help with a social landlord

[jambar44]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to put the wind up a housing association the problem in brief is as follows.

During my annual gas safety check the gas contractors decided the flu for my boiler was incorrectly installed and the flu was to close to an air vent (its flush against) they disconnected it leaving me with no heating or hot water this is 20 days ago as of today and the contractor has now failed to show up to correct the issue on 2 occasions, they now say they cant discuss the issue until tuesday next week as staff arent available.

On a separate note I'm the first tenant of this property and have the commissioning certificate for the boiler and three further annual safety passes the flu and the vent have not moved in this time.

I Keep taking time off work I can ill afford for missed appointments and on top of that the inconvenience and issue's that no hot water or heating causes not to mention no shower are ridiculous.

Any suggestions on what I can do about this, I've already lodged a complaint with them but that's been "dealt with separately and I can expect a response within 20 days"

[labman]

Re: help with a social landlord

What does it say in your tenancy agreement about this sort of thing? I'd imagine there should be something there. Expecting you to go without hot water and heating is clearly unacceptable.

[jambar44]

Re: help with a social landlord

My thoughts exactly I have looked and it just says that I can expect repairs to be made in a timely manner and to industry standards, which as far as I can make out doesn't mean much at all.

[labman]

Re: help with a social landlord

I would phone their emergency line and say you are without heating and hot water and need something doing. There is someone who is very kowledgeable about property issues on here, so if they're around I imagine they'll post a reply for you.

[jambar44]

Re: help with a social landlord

I have spoken to then on at least 10 occasions over the last 20 days 5 of them been today and they are always polite helpful and concerned the issue seems to be their contractor, who doesn't return calls or show up at the end of the day though as far as I'm concerned the association is responsible for their sub contractor's conduct.

[jambar44]

Re: help with a social landlord

Thanks for your comments though labman

[des8]

Re: help with a social landlord

A landlords obligation is to effect repairs within a reasonable period of time.(terms implied into S11 of 1985 Landlord and Tenant Act which really refers to tenancies of less than 7years). HOWEVER what is reasonable is never defined......what is reasonable in the circumstances, what normally happens etc etc ..a happy hunting ground for lawyers I would just keep making a daily nuisance of myself in the housing Assoc's office as it's the squeaky hinge that gets the oil!

[jambar44]

Re: help with a social landlord

Yeah that's pretty much what I'm doing at the moment I'm fairly certain that I will be on a first name basis with most of their call centre staff within the next 24hrs or so.

[CleverClogs]

Re: help with a social landlord

My thoughts exactly I have looked and it just says that I can expect repairs to be made in a timely manner and to industry standards, which as far as I can make out doesn't mean much at all.

Especially as the installation was not carried out to any known industry standards?

One hardly needs to be a central heating "engineer" to understand that it is not a good idea or "best practice" to position a flue immediately adjacent to a vent such that a strong breeze could blow combustion products into the property.

[IanM]

Re: help with a social landlord

The simplest solution to this problem is to block the vent next to the boiler flue and use a window to let steam out of the bathroom so that you can resume use of the boiler until the HA get their act together.

[labman]

Re: help with a social landlord

Perhaps you should consider contacting the HSE.

[CleverClogs]

Re: help with a social landlord

Perhaps you should consider contacting the HSE.

Or the local council's Environmental Health wallahs, as the numpties who installed the boiler may have done the same elsewhere?

[enquirer]

Re: help with a social landlord

I have spoken to then on at least 10 occasions over the last 20 days 5 of them been today ...

Verbal contact is useless. Start creating a paper trail. Write out a chronology and send it, together with a formal complaint, direct to the CEO.

If the organisation concerned is an ALMO, and the property actually owned by a local authority, take it up with them as well. They may not be too pleased to discover that cowboy contractors are installing dangerous appliances in their properties.

You might also drop your MP and the local paper a line.

[CleverClogs]

Re: help with a social landlord

If the organisation concerned is an ALMO, and the property actually owned by a local authority, take it up with them as well. They may not be too pleased to discover that cowboy contractors are installing dangerous appliances in their properties.

One might wonder if the installers were CORGI or GasSafe registered.