Learn your rights about heating disrepair, how to get repairs done, and claim compensation if your landlord fails to fix your heating.
What is Heating Disrepair?
Heating disrepair means your heating system isn’t working properly or not at all. This could be no heating, broken radiators, or faulty boilers. For many tenants, especially in colder months, this is a serious problem that affects your comfort, health, and safety.
If you rent from a council, housing association, or private landlord in England or Wales, your landlord must keep your heating in good working order.
Your Landlord’s Legal Duties
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 11, your landlord must repair and maintain the heating system. This includes boilers, radiators, pipes, and controls.
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 also says that your home must be safe and fit to live in throughout your tenancy. If heating disrepair makes your home cold and unsafe, your landlord is breaking the law.
The Defective Premises Act 1972 can also apply if your landlord’s failure to fix heating causes injury or damage.
How Long Do You Have to Claim?
You can bring a housing disrepair claim for up to six years from when the problem started. This is called the limitation period. It means you can claim for both recent and older heating problems, as long as they happened within the last six years.
Common Heating Problems Covered
- No heating or hot water
- Broken or leaking radiators
- Faulty boilers or controls
- Heating that doesn’t warm the house properly
- Unsafe or dangerous heating appliances
What Can You Do?
1. Report the problem to your landlord in writing (keep a copy).
2. Give your landlord a reasonable time to fix the heating.
3. If ignored, you can start a housing disrepair claim to get repairs done and compensation.
We understand it’s frustrating to wait, especially when it’s cold. If your landlord still doesn’t act, you have rights to enforce repairs.
How Compensation Works
If your landlord fails to fix your heating, you can claim compensation for:
- Stress and inconvenience
- Increased heating costs
- Damage to your belongings
- Impact on your health
Compensation is usually between 20% and 50% of your rent for the time your heating was broken.
Getting Help with Your Claim
At Housing Disrepair, we offer a free claim check to see if you can make a claim for heating disrepair. Our specialist housing solicitors work on a no win, no fee basis, so there are no upfront costs.
We arrange independent surveyor inspections and deal directly with your landlord. This means you can focus on keeping warm while we handle your claim.
What to Do Next
- Report your heating problem to your landlord in writing.
- Keep records of all communications and repairs.
- Use our free claim check to see if you qualify for a disrepair claim.
- Learn more about landlord obligations and how compensation works.
Useful External Resources
For more detailed legal information, visit the Government’s guide on Housing Disrepair Claims.
Heating disrepair is a serious issue, but you don’t have to live with it. You have rights to repairs and compensation. Contact us today to get started on your claim.
