Pregnant, broken boiler, and snow on the way - letting agency doing nothing to help!

[Lara310809]

Yep, you heard it. Our boiler broke this morning. I reported it at 10am, but the entire team that deal with this sort of thing were out on a training session. Was anyone available to help me?



I left my details, asking to have an urgent call back today, because snow has been predicted, and more importantly (in my mind), I'm pregnant and I can't afford to get sick.

We pay them money in our rent to deal with this. They are supposed to send someone round ASAP to fix the boiler. They never called back, so I called them every hour from midday onwards. At that point, there was nobody in the office at all, WTF?

I'm now sitting at home in 10c, with no hot water and wondering how the hell I can keep warm tonight. I shouldn't have to deal with this.

I'm going to go to the office in the morning and kick some ass I will not leave until I see them call a gas man. If they don't do it there and then, I will be calling a gas man of my choice and sending them the bill. If it's not fixed by tomorrow evening, I'm going t check into a hotel and charge them. I've paid for this to be sorted FGS, and I'm pregnant! You don't just sit on your ass when there's a pregnant lady in the freezing cold.

 

[mrsraggle]

Damn straight! Hope you get it sorted tomorrow, one way or another x

 

[AFC84]

Oh poor you This happened to me recently, but luckily I'm housing association and they put me on the priority list and had someone round within the hour! [not trying to rub it in, just saying some people do actually give you decent treatment!]

Do you have a hot water bottle? That's what got me through at various times of knackered boilers! Think you're right what you said in the last paragraph though...good luck!

 

[Lara310809]

Oh poor you This happened to me recently, but luckily I'm housing association and they put me on the priority list and had someone round within the hour! [not trying to rub it in, just saying some people do actually give you decent treatment!]

Do you have a hot water bottle? That's what got me through at various times of knackered boilers! Think you're right what you said in the last paragraph though...good luck!

No, it's okay. We pay them £1000/month though, and we never ask them to do anything for us. I just think it's stupid the entire team goes out and they don't have anyone to cover. The guy that answered the phone didn't even offer to call the gas man himself. I was hoping to ask them this afternoon whether I could arrange our own engineer visit, but since they didn't even answer the phone, I couldn't do anything. Makes you wonder what your money pays for...

I've got a couple of hot water bottles, so I will be filling them up!

 

[AFC84]

That is an absolute joke! It's not like it's xmas day now FFS. Well at least you have some form of warmth I suppose, snuggle up with some blankets too, good luck!

 

[Jemma_x]

hope you get it sorted tomorrow

 

[chubbin]

That is outrageous! I have a long and pitted history with my letting agency, but when my boiler broke a month ago they had it sorted within 48 hours. The washing machine, which broke at the same time (blimmen typical) still hasnt been fixed however....they make you want to scream dont they! I would be on the phone to them again today if I were you, and if they dont react forthwith I would then take legal advice. Good luck xx

 

[xbabybumpx]

thats shocking! just shout and cry at them until they listen. men usually cave in if they see a woman crying! xox

 

[belladonna]

This may help: https://www.landlordzone.co.uk/FAQ/index.php?action=artikel&artlang=en&cat=2&id=13

I would contact your health and safety department of your local council if you have no joy today, perhaps they can 'push' them into pulling their fingers out and doing the repairs.

Or do you have the landlords details? If you request them from the letting agent they legally have to tell you, so you will be able to contact them directly, they may not be happy if the agent isn't carrying out what they pay them to.

https://www.thesite.org.uk/homelawandmoney/askthesiteqandas/housingqandas/battleofrepairs

 

[modo]

I just came across this thread Lara. Has this been resolved yet?!!!

 

[debgreasby]

We had similar - only i had 3 kids under 12 and a 4 month old. Our heating was off for a week. We had to go to our neighbour's house for baths.
They only got a rush on with it when we reported it to council.

 

[maisiemoo]

Which letting agency are you using??? Not having hot water and heating should be dealt with within 24 hours, however depending on the service your landlord has opted into the responsbility may lie with landlord rather than letting agency - however you should have been made aware of this at the start of your tenancy.

Since they're not being responsive, I would call someone out and send the bill to the letting agent.

 

[Lara310809]

It hasn't been resolved yet, no We spent the night in 10c, rising to 12c at 8am this morning.

I went in to see the agency at 9am and they fobbed me off with excuses, not even bothering to apologise. I have no way of contacting the landlord, since the agency acts as the middle man; they're supposed to sort out eveything. Even if I could contact the landlord, he's refused to help in the past with really basic things, and takes months to agree to anything, so he would only make things worse. The agency said there were 4 more tenants in line (before us) waiting for their boilers to be repaired; apparently beig pregnant doesn't give me priority. I called them again at 11am, and they still hadn't done anything about it.

In the meantime I've called British Gas and have provisionally booked a call-out for tomorrow morning (the earliest they can do). This means if the letting agent doesn't deliver, at least it will be fixed. If the agency arrange a call-out, they attend themselves. If I go through British Gas I will have to sort it out myself by taking time off work, canceling a dental appointment I have booked, and paying on my visa until the letting agent can reimburse me. I shouldn't have to pay them at all, seeing as I'm trying to pay off my creidt cards before I go on mat leave in Feb, but that's beside the point.

I really don't have much faith in them at all. If they at least seemed to care when I spoke to them, then that would be something, but they talk to me like I'm causing trouble, when all I want is a sensible temperature for my home.

 

[surprisebaby]

omg how awful!!!! Hope you're ok...

I agree for the mean time hot water bottles, THERMAL undergarments are a must, and woolen clothes. no jeans (material too thin and cold). Wear leggings under trousers etc. It does make a bit of a difference. I bought some thermal tights the other day and they really do help feel warmer, cos I always feel too cold in my house.

Hope you get it dealt with soon. xx

 

[modo]

That is totally unacceptable!!!!! Can I ask which agency you are using?

 

[Lara310809]

It's a local agency with only one office. I thought they were a big chain, but apparently not. Perhaps that explains a few things...

After much nagging, they have finally booked an engineer to come out tomorrow afternoon. It means I have one more night of being freezing, but at least there's an end in sight. I've found my legwarmers and extra hats, so I'm all wrapped up tonight.

Thansk for the support ladies, some of the stories are terrible, especially debgreasby; I can't believe they made you wait when you have young children in the house! Being pregnant is one thing, but kids are another entirely.

 

[xbabybumpx]

glad its getting sorted hun. im never gonna take my boiler for granted! lol xox