. Use the GasSafe registration page to check using engineer's name/ ID badge

[pugilist]

Thank you very much guys,

 

I repressurised the radiators, everything was ok for several days untill today. Now the situation is even worse: the radiators do not heat at all, and we have only cold water in both of the taps.

I'm going to call my landlord in couple of hours, but now I want to send him an sms.

 

Could you please check the text of the message:

 

Hi XXX,

 

The boiler stopped working, the radiators do not heat at all and we have no hot water. Please arrange for an urgent visit of a a Corgi registered heating(gas) engineer to do the necessary repairs and check the whole system over.

[nohope]

the guage on the bottom right of the picture is on zero. Its just the water thats run down. your landlord should have showed you how to top the boiler up wen it runs low.

[nohope]

There should be a silver braded hose under the boiler that has a tap on it. turn the tap and the guage will go up slowly, take it up ar far as the green line goes.

once you do this the boiler will start to work again. They can get clunky as they run out of water and this mite be the noise you was hearing..

[nohope]

http://mark-lawton.com/how-to-bleed-your-radiators/

 

check the above link. just past half way down the page you will see refference to the filling loop. thats what your looking for..

[pugilist]

There should be a silver braded hose under the boiler that has a tap on it. turn the tap and the guage will go up slowly, take it up ar far as the green line goes.

once you do this the boiler will start to work again. They can get clunky as they run out of water and this mite be the noise you was hearing..

Are you talking about this one?

 

 

[mariner51]

That doesn't look quiteright. Cold water filling loop should not remain open at mains pressure.

Do not overpressurise the boiler when cold, pressure will increase during boiler operation and may cause boiler to blow.

It is poss there is no filling loop fitted.

Do you not have a boiler manual or find one on the net?

 

Try getting LL on the phone if he does not reply to SMS. Tell him you are happy to arrange a GasSafe plumber yourself and deduct cost from next rent

Find several on Gas Safe website using postcode locater.

 

Nice clear pics!

[pugilist]

Oh, you were talking about a hose. I found it, but it so deep in the system that I don't know what should I turn, may be this tap?

[pugilist]

That doesn't look quiteright. Cold water filling loop should not remain open at mains pressure.

Do not overpressurise the boiler when cold, pressure will increase during boiler operation and may cause boiler to blow.

It is poss there is no filling loop fitted.

Do you not have a boiler manual or find one on the net?

 

Try getting LL on the phone if he does not reply to SMS. Tell him you are happy to arrange a GasSafe plumber yourself and deduct cost from next rent

Find several on Gas Safe website using postcode locater.

 

Nice clear pics!

Mariner,

 

thank you, I think that's the most reasonable way to act. I have no manuals, nothing on this boiler. I'm far from understanding all this engineers' stuff and prefer not to play with dangerous things.

[pugilist]

U know what's happened? I called to the landlord and told him that we have no gas at all, not even kitchen cooker is working, there's no gas at our neighbour's flat upstairs as well. he told me to call to the gas emergensy number. I did so, so did my neighbours. Two gas men arrived shortly. When we went outside we noticed that two meter boxes where fitted to the wall. The gas men asked us if anyone let us know beforehand that this would be done, and we said no. The guys told us it was an emergency that's why the company did so.

Now they are sitting in their cars and phoning somewhere to find out what had happened.

[pugilist]

It looks like both flats will spend the night without hot water and hot radiators.

I can't understand what kind of emergency it could be to leave us with no gas?? It looks like the job was perfectly planned. They shovelled all the ground in front of the house and fitted new gas meter boxes outside. Why should they need to do so so urgently living us without heat for the night? What kind of necessity was that - a leak?? Ridiculous.

 

Where should we complain??

[pugilist]

One of them came back and gave us a fan heater and promised that someone would come tomorrow morning and fix everything. I said I'll stay home for the whole day.

 

Who gonna compensate me lost day of work??

[mariner51]

Why complain to anyone, you called Gas Emergency Number, B Gas? came out, cut off the gas supply & started work.

Gave you a free electric fan heater. Maybe water got into gas supply elsewhere

Lack of hot water? You have an eletric kettle? One night without gas is better at being woken at 3am with no house standing.

 

Taking the day off is your choice. If you trust your neighbour, leave them the key to let workmen in.

Ask them to look at your boiler before they leave.

[pugilist]

Why complain to anyone, you called Gas Emergency Number, B Gas? came out, cut off the gas supply & started work.

Gave you a free electric fan heater. Maybe water got into gas supply elsewhere

Lack of hot water? You have an eletric kettle? One night without gas is better at being woken at 3am with no house standing.

 

Taking the day off is your choice. If you trust your neighbour, leave them the key to let workmen in.

Ask them to look at your boiler before they leave.

 

Sounds reasonable. I agree.

 

In fact the neighbours left the key from their flat to me.

[pugilist]

Well, National Grid engineer came today morning, checked both flats and told me that they will fix the gas supply on friday. He gave us an electric cooker to boil the water and cook food. So, it turns out that we gonna stay at least 4 days without hot water and shower for 4 days (tuesday,wednesday, thursday and friday). Do you think it would be reasonable to make some deductions from the landlord? The landlord of the neighbours upstairs let them to deduct 30 pounds from the rent as a compensation for excessive electricity usage.