No HOT WATER or HEATING during Winter

[super-duperr]

Hi there. I am writing this thread to find out more about my options.

This is the situation:
Since the 15th of December I have had no hot water or heating. I contacted my landlord the day I noticed the problem and reported it and they said they will send somebody out the next day to fix it.

on the 16th, a repair guy was suppose to 'fix' the problem which found to be the communal boiler. Still no hot water. He came to my property to look at our boiler which had no fault.

later on, on the 16th another repair guy came to look at the communal boiler and said they need a new part for the pump and that both pumps (main pump and the backup pump) had failed. Contacted the landlord and they said the part will be coming on Monday and for the time being they will be putting a pump in place from another block of apartments located within the area which will be installed tomorrow. Landlord told us we would have hot water and heating over the weekend. Throughout the day still no hot water or heating. By this time the landlords office was closed so we were unable to contact them till Monday.

17th, the concierge contacted us on the Saturday to say that the repair guy had installed a pump from another block... still no hot water.

18th- Sunday, Nothing!

19th - Monday, 8am, called landlord, repair guys are on their way. Lunch time, still not fixed, should be done by 5pm the landlord said. 6pm still no hot water or heating. They said he will be coming back at 8am on the 20th to repair it.

Now im starting to get very pissed of with the landlord and the communal management because neither of them know what they are doing and keep passing it day to day like its not a problem.

There are over 30 apartments in the building all without hot water and heating.

I have contacted the landlord asking for compensation due to me and my partner having to stay in and failing to attend work. They keep saying no compensation will be issued!

When i asked how we are suppose to shower, their response was to boil the kettle and have a bath! No compensation offered for the massive electric bill i would receive at the end of the month.

My tenancy expires 28th of Feb 12 and we pay £495 a month for a one bedroom apartment in the very centre of a large city.

I feel this is massively wrong but they dont?

Any advice welcome!
Any questions also welcome!

[mariner]

Reality check
Problems were first reported 15 Dec
Today is 20 Dec
Engineers have visited and identified the problem as communal boiler requiring new part. Replacement has been sourced & fitted.. If communal boiler provides heating & hot water to all flats, what is purpose of ind T boilers?
If OP was owner/occupirer could s/he have effected repairs any sooner?

[Paul_f]

It's clear the landlord(s) is/are in breach and you are entitled that space heating and domestic hot water are constantly maintained especially in Winter.

I know of a family who moved out after 3 days some years ago into a hotel over Christmas as there was no heating or hot water and it cost the landlord a pretty packet as it wasn't fixed for 2 weeks.

[boletus]

It's clear the landlord(s) is/are in breach and you are entitled that space heating and domestic hot water are constantly maintained especially in Winter.

I'm not sure about 'constantly maintained'.
A landlord must 'keep in repair and proper working order' and must repair within a 'reasonable' period.

Has the landlord acted unreasonably in the above scenario?
It is not clear that they have.

As Mariner points out, if the OP had been an owner/occupier, could they have repaired it any quicker (assuming the repair was carried out today as promised)?
I doubt it.