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Faulty/Broken Heating System or Boiler Claims Guide – Can I Claim Compensation? – Online Guide

By Lewis Cobain. Last Updated 15th December 2022. If you have a broken boiler, or you’re wondering, ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, this guide can help. In short, if you suffered as a result of third party negligence, you could have grounds to claim.

On this page, will find a guide that amongst others, answers the question, I have a faulty/broken heating system or boiler can I claim compensation against landlord? When it comes to boiler and heating system disrepair, you as a tenant have certain legal rights. Your landlord must get the how water system or boiler fixed by law, within a certain timeframe. Furthermore, if lack of heating has caused you or a household member to contract an illness, as long as you make a claim within the personal injury claims time limit of three years, personal injury lawyer a will be able to make a personal injury claim on your behalf.

If you don’t have enough time to read all of this guide, then just call Legal Expert on 0800 073 8804 today and we can begin to improve your experience of the claims process from start to finish.

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A Guide To Boiler And Heating Disrepair Compensation Claims

'I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation'

‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’

If you’re wondering ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, this guide can help. In short, if you suffered as a result of third party negligence, you could have grounds to claim.

Within this guide, you will find all of the legal facts surrounding the topic of boiler and heating system disrepair. It covers your rights as a tenant, and also the responsibilities that your landlord has with regard to housing disrepair. If you have a broken boiler in rented home, then in most cases, your landlord must repair or replace it within a specific timeframe. Furthermore, if you or a family member suffer an illness due to a lack of heating, a personal injury solicitor will be able to make a compensation claim for you. This guide contains information such as:

  • An explanation of your legal rights as a tenant to have working heating and a hot water supply.
  • A discussion of the legal obligations that your landlord has to provide you with a property that is liveable, including a working hot water supply and heating.
  • A discussion of the legal obligations that you have as a tenant with regards to maintaining your rental property.
  • Information on how long a heating system can be expected to remain operational and how your landlord needs to maintain it regularly.
  • A list of some of the most common types of problems that you can have with a boiler or central heating system.
  • Information on who your landlord should use to repair or maintain your heating or hot water system.
  • Some of the steps you could take if your heating system or boiler is not working in an effort to get it repaired.
  • A list of the most common types of compensation you might be able to claim if your faulty heating system has led to somebody in the household to become ill.
  • A table that shows the typical amounts of compensation a person might be able to claim for a range of illnesses that could be caused by heating disrepair.
  • An explanation of the claims service Legal Expert offers to UK citizens and a way to claim compensation for an illness caused by heating disrepair, as well as information of the Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) that we base this claims service on.

If you read all the way to the end of this page and you still have some questions such as ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, please call Legal Expert on the number in the final section of this page to make a claim for heating disrepair today.

Tenants Rights For A Broken Boiler In A Rented Home

broken heating statistics

Source: https://onthemarketblog.blogspot.com/2016/01/1-in-5-home-insurance-claims-rejected.html

The answer to questions such as can you put the heating on when the water is off? Do not form part of this guide. The questions it will answer are related to legal issues surrounding boiler and heating system disrepair, such as what is the legal temperature for tenants? Taking a look at the graph above, we see that heating and hot water are not even listed. This means that insurance claims based on these problems are minimal. However, this does not mean that they are not a common problem with rented properties.

As the tenant of a property with heating and hot water, your landlord is required to repair and maintain the heating system. The timeframe allowed to make the repair will be detailed in the tenancy agreement you signed. If the landlord takes longer than the stipulated time, and you or a family member has become ill due to having no heating, then you can make a compensation claim.

Legal Expert can help you make a claim for an illness caused by living in a cold home. Call us at the number down at the end of this page to find out how.

How Long Can A Landlord Leave You Without Water In The UK?

Are you wondering about how long a landlord can leave you without water in the UK? No running water is a significant issue and your landlord should deal with the problem quickly.

If you have been left with no heating or hot water, your landlord has a duty of care to ensure your health and safety whilst you live in their rental property. Therefore, they are expected to fix any issues with your central heating and water system, even if your tenancy agreement appears to state otherwise. This duty of care is outlined in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.

Should your landlord neglect their duty of care and you suffer harm or loss as a result, you may have grounds for a valid claim. Get in touch to find out how our No Win No Fee solicitors could help you claim housing disrepair compensation.

What Obligations Do You Have As A Tenant?

When it comes to boiler and heating system disrepair, and compensation for heating failure, then you need to understand that you have certain obligations that you yourself must fulfil if you have a broken heating system.

The tenant is obligated to carry out minor maintenance themselves. For example, bleeding the radiators of a water-based central heating system. However, when it comes to major maintenance and repairs, the tenant is obliged to inform the landlord of the problem in a timely manner.

