Pipes & Heat in Old Cambridge

A reading site on water and heating in older Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire homes. Not a plumbing or heating firm.

Inside this site

Lets ยท In brief

Landlord duties when heating or hot water fails

Landlord heating repairs fall under section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985: installations for space heating and heating water, plus water, gas, electricity and sanitation, must be kept in repair and working order.

Most useful for: Private tenants and landlords in England, including shared student houses

Compiled from the sources at the end. Updated .

Terracotta-coloured ornate cast iron radiator on a mosaic floor against marble wall tiles.
An ornate cast iron radiator in a marble bathroom.

This page gives no repair deadline in days, so ask your council's housing team how a stalled repair would be treated. Section 11 also covers the structure and exterior, drains, gutters and external pipes. It does not extend to flood or fire reinstatement, as the after-flood page notes, and sections 13 and 14 set which tenancies it applies to.

When the boiler stops

Tell the landlord or agent in writing, with the date and what has failed. That gives both sides a record. Do not open the boiler casing or touch gas parts: the repair is for a Gas Safe registered engineer, booked by the landlord. If a radiator, cylinder or hot tap is the problem, describe what you can see, and let the plumber or engineer find the cause.

HSE says it is illegal to use an appliance you suspect is unsafe. A cold house is a repair matter, but a gas smell or a carbon monoxide alarm is an emergency: follow the steps on the gas smell and alarm page straight away.

Cambridge City publishes a landlord guide and PRS Housing Standard, which is a useful starting point for both sides. If old radiators are part of the problem, the page on radiators and sludge sets out what to ask about.

What the Renters' Rights Act has changed

The Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. Phase 1 started on 1 May 2026: section 21 ended and tenancies became assured periodic, new and existing. South Cambs summarises that tenants leave with 2 months' notice.

Later stages matter for repairs but have no fixed date here. Ombudsman membership is expected in 2028, and Decent Homes and Awaab's Law in the private sector remain subject to consultation. Check those dates again before relying on them.

Sources, read 4 November 2026: Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, s.11; HSE: domestic gas questions; Cambridge City Council: guide for landlords; GOV.UK: Renters' Rights Act roadmap; South Cambs: Renters' Rights Act.