What's a reasonable timeframe for a landlord to make repairs??

Here's the situation:

I left England to return to my home country for xmas. I returned on New year's eve to find that my water had been turned off. According to my letting agents, a leak coming from my kitchen was trickling down to the flat below mine. I was able to get my cold water turned back on that day,but the hot water heater is shot. I can get hot showers due to electrical shower system, but no hot water in the kitchen or bathroom sink. Not the end of the world, but an inconvenience regardless.

After 3 weeks, with no repairs or word from my agents, I inquired about why it was taking so long, and asked if I am due any sort of compensation i.e reduced rent for the time period. The letting agent said that would be like getting blood from a stone, and that the heater will be replaced asap. Well, as of today February 12th, approximately 6 weeks later, my heater is still busted. The only time I get any word from my agent is when I email them about it, otherwise no communication from their end.

My question is, what is a reasonable time frame for a repair of this type to occur? Should I by rights be due compensation? Or is it because I am getting hot water 'somewhere' in the flat(my shower) there's nothing I can do but wait? Because it annoys me that I am paying good money to have a flat with working ammenities and it's taking 6 weeks for a hot water heater to be repaired, and neither the letting agents or the landlord seem too concerned about it. Am I getting screwed here, or am I being unreasonable and overreacting?

The exact rules will vary by council. If you're getting no joy from your agent or landlord (whichever is the designated manager of the property), the council's housing officer and/or your local Citizen's Advice Bureau would be your next stop.

In general, landlords are supposed to immediately rectify problems that could damage your health and safety (though, oddly, this doesn't uually include mould problems). Everything else is to be done in a reasonable time.

What does your lease say about repairs? There should be some specification for times and process in there?

At this point, the usual advice would be to write a letter to your landlord (copy in the letting agency) saying that if the hot water heater is not repaired within 30 days, you will begin to withold rent until it is repaired.  Send the letter recorded delivery and keep a copy of everything.  Written correspondence is the best way to go.  Don't be threatening, but firm in your language.

If it's still not fixed after 15 days into the 30 days, send another letter (recorded delivery & keep a copy) stating that in 15 days you will withold rent, blahblahblah.  Also state you are willing to have the heater repaired at your own expense, but you will deduct the cost from next month's rent.  Sometimes really lazy landlords will go for this.  Whatever you do, get EVERYTHING in writing.

Emergency repairs should be done a.s.a.p and you can demand this is done. 

Houses must not be rented without Heating, Water, Gas, Electric or a oven.  It is considered unlivable conditions.  Also any boilers, Gas fires etc must be checked at least once a year by a Korgi registered engineer and you must be left with a copy of their report.  If they are taking their time sorting any of this, then I would kick up a stink.  I would write a letter as suggested but I wouldn't allow 30 days.  You have already waited far too long.  I would be calling constantly and I would be very "assertive" on the telephone with them. 

Anything "cosmetic" can unfortunately be done whenever as its not a priority...

If my heating pops, The agent arranged a repair man that day or next.  When I needed new flooring in my bathroom because it was looking tatty..It took 6 months.

LuckyCuz,

They have heating and hot showers, just not hot water in the kitchen.  I don't think that's one of the "basic rights", but they still have a right to get it fixed in a reasonable amount of time.

I should also indicate that since I recently moved to the UK for school, I did not have any formal references and so I paid the full 6 months upfront, as no-one would take me on otherwise. I own my own home in another country and this is my first time ever being a tenant. I'm starting to feel as though because I have paid upfront, that the landlord has their money guaranteed and therefore in 'no hurry' to fix the issue. I also think that the agency feels that since I have hot water in the shower,and can boil water for washing dishes,shaving, and whatever else you need hot water for on a dialy basis, that it's not a critical issue and I can 'make due' untill the landlord fixes the issue.

LuckyCuz,
They have heating and hot showers, just not hot water in the kitchen.  I don't think that's one of the "basic rights", but they still have a right to get it fixed in a reasonable amount of time.

Oh I see...Sorry, I missed the hot showers part! 

