Broken or useless storage heaters mean your landlord is not keeping your heating working. That is their job to fix. Here is what to do.
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Direct answer
If your storage heaters are broken, or so old they barely heat your home, your landlord must put it right. Keeping the heating working is their legal duty. A cold home is a health risk, especially in winter. If your landlord ignores it, call us free on 0800 030 4669.
Key facts
- The 2024 to 2025 English Housing Survey found about 2% of homes in England had excess cold as a category 1 (most serious) hazard, rising to 3% of privately rented homes. English Housing Survey 2024-25, GOV.UK
- The same survey found about 9% of homes in England, around 2.3 million, had a category 1 (most serious) hazard under the HHSRS. In the private rented sector the figure was 10%. English Housing Survey 2024-25, GOV.UK
Your landlord's duty
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord must keep the heating installations in your home in repair and working order. That includes storage heaters. If they are broken, faulty, or cannot heat your home, that is a repair they must deal with.
What to do
- Report it in writing, and say if the home is cold.
- Say if anyone in your home is very young, elderly, or unwell.
- Keep copies, and note how long it has gone on.
- In winter with no working heating, treat it as urgent. See how long can a landlord leave you without heating.
If the heaters are just old and weak
Heating that no longer warms your home properly can still count as disrepair, and a cold home may be unfit to live in. See my home is freezing cold.
How we can help
If your landlord has left you with heating that does not work, you may have a claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669.
Free call: 0800 030 4669 | Start your claim
Sources
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 25 May 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.
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Still stuck?
Call us free or start a claim online. We'll tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.