No heating in rented apartment

sweirdo

So, as it is getting cold, we tried turning on our heating about 10 days ago and saw that it didn't work. We moved in in August after searching for a long time for a place in Cork.
We have contacted the letting agency and they said they forwarded our mail to the landlord. A week passed and nothing happened, never heard back from anyone. So yesterday we mailed them again, they said they called the landlord and that he said he'd prioritise us. (which I'm quite sceptical about).

Now, my question would be: What are our rights as tenants in this situation? We do have hot water and the heating in the bedroom is working, but the rest of the apartment is freezing cold and there is no other way to heat it (unless you wanna count a bunch of candles).
I've read that we can move out without giving notice in this case, which is a ridiculous thing to do, since we live in Cork - moving out would give us more trouble.
Do we have any right of compensation for the days the heating didn't work? We are very happy with the apartment, but this thing not getting sorted, especially with the winter ahead, really annoys me (not to mention at this stage I've been sick for about a week).
Also, do we have any right of compensation if the landlord comes in without giving notice? This has happened before when he was taking out some furniture. It wasn't a big deal for us, really, but it really shouldn't be done and if it happens again, that would be quite upsetting.

Any advice?

cruizer101

What kind of heating is it that the heating in bedroom is working but no where else? Do you have boiler of any sort?

How is the hot water heated, immersion?

Browney7

Are the radiators in other rooms cold to the touch at top and the bottom? If they are any bit warm near the bottom, get a radiator key to bleed the radiators. You can get them in DIY shops or Tesco and Dunnes.

sweirdo

I honestly have no idea what heating we have. Electric, as far as I know.
I'll check that when I get home from work today, thanks.

The hot water is heated with immersion, yes. That works fine.

Cuddlesworth

sweirdo wrote: »

I honestly have no idea what heating we have. Electric, as far as I know.
I'll check that when I get home from work today, thanks.

The hot water is heated with immersion, yes. That works fine.

Have you made sure they are on and checked the fuses?

ongarite

I gonna guess you have electric heater in bedroom & storage heaters in the other rooms?
The storage heaters run off a dedicated fuse in the fuse box & may be turned off.
(I turn off the storage heater fuse during the summer months I don't need it)
They won't turn on & charge up even if the wall socket switch is in on-position.

Thoie

sweirdo wrote: »

So, as it is getting cold, we tried turning on our heating about 10 days ago and saw that it didn't work. We moved in in August after searching for a long time for a place in Cork.
We have contacted the letting agency and they said they forwarded our mail to the landlord. A week passed and nothing happened, never heard back from anyone. So yesterday we mailed them again, they said they called the landlord and that he said he'd prioritise us. (which I'm quite sceptical about).

Now, my question would be: What are our rights as tenants in this situation? We do have hot water and the heating in the bedroom is working, but the rest of the apartment is freezing cold and there is no other way to heat it (unless you wanna count a bunch of candles).
I've read that we can move out without giving notice in this case, which is a ridiculous thing to do, since we live in Cork - moving out would give us more trouble.
Do we have any right of compensation for the days the heating didn't work? We are very happy with the apartment, but this thing not getting sorted, especially with the winter ahead, really annoys me (not to mention at this stage I've been sick for about a week).
Also, do we have any right of compensation if the landlord comes in without giving notice? This has happened before when he was taking out some furniture. It wasn't a big deal for us, really, but it really shouldn't be done and if it happens again, that would be quite upsetting.

Any advice?

In answer to your two questions about compensation, no, there's no right to compensation. You could bring a case to the RTB about these issues, which may, eventually, lead to being given some money, but it's not as simple as "€x per day without heating", and it doesn't help you get warm now.

Daily calls to the agent would be your first step - be the squeaky wheel. Temperatures are set to drop further this weekend, so you really need it checked out tomorrow.

If it's storage heaters, follow the simple suggestions above to ensure they're powered up. In my previous apartment there were storage heaters in the "living" areas, and plain electric ("instant") heaters in the bedroom.

