Heating Not Working - Should I Pay Rent In Full?

[Hybrid Ambassador]

If NG hook up is too messy then the Toyotomi heater can work wonder for your frigid apartment. I had used this unit in frozen Hokkaido winters and lived very cozy all winter there.

https://www.toyotomiusa.com/factoryOutletStore/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=157

WE'VE BEEN GREEN FOR 40 YEARS. A half million satisfied customers can't be wrong. From the Arctic to Antarctica, from Maine to California the revolutionary Toyotomi sealed combustion direct vent heating systems (TOYOSTOVE, Laser, and OIL MISER models) are the most fuel-efficient, energy saving, heating systems available (use up to 50% less fuel for heating the same area) and have substantially lower emissions (up to 50% less CO²) than traditional oil-fired heating systems. That, along with their whisper-quiet comfort, safety and dependability are why they are the most popular, best-selling, vented heating systems in the rugged, rural environment of Alaska. Toyotomi direct vent heating systems provide all the comfort and convenience of central heating in one small suitcase size unit at a fraction of the cost to purchase and operate. They are easy to install and require no chimney, ductwork, plumbing or electrical work. In most cases, these units can heat your entire home. They are also the perfect solution for those hard to heat rooms or areas—all too common in many homes. This is especially true of older homes and those with additions where a central heating system is just not enough. Now, even problem areas can be made comfortable, at an affordable price. In addition, Toyotomi direct vent heating systems are ideal for garages, basements, summer homes, hunting cabins, and are certified for installation in mobile homes and manufactured housing. These units operate on K-1 Kerosene, No. 1 Low Sulfur Fuel Oil, or Ultra Low Sulfur Heating Oil /Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.
Efficient and Economical

 

[Girino]

You Japaneses are always one step ahead of the crowd!

Anyway our heating is not with gas in the heater, is with hot water (heated by our boiler).
The landlord said that works will be starting in 2 weeks... so that would be the whole August without heating (I don't think they will fix everything on day 1, and I don't believe they will be actually coming in two weeks).

 

[Ceviche]

I had used this unit in frozen Hokkaido winters and lived very cozy all winter there.

I never enjoyed my days in the cold Niigata.

 

[Hybrid Ambassador]

I never enjoyed my days in the cold Niigata.

Oh Hello Ceviche-san.! yeah, Niigata is not in Hokkaido, the Hokkaido residents has developed their own unique ways to combat the fierce mother nature, same as the residents of Alaska.. But the technology available there works wonder, even the house building techniques and engineering differs from the rest of Japan.

 

[nlaruccia]

We have a standard 2 years contract, we gave a 1 month deposit, we pay our rent on a month-to-month basis, and every 6 months there is a +15% adjustment.
Everything is on paper and registered (we rented through an agency). We have to give a 2 months notice before leaving, and we just spent $1000 just to fix the place (painting, buying some furnitures, activating Internet, etc.) and we like the place/location.

It would be okay if the landlord simply installed a heating unit instead of A/C only, or those electric panels they use here, but he would have to pay for those from his own pocket.

But then, if the fault is the Administration, they would reimburse the owner of the house for a heater or money spent on necessary accomadations. I rent a parking space in the building where I live and there was a problem on the first floor with the plumbing. Apparantly the canaletas were clogged up and it was supposed to take a month to fix, meanwhile, water would drip from the ceiling of the garage onto my car. The super gave me a plastic carp to cover the car after a few weeks, but the damage was done. Plus, it took two months to fix. The pain in a garage has a lot of strong chemicals and it stains car pain. I talked to the owner of the parking space and he told me to get the car waxed which cost around $1,000 pesos, and he would pay for it. Then he fought with the Consorcio and convinced them to reimburse him the $1,000 pesos.

 

[Crema Americana]

If you're intent on living there for the next 2 years (or possibly more) I suppose you could just buy a heating unit and then take it with you when you move. No heat during the coldest month isn't a good situation. If it were me and I was freezing, I'd take care of myself and then fight it out. Waiting around for things to get done here only adds to the frustration.

I would definitely talk to the landlord and ask about a price reduction due to the heating issue. Be calm about it (it's not really the landlords fault - he's a victim of lousy building practices as well), but make it clear that being without heat is unacceptable. Say you had to buy (even if you only borrowed) a heating unit - he may be willing to drop the price due to your extra expense.

 

[Bajo_cero2]

I agree with Mountauk_project, you should move. Do everything through carta documentó and with legal advice and then sue the owner for damages.

