No Hot Water In My Flat—What Are My Rights As a Tenant?

There Is No Hot Water In My Flat — What Are My Rights As a Tenant?

According to the landlord and tenant act, it is the responsibility and duty of the landlord to supply tenants with hot water as long as they live under his cover. You could thus in your unit by asking the landlord to fix the issue.

Unfortunately, the landlord may fail to respond, resulting in frustrations that motivate you to use your own money to get the issue over with. However, this should not be the case.

DoNotPay can contact the landlord on your behalf and have them promptly fix your water-heating system. We can also help you get your security deposit back from the landlord or intervene if the landlord threatens to evict you. We are also here for you if you need to draft a notice to terminate a tenancy.

What Are My Rights as a Tenant?

Every tenant has a right to live in a safe housing unit in good repair condition. Therefore, the landlord should provide these repairs, including those that . You should inform the landlord about repairs and give them access to your unit so that they can fix the issue. The landlord should carry out all the necessary repairs without passing the costs to tenants.

However, you are liable for the repairs if the damage occurred due to careless or improper usage on your part.

What Should You Do if There Is No Hot Water in Your House?

When you notice there is no flow of hot water in your bath tabs, you should do the following:

1. Check Water Heater

First, check whether your water heater is off or unplugged, as this could be the reason your water is running cold. If the water heater is on, allow it to run for at least five minutes before contacting the landlord.

Turning the water heater to run for five minutes and checking its temperature can help you determine if the water is functioning well or gives you clear proof that the water heater is broken or blocked. If the problem persists, report the issue to the landlord in writing, by email, or a phone call. Keep a record of your interactions with the landlord, as they will act as evidence that you requested repairs should the matter proceed to court.

The landlord should respond to your message within the shortest time possible, twenty-four hours, and confirm that they will investigate the issue. They could also give you the time of the supposed visit.

2. Give Access

After reporting the problem to the landlord and recording necessary information, it is appropriate to give your landlord access to your house to inspect the level of damage and fix the issue with your water heaters. They should notify you before the visit to ensure that they only come at a convenient time.

The Landlord Should Repair It Within a Reasonable Time

The law does not give a specific time within which to complete repairs but instructs landlords to undertake such tasks within a reasonable time. You could agree with the landlord when the hot water system issue should be fixed, or seek guidance from the tenancy agreement on what constitutes reasonable time.

You could give the landlord up to a fortnight to fix your water heaters, and if not acted upon, you are allowed to take further action. The recorded phone calls and other communication will prove that you sought the repairs, but the landlord declined.

Tips on Asking Your Landlord for Repairs

Here are a few tips on how to ask your landlord for repairs for a broken water heater or other possible broken appliances.

Be specific about the problem	Your landlord is more likely to take you seriously if you can articulate the problem. Include as many details as possible, such as how it affects your daily life and how long it has been going on.
Put it in writing	It can be helpful to put your request in writing, either via email or snail mail. This way, you have a paper trail of your communications with your landlord.
Be polite	Even if you're frustrated, it's important to remain polite when dealing with your landlord. Remember, they have the power to evict you if they so choose. So try to keep the anger out of your voice and avoid making demands.
Give them a reasonable timeframe	Allow time for your landlord to organise things. It might take preparation to fix your hot water. Your landlord might need to find a professional and first look for materials and even finances.

Take Action if the Landlord Does Not Fix Your Hot Water Problem

If the landlord fails to fix your hot water problem, you can pursue the avenues below.

Make a complaint to your landlord regarding the hot water problem they need to fix.
If he does not respond to you at a required time, you can send a follow-up letter showing the deadline you expect a reply on your problem.
And if you are not satisfied with their response, you can write again, informing them of your intent to involve the local council.
If there is no reply to your problem, write a complaint to your local councillor if you are a social housing tenant.

The law also allows you certain privileges, such as withholding rent or deducting the repair costs from the rent and fixing the issue by yourself. However, you should seek advice before taking action, as the landlord is entitled to a counterclaim and may threaten to simply end your tenancy instead of fixing the problem.

Solve Heater Thermostat With the Help of DoNotPay

Getting the landlord to fix your hot water problem can be frustrating, especially if they are unresponsive. While there are other ways you could enforce compliance, these avenues tend to be time-consuming, meaning you could wait for a long time before the landlord takes action.

However, DoNotPay can get in touch with the landlord on your behalf and get them to fix the problem promptly.

All you have to do is follow the following steps;

Search for and open the Landlord Protection product on DoNotPay.
Select which issue applies to you.
Answer a simple set of questions, so our chatbot can collect the necessary information to create your demand letter.
Choose whether you want DoNotPay to send the demand letter to your landlord or roommate on your behalf. If you already tried sending a demand letter, and it didn't work, we can help you start the small claims court process.