How long can a landlord leave tenants without hot water?

As a landlord, you’re probably aware of your duty of care towards your tenants in ensuring that they are provided with hot water. But, sometimes, there may be instances where a boiler breaks, and it may take some time to repair it. So, how long are you allowed to leave tenants without hot water? 

Here, we’ll take a look at your legal obligations as a landlord in providing tenants with hot water, including taking a look at reasonable timeframes for repairs and the consequences of leaving tenants without hot water. 

Landlord’s legal responsibilities

Providing your tenants with hot water is classified as an essential service under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 and the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). So, failing to maintain this will be deemed as neglecting your statutory duty. 

The obligation of landlords to provide hot water includes all hot water systems and heating systems (including the boiler, plumbing and other relevant systems).  If the hot water supply is interrupted, you’ll need to ensure that you act promptly to resolve the issue. 

What is a reasonable time for repairs?

Typically, you’ll be expected to repair any hot water systems within 24-48 hours, especially during the colder winter months. If there is a delay in this timeframe, it may be considered a breach of the tenancy agreement or house standards. 

Equally, for any routine repairs that do not pose an immediate health and safety risk to the tenants, you will have up to 14 days to ensure that these repairs are done. 

If your tenants have alternative ways of heating water, or if the issue is localised to one area of the house and they can access hot water in other areas of the house, repairs are not deemed as urgent. You should still, however, endeavour to repair the hot water issue as soon as reasonably possible. 

What happens if you cannot repair the issue within 48 hours? 

If you cannot, for some reason, repair the issue within 48 hours, there are a few steps you can take to help keep your tenants as comfortable as possible. 

Provide a temporary solution

Offer your tenants alternative heating and hot water solutions like portable heaters and hot water units. This way, your tenants will feel assured that you are doing everything in your power to fix the problem. 

Communicate with your tenants

Inform your tenants of the steps you are taking to sort the issue out, providing an estimated timeframe for repairs. By regularly updating your tenants, you’ll help manage their expectations and minimise any frustration. 

Consider alternative accommodation

If the problem persists and there is no way of being able to resolve it promptly, you should consider providing your tenants with an alternative place to stay until the issue is resolved. You will need to cover these costs as the landlord. 

Document all actions taken

Be sure to keep hold of all action taken and all communication that has taken place with your tenants so that if there is a dispute, you’ll be able to provide evidence that you’ve done everything in your power to fix the hot water problem. 

Seek legal advice if necessary

If the issue is a complicated one and your tenants are uncooperative, you may want to look into seeking legal advice. This will ensure that all actions taken remain legal and that both the rights of landlords and tenants are respected. 

Tenants’ rights to hot water

As the landlord, you’ll need to ensure that your tenant’s rights to hot water are always taken into account and implemented. As mentioned above, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 states that tenants should always have access to hot water with a functional hot water system.

If the hot water system is damaged, you are required to repair the damage as soon as possible, especially during the colder winter months or emergencies. A lack of hot water can significantly impact a tenant’s health and comfort. But, tenants are also responsible for letting you know if they do not have access to hot water. This includes any issues with the water system, such as leaks or slow leaks. 

Equally, your responsibility as a landlord is to create a tenancy agreement that outlines the responsibilities of both landlords and tenants when it comes to heating and hot water. This will help avoid future disputes and will keep both parties accountable. 

Consequences for landlords when there is no hot water in a rental

So, what happens if tenants are left without hot water? If you are reported for not upholding a tenant’s rights to hot water, it is likely that the local authority will take action or that you will be subject to fines or penalty notices. 

Equally, in severe cases, tenants may be entitled to claim compensation or withhold rent under legal guidance. 

Practical advice for landlords

Firstly, make sure that you carry out regular boiler services to prevent any breakdowns from happening. As well as this, have a reliable contractor available for emergency repairs so that repairs can be made as soon as possible. 

Make sure that you include clear clauses in the tenancy agreement about the estimated repair response time. This will help maintain the expectations of your tenants. 

Contact our team of experts at CIA Landlords to find the best landlord insurance deals for you.  You can also visit our advice centre to find out more about how to handle repairs to your property. 

Contact us today on 01788 818 670 for a quote.