The theory behind storage heaters is that they heat up over night, then release the heat throughout the following day. If there is an input and output dial, whack those both up to max for 24 hours, and see if they heat up at all (after checking fuses etc). If they do, then it will take a few days fiddling around to find the "right" settings for you. In general, a low number on the output dial means it will put out a tiny bit of heat all day long. A high number on the output dial will blast out the stored heat earlier in the day, leaving things chillier later in the evening.

In the meantime, get yourself to Argos or somewhere, and buy a fan heater. The one I've linked will cost approx 40cents per hour to run (depending on your electricity rate and some other factors). Keep the receipt, and suggest the landlord reimburses you for it (though she doesn't have to).

Mrs OBumble

ongarite wrote: »

I gonna guess you have electric heater in bedroom & storage heaters in the other rooms?
The storage heaters run off a dedicated fuse in the fuse box & may be turned off.
(I turn off the storage heater fuse during the summer months I don't need it)
They won't turn on & charge up even if the wall socket switch is in on-position.

Continuing that guess:

When you turned them on, did you leave them on overnight? They heat at night, and then release thw heat during the day. Fancy ones, often found in living areas, have two wall switches: one for immediate fan heating ( expensive, avoid using if possible) and one for storage.

Is there a thermostat on them? Typically a dial. At this time of the year, I'm turning mine on but leaving it quite low. Maybe yours is turned too low.

Samuel T. Cogley

I would write to the agency giving them 14 days to fix the issue or you'll fix it yourself and raise a case with the RTB to be reimbursed. The only issue you'll have is if you have just a standard Part IV lease the LL can kick you out within the first six months without cause, but knowing agencies they gave you a 12 month fixed term lease so that's probably moot.

I do stress though this is after you've trried the basics and helpful suggestions in this thread.

henryforde80

Are the switches tripped or is the storage heater on a timer

In my apartment I just use a single fan heater that cost 35 quid out of argos on for 15 minutes twice a day, way cheaper. I do have concrete walls and floors and well insulated though. Way cheaper than storage heaters.

sweirdo

I'll have my husband have another look at it, but whatever switch we turn on, nothing even lights up. As far as I know we checked all the fuses we can check ourselves.
There are little lights besides the switches, but if we turn the one in the wall on none of the lights besides switches on the heater turn on.
Personally, I have no clue how storage heaters or any of them work, I haven't lived here for long and where I'm from you turn on the heating when you need it and that's that. But my husband is Irish and he had a look at it and he's literally the last person to go and complain about things to other people but he did call them up several times now.

We'll go through the suggested things again, but there is literally no reaction from the heater at all, no matter what we turn on, so I kind of doubt that it's actually working. Thanks for the suggestions though.

EDIT: I just asked him and he said he checked all that, so yeah. It's broken, apparently.

Mrs OBumble

Sometimes the lights break even though the heater is still work.

Have you tried leaving switched on overnight.


Fyi ... your LL may be simply ignoring you because s/he assumes you just don't know how to operate the heater. They do get sick of havingvto explain it over and over again. I would suggest calling, not emailing - and doing it daily not weekly.


Oh - and storagw heating isn't expensive if you use it right.

sweirdo

Well, I basically assume my husband would know how they work, since he's lived with heaters like that most of his life.

Anyways, we're on it. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Thoie

sweirdo wrote: »

I'll have my husband have another look at it, but whatever switch we turn on, nothing even lights up.

EDIT: I just asked him and he said he checked all that, so yeah. It's broken, apparently.

The light only came on on mine during the programmed "night time hours" (midnight to 8am or 11pm to 7am, depending on the time of year), and after a while the light stopped working. That's why I suggested leaving it on for 24 hours at full blast. That way you'll be able to touch it at various times tomorrow to see if there's any heat coming from it.

There should be a special night time meter (in the basement or somewhere else, if it's an apartment building), and that has a timer clock built into it, which controls when the power will run to the storage heater. You can't change that. Messing with the heater outside those hours will do zilch, as there's no power going to it.

sweirdo

Thoie wrote: »

There should be a special night time meter (in the basement or somewhere else, if it's an apartment building), and that has a timer clock built into it, which controls when the power will run to the storage heater. You can't change that. Messing with the heater outside those hours will do zilch, as there's no power going to it.