I should also indicate that since I recently moved to the UK for school, I did not have any formal references and so I paid the full 6 months upfront, as no-one would take me on otherwise. I own my own home in another country and this is my first time ever being a tenant. I'm starting to feel as though because I have paid upfront, that the landlord has their money guaranteed and therefore in 'no hurry' to fix the issue. I also think that the agency feels that since I have hot water in the shower,and can boil water for washing dishes,shaving, and whatever else you need hot water for on a dialy basis, that it's not a critical issue and I can 'make due' untill the landlord fixes the issue.

I would still kick some serious butt to get it sorted, its ridiculous not having hot water in the kitchen. 

LuckyCuz,

They have heating and hot showers, just not hot water in the kitchen.  I don't think that's one of the "basic rights", but they still have a right to get it fixed in a reasonable amount of time.

I don't have hot water in the kitchen or bathroom. Just the shower as it runs on an electrical system and not connected to the broken water heater. Surely having proper hot running water in all faucets is a basic right. I don't know, where I'm from this sort of thing wouldn't fly so I'm just wondering if it's a UK thing or what. But I find 6 weeks and running to repair a hot water heater to be unacceptable. We're not talking a broken microwave here.

Wow...that is how it is at our flat all the time. We have an electric hot water heater that just does water for the bath and the faucets. We have it shut off because it's very expensive to run. So when we need hot water (other than a shower for which we have a mains shower) we just run the kettle.

I've had a look at the Landlord and Tenants Act 1985 and it clearly lists hot water as one of the things that a landlord is obligated to keep in order. My issue is not the heater breaking, it's them taking 6 weeks and counting to fix. There is such a thing as a 'reasonable' time frame and I can't imagine the length of time in this case qualifies. I did have a word with the letting agents who informed me that this landlord is a bit of a pain to deal with and not one to spend much money on their propery. NOT MY PROBLEM. Thing is my lease ends in May, so if I decide to move(which I'm considering), the flat is not going to be rented with a broken hot water heater. So it's one of those things that HAVE to be fixed, there's no way around it.

I don't have hot water in the kitchen or bathroom. Just the shower as it runs on an electrical system and not connected to the broken water heater. Surely having proper hot running water in all faucets is a basic right. I don't know, where I'm from this sort of thing wouldn't fly so I'm just wondering if it's a UK thing or what. But I find 6 weeks and running to repair a hot water heater to be unacceptable. We're not talking a broken microwave here.

I wouldn't say its a UK thing. I would say it was a cheap ars* landlord thing 

I wouldn't say its a UK thing. I would say it was a cheap ars* landlord thing 

Yeah, I'd agree with that, this seems to be the case.

Houses must not be rented without Heating, Water, Gas, Electric or a oven.  It is considered unlivable conditions.

Houses can and are rented without ovens.  Landlords are not obliged to provide white goods.

Also any boilers, Gas fires etc must be checked at least once a year by a Korgi registered engineer and you must be left with a copy of their report.

Gas appliances supplied by the landlord and installation pipe work require a safety check each year by a CORGI registered engineer.  The landlord also has a duty maintain these items too.

Gas appliances which are supplied by the tenant (such as gas fires, cookers or hobs) are not the responsibility of the landlord; although the landlord may have responsibilities under the Health & Safety at Work act to ensure that all flues that they provide to a tenant's own appliance are in a safe condition and are maintained.

As a side note, the gas registration scheme is changing in April.  As of the first of April, all heating engineers must be Gas Safe Registered in order to work on gas appliances.  This new scheme replaces CORGI registration.  Whilst CORGI will still be about after April, they will no longer be connected with the 'right' to work on gas appliances and all those employing heating engineers should ask to see their Gas Safe Register card and not their CORGI card.

Houses can and are rented without ovens.  Landlords are not obliged to provide white goods.

Gas appliances supplied by the landlord and installation pipe work require a safety check each year by a CORGI registered engineer.  The landlord also has a duty maintain these items too.

Doh! I spelt CORGI  as in Korgi cars! sorry..I am a numbnuts  I have toothache..I am doped up on painkillers...let me off my spelling! 

The company I work for maintains properties for a local housing association. Having no hot running water would be classed as an emergency and would be dealt with within 24 hours of the initial complaint. Having a shower running hot water would not count.