 

[GS_Dirtboy]

The owner should be doing backflips to take care of you in this situation. If I owned the place I'd be there with a heater, blankets, brownies, and hot chocolate. It sounds like you like this place, except for the heat issue. If the owner is non-responsive or under-responsive I'd take Bajo_cero's advice.

 

[ElQueso]

I wonder what the contract provisions are for recovering costs through withholding money from the rent, based on receipts for money spent (and obviously based on having sent notice, etc)? I believe there is something related to this in the "national" contract, and a section of a contract that attempts to override the "national" contract (standard contract by law? Whatever it's called) is null and can't be enforced. I'm too lazy to go find my contract right now to verify, but I believe that the standard contract has provisions for this type of situation. I'm pretty sure that the notice (and penalty payments) required to vacate, for example, is waived by law if the owner does not maintain certain things that are his responsibility, rendering the apartment unlivable.

One question - are your hot water pipes for kitchen/bathrooms functioning? I have a friend whose building got cut off by the gas company, related to the new restrictions because of what happened in Rosario (I think that's where it was?) and he has been without hot water and heat for three months now. He made a deal with the landlord to keep the lease in place but is only paying the building expenses and living in a temporary place in the meantime.

If space heating is the only unlivable issue you have, it can be resolved, but hot running water is a necessity in winter - at least in modern times, in a modern city.

I love the apartment I'm in right now. Having lived here for 8 years and knowing how hard it can be to find just the right place at the right money (my biggest thing is the size-to-price ratio - we now have five of us and I work at home!), I'd deal with a certain amount of little things to keep this place.

In fact, I have. Things like the shower glass (not a shower door, but one of those half-length glass "walls" that hinges) in my master bathroom about to fall off at the top - the owners had it "reattached" before we moved in (apparently it had fallen off at some point) and the top hinge is coming unbolted (the anchor bolt is pulling out of the wall), since we first moved in. I've asked them to fix it a number of times. We've been here three months now and they still haven't managed to get anyone out to even look at it. They're the nicest of ladies (sisters) but they don't get very much done. I'm calling someone out next week and footing the bill myself and will talk to them about reimbursing me through withholding some of the rent money, even over some months if needed (maybe the sisters don't have a lot of money for repairs on the apartment - their responsibility but my problem).

To top it off, our building heater is too hot for me and I have no way of controlling it (doesn't heat the floors, but there's some kind of radiator behind a grill that is fed by hot water pipes in the walls) except opening a window somewhat to try to counteract the heat. I'm sure a problem you would prefer to have, but personally I played ice hockey for 17 years and I guess I prefer cold to hot any day

We have a number of little things like that, which were supposed to be taken care of before we moved in but were either done in a half-assed manner and have become issues again, or were not taken care of. But it's 170 sq meters for $1000 USD a month, with three bedrooms, an office, and a large living and dining room. Very pleasing aesthetically. And in Recoleta - except for two years in Garin, near Pilar, I've lived in Recoleta my whole time here and that's where the majority of my friends live. It's a beautiful apartment and I figure I have to do what I have to do to live in it and try to get re-compensated afterwards.

With two year leases, moving can be expensive (relatively, for here - much cheaper than in the States, to be sure) and a pain-in-the-ass. I fill my 170 sq meters completely with furniture I've bought over the years. Finding the near-perfect place where you want to be, at the right price, can be very time consuming.

I don't move lightly.

One thing I've learned here is that it is what it is. It can be very difficult to stand on your rights and depend completely on that to make things right in any kind of timely manner. Sometimes you just have to do what you have to do to be happy.

I'd buy some heaters if the landlord isn't responsive to do so, before you freeze. Remember, even if you move, I doubt you'd be able to just find a new place and get into it overnight, unless you are talking a temporary rental to move into immediately - and the move is likely to be more expensive than the heaters - and in a couple of months winter will be over until next year...

I'd discuss withholding money from the rent after having officially notified the owner of your complaint. I believe you have the right expectations about the probability of the pipe situation getting worked out in two weeks, and finished within a couple of days of work starting, but I've been pleasantly surprised here as well and you never know. If you end up with some heaters that you don't need, they're not outrageously expensive and you can probably find someone to buy them come next winter.

 

[nlaruccia]

When you have an owner that promises to fix things but never seems to have the time to send someone to fix it, tell them to give you the number of the plumber/electrician/carpenter/etc and you can call directly and coordinate time and day. When they come they tell you what's wrong, and how much it will cost to fix, you could call the owner and let her know and then ask for a receipt to deduct it from the rent. I've been doing that with the last two owners I've dealt with. As long as I send the professionals they use and trust, they have no problem since they won't lose time making calls themselves.