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By SheldonDavidsonSolicitors
A landlord cannot leave you without heating indefinitely. Once you report the problem, they must investigate it and arrange repairs within a reasonable time.
There is no single legal deadline for every heating fault. However, a complete loss of heating during cold weather should be treated as urgent. Where a boiler has failed entirely, it may be reasonable to expect an engineer to attend within 24 hours to carry out an initial inspection.
That does not always mean the repair must be completed within 24 hours. Some faults require replacement parts or specialist work. But your landlord should act promptly, explain what is happening, and consider temporary heating while the repair is being arranged.
The urgency will depend on the circumstances. A broken boiler is more serious during winter, where the property is very cold, or where young children, elderly people, disabled tenants, or anyone with a health condition lives in the home.
If you are a council or housing association tenant, your landlord has a legal duty to keep your heating and hot water systems in proper working order. Where problems with a heating system or defective boiler remain unresolved, you may be able to challenge the landlord and seek compensation.
Your landlord should respond as quickly as the situation requires.
A minor fault affecting one radiator may not need the same response as a complete boiler breakdown. If the whole property has no heating during cold weather, the problem should be treated as urgent.
The landlord should assess the fault, arrange an inspection, and tell you when the repair is expected to take place. If the permanent repair cannot be completed immediately, they should consider whether temporary heating is needed.
What counts as a reasonable time will depend on the weather, the temperature inside the property, whether there is another safe source of heat, and who lives in the home.
For serious boiler failures, an initial inspection within 24 hours may be appropriate. However, there is a difference between attending to assess the fault and completing the final repair.
Where parts need to be ordered or the boiler must be replaced, more time may be needed. Even then, your landlord should keep you updated and take reasonable steps to protect you from the cold.
Under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords must keep heating and hot water installations in repair and proper working order.
This can include boilers, central heating systems, radiators, gas fires, and the gas and water pipes connected to them.
A landlord cannot avoid this duty by placing responsibility for major heating repairs into the tenancy agreement. Tenants may be expected to deal with minor day-to-day matters, but they cannot be forced to take responsibility for repairing a landlord’s boiler or central heating system.
Landlords must also ensure that rented homes remain fit for human habitation. A property may be unfit where excessive cold or another serious hazard makes it unsafe to live in.
The duty is not limited to the boiler itself. Broken windows, defective doors, damaged walls, damp, and poor insulation can all make a home difficult to heat. If these problems are caused by disrepair, the landlord may also be responsible for putting them right.
Gas boilers and other gas appliances must be maintained safely. Any gas work must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the landlord must arrange the required annual gas safety checks.
A landlord must also restore a broken hot water supply within a reasonable time.
As with heating, there is no fixed deadline that applies to every case. The seriousness of the problem will depend on whether the hot water has stopped completely, how long the fault has continued, and the needs of the people living in the property.
A total loss of hot water can affect washing, cleaning, and basic sanitation. It may be especially serious where young children, elderly people, disabled occupants, or people with medical needs live in the home.
Your landlord should investigate the cause and arrange repairs promptly. If the fault cannot be fixed straight away, they should explain the delay and consider whether temporary arrangements are needed.
You should report the issue as soon as possible. Put it in writing where you can, and keep a copy of the report. This helps show when the landlord first became aware of the problem.
If a permanent repair will take time, your landlord should consider what can be done in the meantime.
This may include providing safe portable heaters, electric blankets, or temporary water-heating equipment. Any temporary solution should be suitable for the size of the home and the needs of the household.
One small heater may not be enough for an entire family home. The landlord should consider whether the temporary measures actually provide a reasonable level of warmth.
Electric heaters can also be expensive to run. If your energy costs increase because you have been forced to rely on temporary heating, you may ask your landlord to cover the additional cost or agree to a rent reduction.
Keep copies of energy statements, receipts, and any messages about temporary heating. These may be useful if the dispute continues.
Your landlord should also keep you informed. You should be told when an engineer is due to attend, whether parts have been ordered, and when the permanent repair is expected to be completed.
