No hot water AGAIN!!

[Kitiara]

OK ... so for the third time in less than 5 months we are without hot water :mad2:. The plumber attended on Saturday (a week after we notified the letting agent about the problem) and diagnosed the fault (faulty timer - again!), ordered the replacement part and said he would be back to repair the timer this morning (Tuesday), he has phoned my other half and apologised saying that the part hasn't come in, won't be there till tomorrow, and he can't come back until next Saturday. If he does actually fix the problem, it will make 8 weeks out of 5 months we will have been without any hot water (other than boiling the kettle), we are having to go into work early to grab a shower which is not ideal, and washing dishes etc is a pain.

Is there anything we can do legally about this as its now beyond a joke? We are going to be moving in the next couple of months, mainly down to this and other unresolved problems with the flat that the letting agent doesn't seem to care about - including a 12" x12" hole in an external wall which he reckons is a ventilation hole (there is no grille etc on it) and we have had to put cardboard over it to stop birds getting in. The letting agent has known about this for 3 years now, and despite numerous requests to correct nothing has been done. He ignores emails, and doesn't return phone calls either . As we are moving we don't care if we upset him now and have considered witholding the rent (I know your not supposed to do this, but it might just get his attention!)

Any idea's welcome ......

[Inca]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

You're definitely 100% moving?? If so,,stuff the rent and take the cardboard down as you leave (I can hear PlanB having a fit of the vapours :rofl...bloody LL's like yours give the decent ones a bad name.

[charitynjw]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

I'd take pictures of the place as it is now.

[enaid]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

A complaint may be in order


http://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/

[CleverClogs]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

If so,,stuff the rent

... into the hole in the wall?

[Kitiara]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

Thanks all, have emailed the letting agent again asking if another plumber could attend before Saturday to repair the timer (anyone want to run a book on whether he replies or not?) so will see what happens.

This is not some crummy high rise council type flat, this is a very expensive apartment in a "posh" area, our apartment block is very sought after and I would have thought that the letting agent would have reacted with some speed to maintain its good reputation... but hey ho!

[charitynjw]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

Do you know the make/model of the boiler?
Is the timer integral, or is it remote from the boiler?

[Kitiara]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

Hi Charity,

The timer is remote from the boiler ... its an emersion type heater, it doesn't run central heating etc, purely hot water, the heating is electric.

[charitynjw]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

Should be an easy, straightforward job - I'm surprised it's taken so long!

[Kitiara]

Re: No hot water AGAIN!!

The delay problem isn't actually down to the timer, its the delay in the letting agent passing on the job to the plumber, who is booked on other jobs until Saturday, which is why he can't fit it till then.