Bleeding radiators in rented property?
Discussion
Just a quick one, we're currently in a rented property and some of the radiators are stone cold. popped into the letting agents who asked if we'd bled the radiators.
Well of course we haven't, it's not our house and I've no business messing with installed equipment as far as I'm concerned. Am I right in taking that viewpoint?
Well of course we haven't, it's not our house and I've no business messing with installed equipment as far as I'm concerned. Am I right in taking that viewpoint?
Davel said:
Turn the boiler off, bleed each radiator and then switch on again.
I think you're being unreasonable demanding someone else to come and do it really as it's only a ten minute job.
A minute per rad* and 90 seconds to re pressurise the boiler.I think you're being unreasonable demanding someone else to come and do it really as it's only a ten minute job.
- Unless the fecking bleed valve shears and sprays filthy fecking water everywhere at 21:30 on a fecking Saturday night
Davel said:
I think you're being unreasonable demanding someone else to come and do it really as it's only a ten minute job.
I don't recall demanding anything. I'm perfectly happy to have a go at it, but wonder what viewpoint the owners would have if something goes wrong, no doubt they'll want to know why I didn't go through them, Seeing as it seems an easy job according to you lot I'll give it a bash,
I offer you all my most genuine thanks for you completely rational responses,
pimpin gimp said:
Just a quick one, we're currently in a rented property and some of the radiators are stone cold. popped into the letting agents who asked if we'd bled the radiators.
Well of course we haven't, it's not our house and I've no business messing with installed equipment as far as I'm concerned. Am I right in taking that viewpoint?
If a rad is cold at the top and warm/hot at the bottom, bleeding it may help, as it's likely to have air/gas sitting in the top of the rad.Well of course we haven't, it's not our house and I've no business messing with installed equipment as far as I'm concerned. Am I right in taking that viewpoint?
If the rad is cold completely, make sure the valve is open. If it's a thermo valve, look for advice on how to free it.
Well if it is more complicated and they don't just need bleeding, then you should consult the Landlord or the agent.
If the thermostats need replacing then the cost would not be down to you.
A clue is that if the radiators are cold at the top but warmer lower down, then it's often air trapped. If, as you say, the whole radiator is cold, then it could be either the thermostats or a blockage and the Landlord should meet any costs involved.
Perhaps demanding was the wrong word to use - maybe requesting would be more suitable.
Either way, if you're not solving it by bleeding them, you should talk to the agent or Landlord.
If the thermostats need replacing then the cost would not be down to you.
A clue is that if the radiators are cold at the top but warmer lower down, then it's often air trapped. If, as you say, the whole radiator is cold, then it could be either the thermostats or a blockage and the Landlord should meet any costs involved.
Perhaps demanding was the wrong word to use - maybe requesting would be more suitable.
Either way, if you're not solving it by bleeding them, you should talk to the agent or Landlord.
From what I now know about radiators, there doesn't seem much point bleeding them if the whole thing is cold, I'll take the tops off the valves and see if I can free them, if I can then happy days, if I can't I'll just have to wait a few weeks for the landlord to sort their s
t out.
They're not the most proactive of people... It took them 5 weeks from us moving in for them to replace a shower fixing which they knew about some 2 months before we moved in! And before you ask, they wouldn't let me fix it myself.
t out. They're not the most proactive of people... It took them 5 weeks from us moving in for them to replace a shower fixing which they knew about some 2 months before we moved in! And before you ask, they wouldn't let me fix it myself.
Legally, I am not sure what the position is but if they are slow to get your heating sorted, then they should provide an alternative source of heating or maybe even offer you alternative accomodation.
One of my tenants has recently had boiler issues and we've had the plumber there five times in as many weeks.
You can't leave a tenant without heating, especially in this weather.
One of my tenants has recently had boiler issues and we've had the plumber there five times in as many weeks.
You can't leave a tenant without heating, especially in this weather.
Ha ha, I figured you might be a landlord from your rather abrupt first post... 
It's not a big enough issue for me to worry about being a bit cold, it's a large property with plenty of rooms with working rad's, and the rooms with no heating are pretty much unused, it was more out of courtesy to the landlord that we were letting them know - I don't want their house to get damp any more than they do.
