What the law expects
Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, landlords of most shorter tenancies must keep the installations for heating and hot water in repair and working order. Rented homes must also be fit for human habitation, and a home that cannot be heated can fall short of that. This is general guidance for England, not legal advice, and the rules differ in Wales and Scotland.
How quickly to act
There is no fixed number of days for private tenancies, but repairs must happen within a reasonable time, and no heating or hot water in winter will be judged more seriously than in summer. Treat it as urgent: arrange an engineer promptly and keep the tenant informed.
Use a Gas Safe engineer
Any work on a gas boiler must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Tenants should not try to repair gas appliances themselves, and landlords should not ask them to.
Gas safety still applies
The annual gas safety check is a separate duty, covered in what a CP12 is and how often the check is due. A boiler service is not the same thing, as this comparison explains.
Practical steps
Record when the fault was reported and what you did, and keep invoices. If the repair will take time, many landlords supply temporary heaters. Check your certificate dates now, because a lapsed certificate adds risk (what happens without a certificate).
Landlord with a boiler fault or a certificate due? Our Gas Safe engineers can help.
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