any advice? landlord/boiler problems

[Claw75]

Firstly, my landlord is generally useless - takes him an age to get around to doing anything. On the plus side, he's never had the cheek to put the rent up, so we kind of bumble on.

Been having lots of problems with my boiler over last few months, and when I decided not to pay the rent bang on time this month he finally sent someone from british gas to look at it last week. He identified a number of problems, the main one being that there is a part missing that is making the appliance unsafe. He cut off the gas supply and spoke to landlord on phone saying that anyone gas safe registered could reconnect it when the problem was fixed.

Landlord then called me saying he was going to try to reconnect the supply himself. Isaid I wanted the boiler made safe first. I think this was a bit of an inconvenience for him, but he agreed to get an engineer over asap. Someone else shoes up, looks at it, says it will take a few days to get the part but, actually, theres so much wrong with the boiker it probably needs writing off. That was saturday. Landlord has just left me a message saying he's got no internet avcess and asking if I can check websites for him to find local stockists for the missing part. He's obviously still thinking he's going to fix it himself.

Any advice on how I can get this hurried along/ensure the job is done properly? Don't really know anything about rights/law in this area.

Tyty in advance

[kinboshi]

You have a contract? It should be in there about the landlord ensuring things like this are fixed in a timely manner, and of course he isn't allowed to fix it himself.

Definitely go to Citizens Advice.

[simonnatur]

Landlord has legal duty to show appliances are safe..

http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/advice/gas_certificates.aspx

[Acidmouse]

Even as an ex plumber I don't dare touch stuff as I am not certified and it can come back to haunt you if anything goes wrong.

A new boiler put in what £1k cost? depending on the parts that he asked to find what is the total cost of those and installing them? if its alot of close to £1k maybe ask him to consider new boiler as if its got lots of problems it will be a drip drip on him paying out on it. Maybe he thinks its cheaper in long run to mend it, which it invariable will not be.

[outragous76]

All LL must have gas safety certificates for gas appliances and it is to be renewed annually

Put your foot down on this, just remind him you are a good tenant and never ask for anything, but this is both a health and safety matter as much as one of convenience.

[AndrewT]

Could be worse Claire - it could have been Gatso posting a thread about having boiler problems.

[outragous76]

Could be worse Claire - it could have been Gatso posting a thread about having boiler problems.

Oh my! Said before and I'll say it again. Funniest poster on blonde


Way too good

[Claw75]

Cheers. I've asked him for a copy of the gas safety certificate. I suspect there isn't one. Hopefully the fact i've asked will get him to get a wriggle on.

Andrew you are a bad boy, but fair point, well made.

[kinboshi]

Cheers. I've asked him for a copy of the gas safety certificate. I suspect there isn't one. Hopefully the fact i've asked will get him to get a wriggle on.

Andrew you are a bad boy, but fair point, well made.

...and gatso has the certificate to prove it.

[thediceman]

A landlord has a legal obilgation to ensure that all applicances are safe. With regards to a gas boiler they must have that annually reviewed and MUST supply the tenant with a gas safety certificate within 28 days of that service. Also, only qualified engineers are allowed to work on a boiler and it is an offence for any non qualified person to even remove the cover let alone tamper with the boiler. I would formally write to your landlord stating your concerns and request that it is dealt with properly and within a reasonable time. The defination of "reasonable time" is left open to interpretation but I would suggest within the month. Unlike tenants of mine who would phone me at midnight and demanded I sorted it out things immediately.

Sounds like the type of landlord that is unaware of his legal obilgations. Have you given him a deposit , if you have I would make an educated guess that he hasn't put it in one of the deposit schemes that he has too and is therefore liable to a 3x the deposit sum fine, if you chose to take him to court. NB: He should have given you proof that the money has deposited the money in one of the schemes.

Naturally, if you do decided to take any action it may effect your ongoing relationship with your landlord and you may find he increases rent, NB: that he has to give you one months notice via a section 13 form, or alternatively he may serve notice on you to leave, NB: this has to be a minimum of two months if in a periodic tenancy or longer if during a fixed AST term. Naturally if he serves you notice and you don't leave he would then have to go to court and may employ bailiffs to remove you. This would add another further two months before you would leave.

An important note is never withhold any due payments of rent as this really does effect your legal position and your rights.

acidmouse re: cost, good luck with getting somebody to do it for £1k. £1.5k @ least and I was quoted that over 3 years ago. Quotes are more likely to be £2k plus.

[ACE2M]

2k plus and they are robbing you. Top quality boiler is 1k, 1600 total is fair assuming 2 guys fit it in one day.

You would know if you have a gas safety cert as they have to come round and do it yearly.

Landlord sounds like a bit of a joker, ask to see his insurance to.