There is no basement and to be fair, we are still looking for the electricity meter. No clue where it could be.

cruizer101

You should be able to tell from your electricity bills if you have a night rate meter as there will be two meter readings

Baby01032012

sweirdo wrote: »

There is no basement and to be fair, we are still looking for the electricity meter. No clue where it could be.

Sounds like you’ve never lived in an apartment before. Electricity meter would be in a locked area on ground floor if no basement. You need to check with management co. How do you get meter readings?

Baby01032012

sweirdo wrote: »

There is no basement and to be fair, we are still looking for the electricity meter. No clue where it could be.

Sounds like you’ve never lived in an apartment before. Electricity meter would be in a locked area on ground floor if no basement. You need to check with management co. How do you get meter readings?

KERSPLAT!

Most storage heaters have a "boost" option so you shouldn't need to leave it on over night to check if it's working.

If all heaters are storage but only some aren't working then it's likely an issue with the individual heaters. If it's a mixture or storage and straight electrical and only the storage aren't working then I'd look to the main distribution board with the other fuses or the meter box.

As was said above, the lights beside them aren't always a great indicator as to whether they are working or not but if there are multiple units not working it's unlikely that all the LEDs are busted.

Really you've already checked as much as I would expect you to. Hound the letting agency and have them/LL send an electrician

Graniteville

sweirdo wrote: »

Do we have any right of compensation for the days the heating didn't work?


Also, do we have any right of compensation if the landlord comes in without giving notice?

So you are looking for compensation because you waited til now to check how the heating works (3 months after moving in)

and you want compensation if the landlord turns up and fixes it for you?


I was a landlord many years ago - I am so glad I'm not one anymore.

meijin

Graniteville wrote: »

So you are looking for compensation because you waited til now to check how the heating works (3 months after moving in)

and you want compensation if the landlord turns up and fixes it for you?

Not a nice thing to quote so selectively. OP clearly said the landlord turned up unannounced to collect some furniture.

And yes, RTB awarded damages for landlord turning up without permission.

Graniteville wrote: »

I was a landlord many years ago

who thought that tenants can suffer cold because they're just tenants?

Graniteville

meijin wrote: »

Not a nice thing to quote so selectively. OP clearly said the landlord turned up unannounced to collect some furniture.

And yes, RTB awarded damages for landlord turning up without permission.




who thought that tenants can suffer cold because they're just tenants?

Surely the tenants should have checked how everything worked when they commenced the tenancy. I rented myself many years ago here and the UK and checked how all the systems worked.

When i rented out to tenants here, they checked how everything worked and didn't wait til the last minute.

But the mention of compensation TWICE in the thread shows what landlords are up against these days. A more conciliatory approach will ensure a far better long term relationship with a landlord.

Samuel T. Cogley

Graniteville wrote: »

But the mention of compensation TWICE in the thread shows what landlords are up against these days. A more conciliatory approach will ensure a far better long term relationship with a landlord.

Who has not bathered his arse to pop over and see what the story is. As a LL myself I'd be over within 48 hours if my tenants ever had an issue. Fostering a good relationship is a two way street.

BTW Boost might just open up the vents on some storage heaters.

That said no you're not entitled to compnesation you've no loss.

Ray Palmer

Can you not just Google the make and model to get a manual?

4ensic15

sweirdo wrote: »

I've read that we can move out without giving notice in this case,

Any advice?

That is absolute nonsense. What you must do is complain in writing to the landlord/agent. If the problem is not attended to within a reasonable time then open a dispute with the RTB.
Portable electric heaters can be bought for very little money. Buy one and claim it as damages from the landlord.
Some storage heaters cut out if someone has tried to dry clothes on them and left the clothes too near the vents. It needs an electrician to reset it. This could well be the problem.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Chilly night last night op. How you getting on

stinkbomb

Graniteville wrote: »

Surely the tenants should have checked how everything worked when they commenced the tenancy. I rented myself many years ago here and the UK and checked how all the systems worked.

When i rented out to tenants here, they checked how everything worked and didn't wait til the last minute.

But the mention of compensation TWICE in the thread shows what landlords are up against these days. A more conciliatory approach will ensure a far better long term relationship with a landlord.

Why would you put the heating on in August to check it works? You assume the landlord has done their job and it works and you don't need to put it on in a heatwave to do their job for them!

