Landlord - Reasonable Repair Time

[Mobius1]

Hi,

Last week, Tuesday 14th, my combination boiler packed up. It displayed an error code and flashed red and now is completely dead and won't even turn on. I rent the property via a letting agent and have done since 2009.

I promptly called the LA on the same day to advise them of the fault and that it has left me with no heating or hot water. A contractor they use visited on Thursday last week advising that it's likely a PCB fault but that it would be costly for the landlord to repair and potentially uneconomical given that the boiler is 9 years old and toward the end of it's expected life. He was to speak to the L/L to see what he wants to do and would be in touch. I have since not heard anything and will be contacting them shortly to chase up.

Having looked online I am trying to establish what a 'reasonable' period of time to effect repair on this would be. As far as I can tell, it would be considered an 'urgent' issue. I live here with my partner, we both able-bodied and don't have children so nobody is at immediate risk per se. However, I am looking toward seeking at least partial reimbursement for rent or booking a local Travel Lodge and sending them the bills so that I can have a proper shower without having to fill my bath with a kettle. This will especially be the case if the 7 day period is breached, which is looking extremely likely.

What is the best was to go about this and to broach it with the letting agent? I'm not especially happy that they don't seem to have acted with any apparent alacrity, when I am paying full whack for a property that is currently without a reasonably expected modern convenience.

[buildersmate]

There is no legal definition of reasonable, because what is reasonable in one case is not in another.
However I would agree that having got a man out and done a diagnosis in what would seem to be a reasonable time, the agent sitting on his hands for four days at least is perfectly unreasonable.
Not sure where your seven days clause came from, is it mentioned in your rental agreement?
The best to go about it is put in writing what has happened thus far, including the periods of delays between key events, state that you do not consider this reasonable, and thus that the landlord would appear in breach of the tenancy agreement. Then state that you intend to take reasonable measures to provide minimum facilities for yourself for which you expect reimbursement, these may include hiring in portable heaters etc.
See what then happens before invoking it.
As always, you should be using you AST agreement wording to guide your actions.