It just means we can't use one of the dining rooms and one of the guest bedrooms, hardly a major issue, but it would be nice to have it sorted.
We let our house out to a couple who wanted a few things sorting after they moved in, I had the issues fixed within 48hrs and they weren't major issues, can't understand why our landlord is so slack.
It's not a big enough issue for me to worry about being a bit cold, it's a large property with plenty of rooms with working rad's, and the rooms with no heating are pretty much unused, it was more out of courtesy to the landlord that we were letting them know - I don't want their house to get damp any more than they do.
It just means we can't use one of the dining rooms and one of the guest bedrooms, hardly a major issue, but it would be nice to have it sorted.
We let our house out to a couple who wanted a few things sorting after they moved in, I had the issues fixed within 48hrs and they weren't major issues, can't understand why our landlord is so slack.
pimpin gimp said:
Ha ha, I figured you might be a landlord from your rather abrupt first post...
It's not a big enough issue for me to worry about being a bit cold, it's a large property with plenty of rooms with working rad's, and the rooms with no heating are pretty much unused, it was more out of courtesy to the landlord that we were letting them know - I don't want their house to get damp any more than they do.
It just means we can't use one of the dining rooms and one of the guest bedrooms, hardly a major issue, but it would be nice to have it sorted.
We let our house out to a couple who wanted a few things sorting after they moved in, I had the issues fixed within 48hrs and they weren't major issues, can't understand why our landlord is so slack.
I doubt that "bleeding radiators" could ever be classified as a LL's responsibility. Have people completely lost the ability to think and act on their own friggin initiative these days?It's not a big enough issue for me to worry about being a bit cold, it's a large property with plenty of rooms with working rad's, and the rooms with no heating are pretty much unused, it was more out of courtesy to the landlord that we were letting them know - I don't want their house to get damp any more than they do.
It just means we can't use one of the dining rooms and one of the guest bedrooms, hardly a major issue, but it would be nice to have it sorted.
We let our house out to a couple who wanted a few things sorting after they moved in, I had the issues fixed within 48hrs and they weren't major issues, can't understand why our landlord is so slack.
garyhun said:
pimpin gimp said:
Ha ha, I figured you might be a landlord from your rather abrupt first post...
It's not a big enough issue for me to worry about being a bit cold, it's a large property with plenty of rooms with working rad's, and the rooms with no heating are pretty much unused, it was more out of courtesy to the landlord that we were letting them know - I don't want their house to get damp any more than they do.
It just means we can't use one of the dining rooms and one of the guest bedrooms, hardly a major issue, but it would be nice to have it sorted.
We let our house out to a couple who wanted a few things sorting after they moved in, I had the issues fixed within 48hrs and they weren't major issues, can't understand why our landlord is so slack.
I doubt that "bleeding radiators" could ever be classified as a LL's responsibility. Have people completely lost the ability to think and act on their own friggin initiative these days?It's not a big enough issue for me to worry about being a bit cold, it's a large property with plenty of rooms with working rad's, and the rooms with no heating are pretty much unused, it was more out of courtesy to the landlord that we were letting them know - I don't want their house to get damp any more than they do.
It just means we can't use one of the dining rooms and one of the guest bedrooms, hardly a major issue, but it would be nice to have it sorted.
We let our house out to a couple who wanted a few things sorting after they moved in, I had the issues fixed within 48hrs and they weren't major issues, can't understand why our landlord is so slack.
It would also be up to you NOT to damage the rad in the process- if a valve can't be freed off, then yes call the LL. Personal responsibility!
"If it works leave it alone" spent the last 3 days fitting new thermostats to radiators in several flats i rent out. Flushing system, fitting leaks and venting air from the system, takes longer than one expects the job to take.
In the case of the OP, then yes i expect my tenants to vent radiators, and also to release a sticky pins on radiator thermostats, which this time of the year i show tenants what to do.
In the case of the OP, then yes i expect my tenants to vent radiators, and also to release a sticky pins on radiator thermostats, which this time of the year i show tenants what to do.
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