You must allow reasonable access for inspections and repairs. If you need extra notice, a chaperone, or another reasonable arrangement, tell your landlord.
Government guidance describes a cold home as one that cannot be maintained at around 18°C to 21°C at a reasonable cost.
These figures are not a fixed legal minimum for every room and every tenancy. However, they can help indicate whether a property is affected by excessive cold.
A home may still be unsafe even where the boiler is working. Poor insulation, broken windows, damaged doors, damp walls, and structural defects can cause heat to escape quickly.
Excessive cold can place health at risk. It may worsen respiratory conditions, affect circulation, and increase the risk of illness. Young children, older people, and those with existing medical conditions may be particularly vulnerable.
If your home remains very cold, keep a record of the temperature. Photographs of thermostat readings or a reliable room thermometer can help. You should also photograph broken windows, damaged doors, damp, mould, or any other defect that may be making the home colder.
When a landlord acts quickly, many heating problems can be resolved without further action. But where reports are ignored and the home remains cold, you may need to take formal steps.
If your landlord does not act, there are practical steps you can take to protect yourself and strengthen your position:
Reporting a repair is different from making a formal complaint. If you are unhappy with delays, poor workmanship, missed appointments, or inadequate temporary heating, you should use the landlord’s complaints procedure.
Do not stop paying your rent because the heating has not been repaired. Withholding rent can create arrears and may place your tenancy at risk.
You should not have to chase repeatedly for an essential repair. If your landlord continues to delay or ignore the problem, legal advice can help you understand the next step.
You may be able to claim compensation if your landlord knew about the heating problem and failed to repair it within a reasonable time.
A short boiler breakdown will not automatically lead to compensation. The landlord must normally have been told about the problem and given a reasonable opportunity to deal with it.
The amount of compensation will depend on the circumstances. Factors may include how serious the fault was, how long it continued, the time of year, the number of rooms affected, and the steps the landlord took after being notified.
Compensation is often assessed by reference to the rent paid during the period of disrepair. As a general guide, awards in serious cases may sometimes fall between 25% and 50% of the relevant rent, depending on the severity and duration of the problem.
This is not a fixed tariff. Every claim is assessed on its own facts, and less serious cases may result in a lower award.
A housing disrepair claim can also seek to make the landlord complete the necessary repairs. This can be important where the heating is still broken or temporary fixes have failed.
If you have been left without reliable heating or hot water for an unreasonable period, speaking to a housing disrepair solicitor can help you understand whether you may have a valid claim.
At SDS Solicitors, we support tenants who are living without reliable heating or hot water and struggling to get their landlord to take action.
We understand how stressful it can be when repair reports are ignored, appointments are missed, and temporary fixes fail to solve the problem.
Our Housing Disrepair Solicitors can review the history of the fault, consider the evidence, and advise whether you may have grounds to make a claim.
Where appropriate, we can contact the landlord, help gather evidence, pursue the repairs your home needs, and seek compensation on your behalf.
We offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation. Eligible claims may also be handled on a No Win No Fee basis, which means you will not have to pay our legal fees if the claim is unsuccessful, subject to the terms of the agreement.
With over 25 years of experience, our team provides clear, supportive, and tenacious legal advice. You do not have to keep fighting your landlord alone.
Established in Manchester in 1997, SDS Solicitors is a leading compensation claims law firm.
Our Housing Disrepair Solicitors in Manchester regularly act for clients across Greater Manchester, including Ashton, Bury, Bolton, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Middleton, Failsworth, Rochdale, Oldham, and Whitefield.
Our Housing Disrepair Solicitors can also support clients across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The law and claims process may differ depending on where you live, and our team will explain the position that applies to you.
We specialise in No Win No Fee compensation claims. This means that, subject to the terms of the agreement, you will not have to pay our legal fees if your claim is unsuccessful.
If your landlord has failed to repair broken heating or restore your hot water, contact SDS Solicitors today. We will listen to what has happened, explain your rights, and let you know whether you may have grounds to make a claim.
