our yearly gas safety check came up three weeks ago, and as a result, our gas fire has been deemed unsafe, and so been cut off.
The landlord has no intention of fixing the problem, and now to heat the living room, we're using a fan heater, which is costing loads. Because we have single glazing, and the house is draftier than a wind tunnel, the central heating is pretty useless, especially in this weather.
Do we have any grounds for a reduction in rent? The fireplace was one of the things that attracted us to the house.
Having phoned the letting agent for info, they said they are going to let me know, but if they're anything like they have been in the past, they won't.

I think if you report it to the council they have the power to install the necessary heater and invoice the landlord. I'm not sure though. Forum member CGKsheff will probably know though.

Hold back rent until your landlord sorts it

try the PDF on this page http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/information_315.htm

You still have a right to repair. I can't open the PDF, so I don't know how much use it is to you

It isn't always a good idea to withold rent as the landlord might try to seek posession of the property when your contract ends.

Unfortunately, it does not all go in your favour and so much of the case will boil down to your tenancy agreement. Sad to say, so many agreements do not cover everything that you would wish at a time like this.

By law, as you understand, he cannot reconnect the fire without certified repair or replacement.

How long do you intend staying there and is it worth the hassle?

Do everything in writing and keep copies.

Are you students? In which case your University/College should have a Tenancy Officer or similar to support you.

If you inform your landlord of the fault and request repair and he fails to do so in a "reasonable" time then you do have rights to make your own repairs. You do not, however, have automatic rights to reimbursement.

Failure to pay rent gives him rights towards evicting you.

Look very carefully at your tenancy agreement.
Contact the Citizens Advice Bureau for Legal Advice.

I'd suggest a visit to the Citizens Advice Bureau might be in order, make sure you take all your documentation with you. In many cases the letting agents are the people responsible for repairs and maintenance and then they just bill the landlord. Don't try with-holding the rent as this will only cause aggravation, get as much info as you can and then at least you'll know where you stand legally.

I'm sorry, I forgot about the free advice from the council. We pay these folk so you may as well use them:

Help and Support for Private Tenants

If you rent your home from a private landlord we can offer you help and advice about:-

Problems you may be having with disrepair in your privately rented home.
Depending on the nature of the problem, we will advise you as to a course of action. We may try and get repairs carried out on your behalf by dealing with your landlord informally, and where necessary we will serve legal notices requiring the work to be done.

For information and enquiries on privately rented housing please telephone the public advice line on 273 4680

Council Webpages (http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/in-your-area/housing-services/private-sector-housing/private-tenants)

Blinking eck... - My tenants are moving out next month and we are looking to get new tenants. We are arranging to get all gas certificates/electric appliance testing/ repainting and carpeting! (and we have double glazing!) Some landlords out there should just give it up.

It is a shame because in so many circumstances, the nice tenants end up with a don't carish landlord and vice versa - the nice landlord can often end up with horrendous-to-deal with tenants.

I am sorry for your situation - I haven't come on with advice - just to say I hope you get it sorted and your landlord sounds awful!


Good Luck!

We have just had a similar problem but after threatening our landlord with legal action he sorted it.

If you live in a furnished house your contract should have a clause for repairs to furnishings, wear and tear ect. So your landlord is in breach of contract by leaving you without heating in the middle of winter. Therefore you could reasonably take him to a small claims court and ask for about £50 a night (the price of a hotel) in compensation. Or you could get in fixed and send him the bill. You need to put all this in writing to him and keep a copy of the letter.

For more advice on how to handle it ring the council's private rented standards dept on 2734680. David Hickling is very helpful, as is Kate Driver.

As a former journalism student I would have thought you'd have been able to find this out for yourself with a couple of phonecalls!

thanks jade ;o)



and everyone else.
It's got beyond the stage of sorting it out with a couple of phonecalls tho. It's a sad state of affairs when legal talk's coming into it, as it is doing. The fire is the least of the problems, just perhaps the most manageable.

I dismay at some landlords. I am one myself and our tenants let us know that their hot water wasnt working. We agreed immediately for the work to be carried out by one of their approved workmen. You cant sit back and abuse your tenants, your incomce and reputation depends on them being happy and comfortable!! You cant legally withhold rent and all that will happen is they will accrue interest from the due date until payment so either way you lose.

However, and this is a big HOWEVER....After all I have done for my tenants, fixing washing machines, cookers, boilers etc.......They havent paid their rent in two months and my agent has had to issue court letters so your not all lovely and above board. In fact in some respects I think landlords get a bum deal from some tenants and, in some respects you can see where the couldnt care less attitude comes from when they may have done everything right in the past, only to find their tenants dont pay up, sort of hardens them over a period dont ya think....

sent you pm

Having rented in the private sector for the last 18 years I have to say that tenants are at the mercy of their landlords. :(

Of the 6 landlords I have had during these 18 years. 1 gave us notice to quit as he wanted the house for his daughter(promptly moving in a new family when we left and upping the rent by £100 p/m), 1 moved us from a large house to one of his much smaller properties (at the same rent!)so he could convert it into 2 flats and finally the last one refused to let me claim Housing Benefit even though I was entitled to it. What could I do - nothing. If I kicked up a fuss he could have turned round and given a months notice and left me homeless. He was my landlord for 8 years and during that time spent not one penny on the house. No gas inspection was ever made with the same outcome as the OP that the gas fire was condemned leaving us using a very costly electric heater which gave out nowhere near as much heat as a gas fire:cry

It can be hard being a tenant :help:

Originally posted by Scutts
Having rented in the private sector for the last 18 years I have to say that tenants are at the mercy of their landlords. :(

Of the 6 landlords I have had during these 18 years. 1 gave us notice to quit as he wanted the house for his daughter(promptly moving in a new family when we left and upping the rent by £100 p/m), 1 moved us from a large house to one of his much smaller properties (at the same rent!)so he could convert it into 2 flats and finally the last one refused to let me claim Housing Benefit even though I was entitled to it. What could I do - nothing. If I kicked up a fuss he could have turned round and given a months notice and left me homeless. He was my landlord for 8 years and during that time spent not one penny on the house. No gas inspection was ever made with the same outcome as the OP that the gas fire was condemned leaving us using a very costly electric heater which gave out nowhere near as much heat as a gas fire:cry

It can be hard being a tenant :help:

it can be hard, but that's just being wet. Certain things are required by law, you could make his life very difficult by reporting him if you would like a little payback.

we're sitting out the contract now until it expires, not long left, then we'll get somewhere better.
Ive had landlords in the past who were really good, so i'm in no way implying that all landlords are like this. It's just ours are less than caring (unless it's about money)

and Ive just had to issue court papers to my tenants for two months non-payment.....great aint it!!!!!!!