Repairing/Replacing heater - compulsory?

[iookpa]

I own a 2 bedroom weatherboard that has two heaters - one in the living area, and one in the hallway.

The tenant has told my PM that the one in the hallway is cutting out after 20 mins - do I HAVE to repair/replace it? Can I supply an electric space heater instead?

The local heater guy reckons if it's a vulcan equinox it will be a fan problem which is around $400 to fix...

 

[Railglider]

The local heater guy reckons if it's a vulcan equinox it will be a fan problem which is around $400 to fix...

So how has he determined it's a fan problem with it cutting out after 20 mins?
Could easily be thermostatic control problem or solid state reostat control problem. In either case it is a $60.00 part, and a non genuine generic control device can be easily supplied and fitted for less than $150.00

 

[lura]

I own a 2 bedroom weatherboard that has two heaters - one in the living area, and one in the hallway.

The tenant has told my PM that the one in the hallway is cutting out after 20 mins - do I HAVE to repair/replace it? Can I supply an electric space heater instead?

The local heater guy reckons if it's a vulcan equinox it will be a fan problem which is around $400 to fix...

It depends on what the law is in your State - general rule - whatever you had in the property when the property was advertised and at start of lease must be repaired/replaced during the tenancy.

 

[iookpa]

So how has he determined it's a fan problem with it cutting out after 20 mins?
Could easily be thermostatic control problem or solid state reostat control problem. In either case it is a $60.00 part, and a non genuine generic control device can be easily supplied and fitted for less than $150.00

He didn't diagnose it over the phone - I just described the heater from memory, then he said if it's the one I'm thinking of, would be the fan and $400.

A service call out is $88....

I'm going to the property tomorrow so I'll make a note of the exact make and model.

 

[iookpa]

general rule - whatever you had in the property when the property was advertised and at start of lease must be repaired/replaced during the tenancy.

So I can't supply a portable space heater as a replacement?

 

[marg4000]

Is the faulty heater gas?

If so, then the tenant would have the right to complain if you replace it with an electric heater, as they are hideously expensive to run and only heat a very small area.
Marg

 

[iookpa]

Went and had a look at the heater tonight.

It's a Vulcan Qasar 40. Has the electronic control at the top.

Runs for about 15mins before turning itself off. The fan is set to normal, we had the heat set to 3, after it cut out it I turned it to 7. Still didn't fire up.

Sigh....

 

[Luv2Travel]

The tenant has told my PM that the one in the hallway is cutting out after 20 mins - do I HAVE to repair/replace it? Can I supply an electric space heater instead?

Are you going to pay for the electricity bills too?

Still didn't fire up.

Sigh....

Why the sigh? That's what being a landlord is. Maintaining a house, if things break, fix them. They aren't paying you rent to be nice, they expect things to work that they are paying for. I notice you're in Victoria, as someone who can't stand temperature being less than 30 degrees, if my landlord wasn't fixing my heater in the middle of winter, I'd be pretty damn annoyed.

 

[AlmostBob]

things you learn in a really cold climate

flame heaters should always be run with the fan on maximum, whatever the fuel is
if the fan is running slowly more heat is put into the heat exchanger than the fan extracts, the heat (& dollars) goes up the chimney, until the heat exchanger can overheat and trip out a thermal breaker shutting the unit down till it cools down
If the fan is blocked with lint and dust, same thing overheat and cut out (squirrel cage fan: efficient but small tolerances)
try cleaning the fan unit and screens,
try vaccuuming out the air path through the heat exchanger
try setting the flame to a low setting and the fan to max
all of these ^ cost zip to do except time
If it has overheated the thermal breaker can be sticky they seem to be almost a one shot item but are simple to replace

 

[iookpa]

Appreciate it Bob, thank you.

Any idea on where the heat exchanger/fan are located on the qasar?

Pics would be handy

 

[AlmostBob]

Usually fan is at the top directly behind the air inlet duct vent
usually a squirrel cage fan (radial not linear) so its easy to clean once the front panel is off
ducting down through heat exchanger on top of the flame box, then behind the flame box and gas controls and through exhaust vent at the bottom front

 

[lura]

So I can't supply a portable space heater as a replacement?

As long as your tenants agree. I don't want to be negative, but they can argue that what they got is not what they signed up for.

 

[Pablo]

I have an old oil heater in one of my ip's which is broken and not working but due to its age and the fact that there is a reverse cycle air conditioner in the room I have not had it fixed, when I show prospective tenants through I tell them all that it is broken and it will not be getting fixed, I also write this in the lease to be double sure.

I have been told that this is still not good enough and that it should either be removed or repaired or it is possible for the tenant to claim compensation from me (although I think the chances of that happening would be pretty slim) apparently any items in the house need to be in working condition even if they were not working when the lease began and even if they were told that they would not be getting fixed.

 

[AlmostBob]

I have an old oil heater in one of my ip's which is broken and not working but due to its age and the fact that there is a reverse cycle air conditioner in the room I have not had it fixed, when I show prospective tenants through I tell them all that it is broken and it will not be getting fixed, I also write this in the lease to be double sure.

I have been told

By whom, the typica PM?

that this is still not good enough and that it should either be removed or repaired or it is possible for the tenant to claim compensation from me (although I think the chances of that happening would be pretty slim) apparently any items in the house need to be in working condition even if they were not working when the lease began and even if they were told that they would not be getting fixed.

assuming the IP is in SA with you

—Landlord's obligation to repair
(1) It is a term of a residential tenancy agreement that the landlord—
(a) will ensure that the premises, and ancillary property, are in a reasonable state of repair at the beginning of the tenancy and will keep them in a reasonable state of repair having regard to their age, character and prospective life; and
(b) will comply with statutory requirements affecting the premises.
The obligation applies even though the tenant had notice of the state of disrepair before entering into occupation.

the landlord, having allready replaced the defective ancillary property with a more efficient environmentally safer device, a reverse cycle airconditioner, what moron could suggest the oil heater were not properly dealt with " having regard to their age, character and prospective life " . its dead and has been replaced

 

[iookpa]

Cheers Bob.

 

[Perp]

what moron could suggest the oil heater were not properly dealt with " having regard to their age, character and prospective life " . its dead and has been replaced

Probably a residential tenancies tribunal magistrate...

I'm not arguing it's right or wrong; it just "is what it is", and if we choose to play in this domain (though I agree with Dazz that we're crazy for playing it), then we have to live with the fact that all obligations are on the landlord, and all benefits of doubt go to the tenant.