No hot water in rental property - advice please

TiggerU2

Hi guys

Looking for some advice please.

I've just moved into a rental property and have a couple of issues: Months rent and deposit paid 1 week ago. House was rented through a reputable letting agent.

1) There is NO running water in the hot taps in the bathroom sink or bath. The shower works off an emersion switch outside the door (working ok)

2) The kitchen sink has water. In order to get hot water another switch is used (seems to be a small Stiebel Eltron pump under the sink). The water reaches at best a lukewarm temperature and the pressure is extremely low. E.g. 8 mins to fill a mop bucket and the water is lukewarm.

I have been in contact with the landlord over email to advise of the problem and he has said: 'The hot water in the kitchen it controlled by a switch on the wall beside the sink...the water takes about 5 seconds to heat up. There is no water heater in the bathroom sink - I'll get one in for you if required?' Since receiving that reply I have also contacted the letting agent to advise of the problem, they have said they will follow up on it.

What are my options here and what is the standard that the landlord can get away with?

1) Kitchen sink: I don't consider a slow trickle of 'warm' water to be acceptable as a source of 'hot water'.

2) Should I not have hot water in both the sink and bath in the bathroom? His suggestion of putting a water heater in the bathroom sink would suggest I still wouldn't have running hot water in the bath and it may be of the same standard that's in the kitchen.

The house was advertised as having gas central heating, which works fine. So, not only do I currently have no hot water but if he installs these pumps all hot water will be working off electricity making it expensive. Should this not have been pointed out at the time of viewing and do I have any recourse here?

Thanks in advance

Yawns

Dunno about recourse. Did you view the property before signing a lease? Did you specifically ask if the water was heated from the gas or the electricity? Have you got a break clause in your lease?

Was the property recently occupied by another tenant before you or was it empty over the winter? Is it possible that the pipes are air locked somewhat? Is there a main pump for water pressure?

Are you living in Dublin or elsewhere. I live in Kildare and water pressure was a joke when I moved in but it was due to local county council. It was trickling out real slow, but when they finished their work in a nearby neighborhood it was and still is fine. A bit slow upstairs but that's on the 3rd floor so expected. 2nd floor is fine.

Have a chat face to face with LL to see what can be done. Get him in to see exactly what you mean when water is slow. See what proposal he will come to. If there's gas heating ask him why isn't the water heated via this.

snubbleste

Minimum Housing Standards http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/renting_a_home/repairs_maintenance_and_minimum_physical_standards.html

You should have hot water, even if it is a trickle, in each sink.

Yawns

Should I not have hot water in both the sink and bath in the bathroom? His suggestion of putting a water heater in the bathroom sink would suggest I still wouldn't have running hot water in the bath and it may be of the same standard that's in the kitchen.

If he installs a water heater for Bathroom it might be that the bath hot pipe is connected to the sink hot pipe so you would have hot water in both. As to the standard of it, do not let him finish til you are satisfied.

TiggerU2

Thank you both

Yes I did view the property before signing the lease, however I didn't think of checking if there was running water in the hot taps. I assumed it wouldn't be an issue...it is 2011 right? :rolleyes: Also when I spoke with the letting agent yesterday they said they weren't aware of there being no water or it not being heated by gas. I didn't however ask the question when viewing the place. And yes its in Dublin, oldish house.

I can't get up to the attic to check out if there's a hot water boiler etc - I'm now assuming there isn't if the hot water isn't being heated by the gas. The only pump I can see is under the sink, which according to the landlord it should give hot water when switched on. When on it's a trickle of lukewarm water. His response to me yesterday would suggest he knew there was no water in the bathroom taps...and would I like some? LOL!

Anyway, thanks for your advice. I'll follow up again today with LL and agent and see how it pans out Rant over

Zamboni

TiggerU2 wrote: »

Yes I did view the property before signing the lease, however I didn't think of checking if there was running water in the hot taps. I assumed it wouldn't be an issue...it is 2011 right? :rolleyes:

Fail.

It should be one of the first things you do during a viewing. Every single tap.
It also helps to request the heating to be fully on for a viewing so you can see it in operation.
Or at very least check all these things out before handing over a penny.

Yawns

It may be 2011 but you'd want to have been living under a rock if you didn't know that there's an awful lot of houses in Ireland which seem to have skipped a few basic requirements such as plumping. Look how many external pipes burst during last 2 winters due to builders not burying them deep enough.

You do need to ask these questions and see it all working beforehand unfortunately. Get onto the LL and get him to install the heater in the bathroom. Then tell him you also want the pump checked in the kitchen as it's very slow and lukewarm so it might be broken somewhat. If he fixes it all happy days.

SteoL

I have never ever checked hot water when viewing a property. Never crossed my mind, I would think same as the OP. But it's a fair point about the cold spell and freezing pipes so it's something I will look out for if and when I move again.