Legal Expert can assist you in claiming compensation for a faulty heating system. Call us on the phone number at the end of this page to begin your claim today.

How Long Should Your Boiler Last And How Often Should Your Landlord Have It Serviced?

If you’re wondering ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, you may also be wondering ‘do landlords have to provide central heating?’. If the property when you signed the tenancy agreement was fitted with a heating system, then you could.

This leads to the following question if your property does have heating, how long can a landlord leave you without hot water? the answer to which, is that they must repair the heating within the landlord repairs time frame set out in your tenancy agreement. If your landlord mises this window, you will have a reason to claim compensation.

If your landlord has failed to meet the timeframe for heating repairs, then you will have a reason to claim compensation, and Legal Expert can help with this. Call us at the number at the end of this page to find out how.

Common Types Of Boiler And Heating Disrepair

If you’re wondering ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, you may be experiencing the following issues with your boiler or heating system.

When it comes to tenants rights heating not working and a tenant asking for compensation, even if you have no hot water for 3 days, if it has not gone over the time limit that your landlord has stated for repairs, then you won’t have a reason to claim. Much depends on the type of problem you have with your boiler; some repairs take longer than others. Typical heating problems include:

  • Pipes leading in to or out of the boiler have sprung a leak.
  • The boiler has begun to make strange noises, such as banging or creaking.
  • The boiler keeps turning off long before the water has become hot.
  • There is no hot water at all and no hot water to power the heating.

No matter the reason why your heating is off if it has gone over the time limit for your landlord to make a repair, Legal Expert can help you to claim compensation. Call us at the number at the end of this guide to find out how. In the meantime, read on to learn the answer to questions like ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’.

Who Should Your Landlord Get To Fix A Faulty/ Broken Heating System Or Boiler?

If your heating is broken in a rented property, you should never try to repair it yourself. You should also not bring in a tradesman to help you with repairs. Only your landlord should make repairs to the heating in a property he owns. Set down within Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 it clearly states that your landlord must make the repairs and that he must do so within a reasonable timeframe.

If you have been without heating for some time, and you or another member of your family has become ill because of it, then Legal Expert can help you to make a personal injury claim against your landlord. Call us at the number at the bottom of this guide to proceed.

What Steps Can You Take If A Broken Heating System Is Not Repaired?

If you’re wondering ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, you may wish to take the following steps.

You are entitled to adequate heating in a rented property if the property had heating when you moved in or has since had heating fitted. Your landlord should repair heating problems within a reasonable timeframe. Once a few days have passed, and your landlord has not made repairs, you should take the steps below, which will lead towards you making a compensation claim for heating disrepair.

  • Write a letter to your landlord, inform them of the faulty heating again, and ask them to provide you with a date that the heating or hot water will be fixed by.
  • If you do not receive a reply to the first letter you sent, then send a second letter, just in case the first letter was lost somehow.
  • If you receive no response to the second letter, it is time to start making other plans. You can complain to your local Environmental Health Department and explain the situation to them. However, if the landlord refutes their liability to make a repair. For example, saying that you broke the heating system, then the Environment Health Department will not get involved.
  • The next stage is to pursue compensation against your landlord for failing to repair your heating system or hot water. In many cases, the landlord will make an out of court settlement. However, in some cases, you will need to go to court for a decision to be made about your claim.

Legal Expert is experienced in making claims against a landlord for a wide range of reasons, and not fixing a heating system is one of them. Please give us a call on the number down in the final section of this guide so that we can advise you and assist you further.

If you’re wondering ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, please get in touch today or continue this guide.

No Heating In Rented Property – Can I Claim?

As we have previously stated, tenants have rights if the heating is not working in your rented property. Per these rights, if there is no heating in a rented property, and the landlord has been informed, they must resolve this issue within a reasonable time period.

If your landlord fails to fix the heating issue in your home within a reasonable time frame, you could make a claim. However, if the landlord was not made aware that your home had no heating, you might not be eligible for compensation.

Contact one of our friendly advisors today if you would like more information on landlord heating obligations in the UK. Additionally, they could also inform you whether you are eligible for compensation.

Compensation for No Hot Water UK

If your boiler was broken and this caused some form of harm, you could potentially hold your landlord liable in a personal injury claim.

For instance, a broken boiler in serious cases could potentially lead to issues such as hypothermia, in which case you may be eligible to claim no heating or hot water in rented property compensation.

Broken boiler claims could comprise both general damages and special damages. General damages compensate for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries. On the other hand, special damages will help you recover the financial losses you incurred as a result.

