HELP NEEDED PLEASE!

[Amanda75]

Good morning all you experts out there,
Im hoping that someone can help, as my bogus landlord is reluctant to do so. We have a VOKERA 20 80 RS FLOWMATIC in our privately rented flat, in the 4 years we have lived here, we had ONE annual gas safety check about 2 yr ago, my landlord is too tight to pay for it, aswell as a broken window (which is boarded up) in the bedroom with faulty boiler & no ventillation!
Anyway... lastnight our heating/hot water stopped working! pilot light is lit but wont fire up! gas fire is fine but no heating or hot water. last time we had this problem, it was due to sunken & uneven floorboards, which were putting pressure on a pipe under the floor! The house in my opinion should be condemned and i know i should call landlord to fix problem, but he uses uncertified workmen as a last resort if he cant fix it himself! last time we had a leaky radiator he put a bit of bonding putty the size of a tennis ball round the pipe!
Asking my landlord to fix something is like having a death wish!
My 10yo asthma suffering son sleeps in bedroom with no vent & dodgy boiler, we also have a toddler & 4mo and need heating asap! i hope someone out there can save the day & give me advice on what to do! at my wits end
Desperate houswife!

 

[Dan Robinson]

An annual safety check is mandatory. Report the a7se to gas safe. your boiler is probably repairable., but not BH y a DIYer.

 

[Amanda75]

An annual safety check is mandatory. Report the a7se to gas safe. your boiler is probably repairable., but not BH y a DIYer.

Thanks Dan,
I will get onto gas safe right away!
I might just have to ask landlord to help (grudgingly)

 

[CBF]

ask to see their gas safe card before you let them touch the boiler & check the back of the card to make sure it has boilers listed oh & that the pic on the front looks like them, if they can't show it to you kick them out, you & your families lives are more important than an upset landlord

 

[Amanda75]

ask to see their gas safe card before you let them touch the boiler & check the back of the card to make sure it has boilers listed oh & that the pic on the front looks like them, if they can't show it to you kick them out, you & your families lives are more important than an upset landlord

Very good advice! thank you, I always just assume they are what they say they are, but no more, esp as you say, my familiy are more important than saving my landlord a few quid!
They'll only get away with it if i let em!
I asked landlord politely to send a certified tradesman & to see a copy of his gas safety record.
I await the outcome

 

[Agile]

I think that the Council Environmental Health is the right department to police having no gas certification.

Why did the window get broken?

Are you paying the rent?

Tony

 

[Amanda75]

I think that the Council Environmental Health is the right department to police having no gas certification.

Why did the window get broken?

Are you paying the rent?

Tony

Hi Tony,
I contacted council but unless its a threat to public safety they won't help
We pay most of the £715 pm rent but as my partner is the only one earning a wage we get partial housing benefit.
Window initially broke when 10yo son went to open window & glass shattered! Only on inspection from glazier we found that the sash was wet & rotten! From years of rain & neglect I assume. An accident waiting to happen. Glazier also said, as we are 3 flights up & window has boxed in pipes at window, leaving a raised platform, it should be toughened glass. Only single glazed we have

 

[Agile]

You really do seem to be living in a dreadful place with a landlord who is not fulfilling his responsibilities.

There may be a council tenant's liaison officer who helps private tenants.

If you had the capabilities you could take the landlord to court for not carrying out repairs. Thats a very easy case to win but does need the ability to stand up in court to present your case.

A few trainee barristers will sometimes do cases for no fees ( pro bono ).

Tony

 

[bolshy]

If you go to Gas Safe official website, you can lodge a complaint against your Landlord with the Health and Safety Exec by filling out an online form, the HSE are the big boys. That will get his ass moving.

 

[Amanda75]

You really do seem to be living in a dreadful place with a landlord who is not fulfilling his responsibilities.

There may be a council tenant's liaison officer who helps private tenants.

If you had the capabilities you could take the landlord to court for not carrying out repairs. Thats a very easy case to win but does need the ability to stand up in court to present your case.

A few trainee barristers will sometimes do cases for no fees ( pro bono ).

Tony

It's like the house that jack built!
We do have a catalogue of repairs needing done. A place in Glasgow called "the private rented housing panel" can get the scot exec on his case but only once I write to landlord asking repairs to be done by a deadline. Trouble is I don't trust landlord or his "mates" to do repairs!
***bangs head of wall***
Good advice re: taking legal action, it's worth me looking into it! If not to seek compensation, but for him to take responsibility before someone else gets hurt.
Thank you for your advice!
Much appreciated

 

[Amanda75]

If you go to Gas Safe official website, you can lodge a complaint against your Landlord with the Health and Safety Exec by filling out an online form, the HSE are the big boys. That will get his ass moving.

Ha ha! That'd teach him, cut out the middle man & straight to the big wigs!
I seen the gas safety website today,so i will get back on & go through the complaints procedure!
Thank you!
Good advice

 

[Agile]

But that is only in respect of the Gas Safety Certificate.

All it will do is serve a Notice on him to get the Certificate within a rather long timescale.

Usually I find its the EHOs who do that though.

You seem to have many other issues like boarded up windows and what sounds like dangerous windows too!

Tony Glazier

 

[rjm2k]

I contacted council but unless its a threat to public safety they won't help

Send them these links and then ask them if THEY ARE SURE it only becomes a threat to public safety AFTER it has killed people? You live in a block of flats, the consequences of a faulty boiler could be disasterous and if it turned out the council had been told and asked for help before hand they would be hung out to dry.

"'Unsafe' boiler led to gas explosion at Wrentham house"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-18078303

"Oldham explosion: Boiler man arrested over blast"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-18623608

"Oldham explosion: handyman 'who mended boiler' arrested over death of Jamie Heaton, 2"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...er-arrested-over-death-of-Jamie-Heaton-2.html

"Norwich boiler fitter’s faulty work caused gas explosion"

http://www.boilerguide.co.uk/norwich-boiler-fitters-faulty-work-caused-gas-explosion

You need to stand up for yourself a bit more, if the process involves giving the landlord chance to sort things out then do so, if you don't trust his workers then call National Gas Emergency number: 0800 111 999 afterwords telling them you think you can smell gas and feel nausia.