Flushing the system, crud in radiators.

Afternoon all.
I've recently moved in to a rental property, and I have radiators that only get partially hot. Most of the radiators get hot at the sides, and the top, but the middle third doesn't get hot. Reading what I have on here and various other forums, I understand that I can flush the system and get all the crud out, using Fernox? or similar.
Is this an easy job??
Where can I get the correct chemicals from, are they expensive??
Is it the sort of job that I can do myself, as I'd rather do that than trouble my landlord????
Is it the kinda job that can be accomplished on a saturday afternoon??
I also have a radiator in the bedroom that is permanently hot, I'm assuming this is prolly a knackered non-return valve, as this is the closest radiator to the hot water tank. Correct??
The system in this house is as old as the hills, but looks fairly standard as far as I can tell, with the (non Combi) boiler installed in the loft, and the associated tanks and pipework up there. The main hot water tank is in the airing cupboard in the bedroom, so I guess this is what's known as a gravity fed system??
Thanks for any help you may be able to give!!!
Rich

Forget it.
You pay rent. It is the landlords problem.
While he may be gracious in you sorting out his cruddy rads, he wont be as gracious if he has to get someone in to sort out any problems resulting from the flushing

As above, the landlord has a responsibility to maintain the premises and i'm sure (but not 100%) that there should be an annual inspection as part of the rental agreement. If you start powerflushing or removing rads and flood the place you'll be in heaps of trouble so let the landlord deal with it.

Hmm. In his words, and, I quote, ''If this place costs me too much money, I could always put the rent up, or even sell it''. It took us a long time to get this place, and I don't want to have to move again!!!!!

Sounds like the landlord has you over a barrel and he knows it.
Its wrong really but thats life, he'll put the rent up or sell and you're on the move again so i can appreciate you don't wanna rock the boat.

I'm assuming you've bled the rads for air?
If not you could always remove the rads from the walls individually an hose them out. Even if you did one every few days it'll be easy to do and at least you'll know they are clear of crud. And as long as you close both valves and make a note of how many turns you turn the lockshield and have a washing up bowl to catch the water you've less chance of getting water everywhere.
Good luck

Thanks bernardbeemer. I've had a quote at mate's rates to do the job for me, and to fix the perma-hot radiator in the bedroom. Does 200 notes sound like a fair price to sort it?? Anybody know of any honest gas fitters in my part of the world, to get another quote in comparison?? My father-in-law should be joining us from Welsh Wales at the weekend, so I might get him to help me do the job, and change a tap in the bathroom - he's gonna be a busy bee the weekend!!! I did bleed the rads, yeah, and just got a really ****ty looking water out almost straight away.

clampchamp said:

Hmm. In his words, and, I quote, ''If this place costs me too much money, I could always put the rent up, or even sell it''.

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But he can only put the rent up if there is a condition in the tenancy agreement giving him the right to do this. If there is no condition, he can only put the rent up by going through the procedures laid down by the Housing Act 1988 section 13(2), as amended by the Regulatory Reform (Assured Periodic Tenancies) (Rent Increases) Order 2003!

If you are on an Approved Shorthold Tenancy of one year, he has to give six months notice. If the original tenancy period has ended and you are now on a rolling monthly tenancy, he has to give a month's notice. Whatever happens he cannot increase the rent more than once a year, and you can appeal to the local Rent Assessment Committee, who will determine what the appropriate rent should be.

As for the landlord selling the property, he will have to sell it with sitting tenants. The price he gets will depend on the return the new purchaser will get, i.e the rental income as a percentage of the investment. Most landlords expect at least 5% return.