The Secret About Boilers (and why Tenants can let the side down....)
Let me tell you a secret: this is the time of year when tenants can unintentionally become their own worst enemy.
The evenings are getting darker, the mornings are crisp, and there’s that unmistakable dip in temperature. September in London often tricks us with its late bursts of sunshine, but by October, the inevitable happens: That dreaded first morning when you finally give in and switch the boiler on.
Here’s the problem: many Tenants decide to go completely “cold turkey” with their heating until the very last moment. In their minds, it’s all about saving money on energy bills. Fair enough, but boilers aren’t like light switches. They’re more like cars. Leave them unused for weeks on end, and when you suddenly need them most, they can splutter, stall, or not even start.
What happens next?
- The tenant flicks the switch on, on a uncomfortably cold October morning.
- The boiler doesn’t fire up.
- Likewise for everyone else’s.
- Suddenly, boiler engineers across London are flooded with calls.
Now, what could have been a quick fix turns into a one to two week wait. By then, the tenant is furious with the landlord and the agent for “being too slow” when in reality, the delay started with them.
So, what’s the smart move?
Simple: test your heating now. Run the system for five minutes every couple of days. Think of it as running the car engine before a long trip. Don’t wait for that cold snap to discover your boiler won’t cooperate.
If there’s a fault, it can be sorted quickly and comfortably in September, rather than in mid October chaos.
Take my advice: a little tinkering now saves a lot of hassle later.
