Stay Warm This Winter: A Tenant’s Guide to Boiler Breakdowns and Emergency Heating Solutions

Winter brings its own challenges, and a boiler breakdown can quickly turn your home from cosy to chilly. Knowing what to do and how to report the issue can make all the difference in getting it resolved swiftly. At Home Sales and Lettings, we’re committed to providing professional, caring, and attentive service to keep you comfortable through the colder months. In this guide, we’ll walk you through identifying boiler emergencies, reporting issues effectively, and accessing temporary solutions to stay warm.

What is Classed as an Emergency?

Here’s a breakdown of emergencies during the winter period (November to March):

• No Heating: This is considered an emergency if the household includes vulnerable individuals such as the elderly, young children, or those with specific health conditions.
• No Hot Water: This is only deemed an emergency if you will be without hot water for more than 24 hours, such as over a weekend.
• Gas Leaks: This is a critical emergency. If you smell gas, immediately call the National Grid on 0800 111 999 and follow their advice.

For emergencies, you can contact us during our operation hours, and our responsive team will assist you promptly. Outside these hours, emergencies may need to wait until the next working day unless they pose a safety risk.

For emergencies outwith business hours please contact 07525 206 253

When reporting a boiler fault, providing detailed information is essential. This allows us to better understand the problem and advise an engineer, often saving you time as many faults can be resolved over the phone without waiting for a call-out. Here’s what to include:

1. Boiler Pressure Gauge Reading: Check and note the pressure level, as incorrect pressure is a common cause of boiler issues.
2. Fault Code: Modern boilers often display an error or fault code when something goes wrong. Take note of this code and include it in your report.
3. Description of the Fault: Be as descriptive as possible about the issue. For example:
   • Is the boiler making unusual noises?
   • Are radiators heating up partially or not at all?
   • Is there no hot water or heating?
4. Actions Taken: Mention if you’ve already tried simple troubleshooting steps, such as resetting the boiler or bleeding the radiators.

By providing this information, we can diagnose the problem more accurately and possibly resolve it over the phone, saving time and effort.

If you’re without heating, we understand how uncomfortable that can be during the winter. As part of our commitment to supporting tenants, we can offer you an electric heater to use temporarily until the boiler fault is fixed. Simply let us know when reporting the issue, and we’ll arrange this for you.

1. Check Your Thermostat and Boiler Controls: Sometimes, it’s a simple issue like a timer being off or the thermostat being set too low.
2. Inspect Boiler Pressure: Low pressure can cause the boiler to stop working. Adjust it as per your boiler’s manual.
3. Bleed Radiators: Trapped air can cause inefficiency. Use a radiator key to bleed them.
4. Power Supply Check: Ensure your boiler is plugged in and the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped.

If the issue persists and you meet the emergency criteria, contact us for assistance.