Huge gas bill from faulty boiler

[fuzzman]

Hi all.

I live in council property and ive had many issues with my boiler including faulty valves and faulty thermostat. The repair man lied to me and said he could not replace the thermostat because the boiler is rare and he would contact me when he finds one, many months later I called to ask if they had one yet and they sent a different guy who told me the last guy was lying, he went to his van and replaced the thermostat.

As a result of this and the valve issue my boiler has been burning far too much gas and my bill is huge.

Im scared to tell my supplier how high my reading is in case they demand I pay it before I have a chance to talk to the landlord and see if they are prepared to compensate me and pay the bill.

Im going to the citizens advice tomorrow to seek advice but I would welcome any help from you guys, maybe someone has been in this position before.

I read that a faulty valve and thermostat both result in a lot more gas being used so I think I have a good case but im worried the landlord will try to hide the service records to my boiler to prevent me from claiming from them. Naturally im stressed and anxious about this and cant sleep properly.

I just want to add that whenever the boiler has had a fault they have ALWAYS come up with a bad excuse to not fix it and left me with a problematic boiler and I need to keep ringing them to come out and hope I get a guy who can be bothered to fix it, this is why the bill is so high.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[binky]

think you would bebetter off talking to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

 

[Sharpend]

Do you have any recorded evidence of your requests for repairs to boiler to be carried out? Letters, text messages, emails? 
your landlord has a duty of care to ensure the heating system is safe and functioning correctly. 
if you are able to prove this hasn’t been the case then you may get some support, however be prepared to move as the landlord will for sure look for reasons to remove you. 
 

secondly it is only a bill it isn’t life or death so don’t get stressed about it. Worst case scenario you will be able to come to an arrangement with the gas supplier to pay over a period of time suitable to your circumstances. I know people who are allegedly in debt for vast amounts to energy suppliers without any issues. 
deal with one thing at a time, it is evident that your landlord isn’t all that so deal with the bill then decide whether living there is worth it. 

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hello Fuzzman...

Well done for searching the Interweb and finding this forum...

AND posting a heating related question in the appropriate sub-forum...

BUT..  (and now the bad news)….

Your sort of question isn't really what this forum is about....

More to do with electricians & DIY'ers installing, and/or fixing central heating controls of all sorts..

i.e.  The electrical bits that make a boiler fire up and pump the water....

Programmers, timers, electrical thermostats and the valves to send the water to the right place...

and these modern phone app connected Hive type systems etc..  etc.. etc..  etc..

It's not really about legal obligations / entitlements of tenants -vs- landlords regarding their heating systems..

So I wouldn't hold your breath too long hoping for the solution from here...

But there again...  maybe someone may have something positive to help you...…………..  :C

who knows?

All I can do is raise a virtual glass on your behalf and say..

don't let the bastards grind you down..  

Guinness

 

[fuzzman]

Thanks all ive spoken to the CAB and they said they cant deal with the issue unless its to do with the supplier.

I dont have any evidence I stupidly threw away all the paperwork ive had for repairs but the council will have a record of all the work thats been done.

Im waiting for a call back from them to see what help they can offer, I cant prove that these gas repair men have lied to me either which is where the problem is, its their lies that have caused the huge bill. All I can do is record the conversations in future even if its illegal, its proof.

 

[Sharpend]

If you don’t inform them that you are recording then it’s inadmissible evidence. 
is your landlord a private landlord or is the landlord the council? 

 

[Sharpend]

If you don’t inform them that you are recording then it’s inadmissible evidence. 
is your landlord a private landlord or is the landlord the council? 
 

sorry just seen it’s a council house. 
so what you need to do is obtain o copy of your tenancy agreement, often available on line with councils. Then look up landlord responsibilities. 
then obtain a written letter from your gas supplier implying that a faulty boiler will result in higher gas bills. 
Once you  collate this information together then write a letter to the chief exec of council highlighting where they are negating their responsibilities. 
see where that takes it. 

 

[Murdoch]

OP - you say your bill is "huge" - do you keep note of your readings on a monthly basis? Have you just had a smart meter fitted? Were your previous bills extimates.

Not really enough to comment on TBH