When calculating compensation for no hot water in the UK solicitors use the compensation amounts from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to assist them in valuing claims. The figures in the compensation table below are taken from the April 2022 edition of the JCG. You could use these amounts to estimate your award, though they should not be taken as guaranteed amounts. They also consider other factors to determine your payout. Some of the factors are:

  • The severity of your injury
  • Any continuing symptoms of your injury
  • How your injury has impacted your life
Edit
Type of Harm Notes Amount
Lung Disease – (d) Breathing difficulties that require the use of an inhaler frequently. There will also be an uncertain prognosis. £31,310 to £54,830
Lung Disease – (f) Slight breathlessness that doesn’t have any effect on working life. The person is likely to recover within a few years. £10,640 to £20,800
Cold Injuries – (b) Any aggravating features, will be taken into consideration. The combination of sweating in the feet and hands, chronic pain and acceleration of future joint problems could also be applicable. In the reign of £32,500
Cold Injuries – (a) Less serious cases of cold-sensation in the feet or hands that is long-term. This could cause pain and discomfort. Around £15,000
Dermatitis and Other Skin Conditions – (a) Both hands suffer with dermatitis, which causes them to crack and experience soreness. This effects employments and may have some psychological consequences. £13,740 to £19,200
Dermatitis and Other Skin Conditions – (b) One or both hands suffer from dermatitis for a significant time, but it will settle with treatment or from wearing gloves for specific tasks. £8,640 to £11,410
Dermatitis and Other Skin Conditions – (c) Rashes, irritation and/or itching on one or both hands. However, it should resolve with treatment within a few months. £1,710 to £3,950

You may also want to report the letting agent/landlord for not fixing the boiler separately to making a claim. You could potentially do this by getting in touch with your local council. If you make a formal complaint, this could be used as evidence for your claim.

If you contact us at a time that works for you, we can provide you with a free consultation that can give you a personalised compensation estimate. Get in touch with our advisors using the details above.

Housing Disrepair Solicitors – No Win No Fee

If your landlord has left you with no heating or hot water and you are eligible to claim compensation, you might seek the help of housing disrepair solicitors.

You could potentially work with No Win No Fee housing disrepair solicitors if you are concerned about the legal costs associated with hiring legal help.

If a No Win No Fee solicitor works on your case, and you do not receive compensation, you will not be required to pay them for their work. If your claim is settled, you’ll pay a success fee from your compensation that is capped by law under the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.

Furthermore, there are generally no upfront fees required for your solicitor to begin working on your claim.

Speak to our advisors at any time and at no extra cost to you. They can determine if you are eligible to work with our expert solicitors.

How Our Team Can Support Tenants Claim Against A Landlord For Disrepair

Legal Expert has a track history of successfully winning compensation for our clients across a very large range of different types of compensation claim cases. We would love to have the opportunity to do the same for you.

When you talk with one of our team, they will connect you with a solicitor that will manage your claim for you. Somebody will always be on hand to answer any questions you may have and to keep you updated about your claim.

Call Legal Expert on the number below to learn more about our claims service and how we can help you to claim against your landlord for heating disrepair.

Start Your Claim By Calling Us Today

Are you wondering ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’. Or, are you ready to make a compensation claim against your landlord for them failing to fix your broken heating or hot water system?

If so, please call Legal Expert today on 0800 073 8804, and once we know a little more about your claim, we will give you some free legal advice on what to do next.

‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation ?’ FAQs

To end our guide, here are some questions we often get asked about this topic which could be of use to you:

How do I know if my boiler is broken?

There are a few common things you can look out for if you’re trying to identify a broken boiler, including:

  • The blue pilot light becoming orange or yellow
  • The water pressure showing as high
  • Evidence of leaking pipes
  • Inability to turn the boiler back on

What steps should I take if my landlord hasn’t repaired my boiler?

First things first, do not stop your regular rent payments as this can create rent arrears and give your landlord grounds to evict you from the property altogether. Instead, you should proceed calmly, reaching out to your landlord in writing about the issue to see if they can fix the problem. If they don’t, you should seek third-party help by complaining to your local authority or housing ombudsman to see if they can reach an agreement with your landlord. If they can’t, you should evidence the problem, taking photos of any damage and retaining proof of correspondence with your landlord to help prove any claim you may wish to make against them to compensate you for the damage caused.

Useful Links

Below, you will find a link that leads to a website published by the UK Government giving information on private rentals:

UK Government info on private rentals

Below, you will find a link that leads to a website that gives information on the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985:

The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985

Below, you will find a link that leads to a website with a guide to making landlord claims:

A guide to landlord claims

Below, you will find a link that leads to a website with a guide to making council house or housing association disrepair claims:

A guide to council disrepair claims

If you’re wondering ‘I have a faulty heating system or boiler can I claim compensation?’, we hope this guide has been of use. If you have any more questions, please get in touch with us today.

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      Patrick is a Grade A solicitor having qualified in 2005. He's an an expert in accident at work and public liability claims and is currently our head of the EL/PL department. Get in touch today for free to see how we can help you.