Boiler Broken Landlord Woes

[beamer]

One of the few ways a tenant (who often pays more for shelter than an owner does) is better off than an owner - http://www.tenancyagreementservice.co.uk/repairing-obligations.htm

The landlord (even if due to letting agents making themselves uncontactable) has clearly failed in his/her legal responsibility.

If OP fancies grinding an axe, find a friend or friend of friend and tell them they can name their price if it is under the maximum being charged in the area and they bring a crate of booze when they attend too ;0)

In the real world, if a private homeowners boiler fails on the Saturday before Christmas, he too would expect it to be difficult to get hold of someone there and then.

Sometimes the private homeowners might have to wait until Monday when people are actually at work. Oh the humanity.

 

[beamer]

To meet the legal responsibilities, a landlord or their nominated agent must be connectable 24/7. If landlord doesn't like that tough.

Aren't you a landlord ?

Why shouldn't he "take the mick" ? Landlords and letting agents regularly do with their extortionate fees, charges and rents. Don't give me the "but those are the nasty agents" - they work for the landlords, only reason it happens is complicit landlords.

Very few letting agents man their emergency numbers 24/7, it's usually normal working hours as that's how people operate in real life.

What's the point of a 24/7 number when they won't be able to organise a plumber during normal working hours anyway?



How is it different, it's a guy in a house with a normal minor problem that people face everyday. We've all had boilers / power / whatever problems in the house, just deal with it whilst not expecting miracles. Sometimes things take a little time to sort and sometimes it's inconvenient. There's nothing the letting agents or landlords can do to prevent it happening apart from getting the thing serviced and checked yearly which they legally are obligated to do.

If the phones are not ringing Monday, get a plumber out don't take the Mick and get it sorted and pass the bill on.

 

[Glaucus]

Check your contact, just in case that has a different out of hours emergency number on it.

 

[Maccapacca]

You not having hot water and heating is not an emergency.

 

[peige]

In the real world, if a private homeowners boiler fails on the Saturday before Christmas, he too would expect it to be difficult to get hold of someone there and then.

Sometimes the private home owners might have to wait until Monday when people are actually at work. Oh the humanity.

This, if my boiler failed yesterday i'd be struggling to fix it on saturday or in the two days before christmas. Its one thing to rage about the situation but who will fix it in the next two days? If you call british gas i'm willing to put a side bet on that that condemn it and cut your gas off.

Decent gas people are up to their eyes in work right now.

 

[Glaucus]

You not having hot water and heating is not an emergency.

Yes it is in the context of rented properties.
Although it will generally tell you what the emergency number can be used foor in the contract and lay out all this stuff.

 

[UTmaniac]

We reported a fault with our immersion heater to our landlord on Tuesday, was instantly tripping the mains RCD when the timer/override kicked in, even his nephew electrician could not fit in a visit until later this afternoon.

Hot water out of the tap for Xmas would be nice!

 

[Sparx]

You not having hot water and heating is not an emergency.

Yes it is an emergency, especially this time of year..

 

[MrMoonX]

You not having hot water and heating is not an emergency.

Yes it is and the landlord has to fix it

 

[HardwareGeek]

You not having hot water and heating is not an emergency.

Depends on how you define emergency...

Threat to life, immediate danger that requires police, ambulance or fire service to attend...

Or more recently something just very inconvenient, in modern usage.

Some houses don't even have central heating, yet CH breakdown is considered an emergency and lack of hot water wont kill you etc

 

[Maccapacca]

Put a jumper on and boil the kettle.

 

[Glaucus]

Depends on how you define emergency...

Threat to life, immediate danger that requires police, ambulance or fire service to attend...

Or more recently something just very inconvenient, in modern usage.

Some houses don't even have central heating, yet CH breakdown is considered an emergency and lack of hot water wont kill you etc

Lol context, context means everything.

Its not a 999 number its a number to usually some handyman type business. Which is phoned in just these cases when something brakes and its out of office hours. Window, door, water etc.

 

[holymonk]

Thanks for the comments.. In the end my dad came around (an electrician but fairly handy with all sorts of general things) he changed a small fuse inside the boiler... He told me it didn't work still but at least had power.

I was fiddling around today and got the heating to work but the hot water is temperamental but at the moment touch wood I have hot water. Going to tear the letting agent to pieces after xmas... I want a formal apology for the inconvenience / distress caused, unlikely though right?

 

[Mynight]

I wouldnt mention that your dad did it to the letting agent. I doubt youd get anything in response.

 

[Mickie]

Thanks for the comments.. In the end my dad came around (an electrician but fairly handy with all sorts of general things) he changed a small fuse inside the boiler... He told me it didn't work still but at least had power.

I was fiddling around today and got the heating to work but the hot water is temperamental but at the moment touch wood I have hot water. Going to tear the letting agent to pieces after xmas... I want a formal apology for the inconvenience / distress caused, unlikely though right?

you and your dad aren't qualified gas safe.. You're not supposed to to touch the boiler, fuses dont just randomly go off, so expect it going off again.

i thought i'd help as you'll find it hard getting someone out this time of year plus i thought it was all the rage on this forum to fix everything your self..

good to know their are still people out there that would rather pay someone who knows what they're doing over someone who thinks they do because of what they read online.

 

[darael]

You not having hot water and heating is not an emergency.

It may not be an emergency, but it is a necessity which is the landlord's responsibility to repair.

I would say that having no heating in this weather is an emergency. Especially if you have vulnerable people living in your house.

Thanks for the comments.. In the end my dad came around (an electrician but fairly handy with all sorts of general things) he changed a small fuse inside the boiler... He told me it didn't work still but at least had power.

After the letting agents arrange for the boiler to be fixed, get your Dad to put the old fuse back in and do not tell the agents or landlord that the boiler has been tampered with.

 

[Mr Joshua]

Aren't you a landlord ?

How on earth did you come to that conclusion?

 

[Mickie]

How on earth did you come to that conclusion?

If you are a landlord do you understand that letting agents charge commission on all repairs, the letting agent will ask all their tradesmen to put 10% ontop of their jobs to make the letting agent more money and even upto 22% on things like gas checks.

 

[Mynight]

If you are a landlord do you understand that letting agents charge commission on all repairs, the letting agent will ask all their tradesmen to put 10% ontop of their jobs to make the letting agent more money and even upto 22% on things like gas checks.

I can confirm that its true for at least the 3 agents I have contracted for.

 

[bitslice]

I thought i'd help as you'll find it hard getting someone out this time of year plus i thought it was all the rage on this forum to fix everything your self..

On the assumption that you know something about boilers then personally I'd appreciate such help in the OP's circumstances.
I find this perception that just because something is gas related that it's somehow completely untouchable a bit over anxious. Boilers are mostly electrical and replacing a fuse isn't going to make anything explode, for non retards simply avoiding the burner section is kind of obvious. Electricity on the other hand can kill you just be being on and causes vastly more injuries and deaths, I bet I could find a loose wire in the home of everyone shouting OMG gas.