Landlord is obviously not a good work. Ignoring tenants when they have no heating and breaking the law by entering the property without permission...don't be feeling sorry for him.

Graniteville

stinkbomb wrote: »

Why would you put the heating on in August to check it works? You assume the landlord has done their job and it works and you don't need to put it on in a heatwave to do their job for them!

Landlord is obviously not a good work. Ignoring tenants when they have no heating and breaking the law by entering the property without permission...don't be feeling sorry for him.

Why would you move into a place and not ask how things work. Maybe today's generation expect too much?

I would expect most people would check how things work as soon as they take on a new property whether rental or purchase and not wait until the last minute.

Graniteville

stinkbomb wrote: »

Why would you put the heating on in August to check it works? You assume the landlord has done their job and it works and you don't need to put it on in a heatwave to do their job for them!

Landlord is obviously not a good work. Ignoring tenants when they have no heating and breaking the law by entering the property without permission...don't be feeling sorry for him.

Why would you move into a place and not ask how things work. Maybe today's generation expect too much?

I would expect most people would check how things work as soon as they take on a new property whether rental or purchase and not wait until the last minute.

Bricriu

It's getting chilly these nights.

A good idea would be to buy a second-hand heater until you find out how to work the heating - see DoneDeal and Adverts.ie, and get a Dimplex Cadiz Eco or one like it. They're good, and provide fast heat.

You can sell it again when your heating is set up, or keep it for back-up.

stinkbomb

Graniteville wrote: »

Why would you move into a place and not ask how things work. Maybe today's generation expect too much?

I would expect most people would check how things work as soon as they take on a new property whether rental or purchase and not wait until the last minute.

You might ask how things work, you won't put the heating on full in a heatwave in august and you know it, so stop the whining about millenialls and admit it.

It's the landlord at fault here, no matter how much yuo try and blame the tenant.

sweirdo

Well, sorry for abandoning this thread for so long. Someone came in to get the heat fixed on Friday (unannounced - again). We turned it up for like 10 minutes, before it gave a loud bang and sparks were flying and the thing went down again. So we had the whole thing again, calling the agency etc etc.

They got a different repair man in on Monday and it works now, so we're good.

To be fair, when I move in somewhere I don't immediately check if the heating is working if it's not cold. I assume if it doesn't I'll be told about it, especially when asking what kind of heaters there are in the apartment. If anyone else does that - good for them, we didn't. End of story.

Concerning asking for compensation: A working heating is included in the minimum standards for rented accommodation, it should be fixed within 3-5 days, and it was over twice the amount for us. It isn't too far-fetched to ask if there is some regulation in place or if someone else had a similar issue and was successful. Especially with the rents being as high as they are. Plus, there was the issue with the landlord coming in twice now without letting us know beforehand.

I have lived in a rented apartment before, although that was elsewhere. You'd definitely have gotten compensation in a similar case there. Otherwise I wouldn't have asked.

Anyways, it's fixed now. I suppose the thread can be closed.

Baby01032012

There’s no timeframe unless to listen to threshold. And the agency did make a number of attempts to fix albeit unsuccessful at first. It’s fixed now so what’s the point unless you want to sour relations with agency or landlord and putt your hand up for termination at the first opportunity.

Baby01032012

There’s no timeframe unless to listen to threshold. And the agency did make a number of attempts to fix albeit unsuccessful at first. It’s fixed now so what’s the point unless you want to sour relations with agency or landlord and putt your hand up for termination at the first opportunity.

daithi7

Compo culture cancer, evident here big time Imho.

Your heating wasn't working, and yes they were a little slow in getting it fixed for you (tradesmen are busy these days & hard to get), and it took a couple of gos,which is just the nature of these things sometimes but it was fixed for you.

You didn't even check it when you moved in. You're complaining about not getting notice about fixes and getting furniture removed etc and enquiring twice about compensation....

I'm glad I'm not renting to you.....

jimbobaloobob

Your contract should detail how issues re maintenance are to be addressed by both parties i.e. Timely repair by LL and arrangement of entry to carry repair by tennant.
Very doubtful there is compensation available to you in regards your original questions. Have never heard anyone receive any but sometimes a good will gesture might be provided.