# Smelly drain and missing boiler part **URL:** \ **Category:** Landlord Discussion\ **Created:** [21 November 2021 16:58 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/smelly-drain-and-missing-boiler-part/28494 "2021-11-21T16:58:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![judith1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/judith1/32/450_2.png) [@judith1](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/judith1)\ **Post date:** [21 November 2021 16:58 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/smelly-drain-and-missing-boiler-part/28494/1 "2021-11-21T16:58:29Z")
Two problems arrived on Friday with different properties and I would be grateful for others’ thoughts: 1. Our tenant runs a hair salon and complained of a smell from the basins. There is no blockage and this is a new problem (she’s been there for two years) that she feels could come from 2 flats above her in the property. We’ve checked with the flat tenants and neither have a problem with smelly drains. Is this our responsibility and if we had the drains jet washed, would it necessarily solve the problem? 2. The second issue regards a boiler that was newly fitted to a family property 5 years ago when the whole property was refurbished. The current tenant has been there over 2 years and made clear that he was unhappy when we raised the rent a couple of months ago. We have since had to replace the oven and the fridge/freezer and he now says that the boiler’s thermostat is missing so that he can turn the heating on and off not regulate the heat. The tenant is a heating engineer and has offered to get the necessary part and fit it but I find it strange that this has not been an issue previously and was not an issue with the previous tenant. The guy who originally fitted the boiler has since retired. I’m starting to feel that we’re being played but for peace of mind and any future tenant feel we have no issue but to go along with the tenant’s suggestion. Has anyone else come across a similar issue? Many thanks ! ---
**Author:** ![Colin3](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/colin3/32/450_2.png) [@Colin3](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Colin3)\ **Post date:** [21 November 2021 17:05 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/smelly-drain-and-missing-boiler-part/28494/2 "2021-11-21T17:05:04Z")
(1) Hair from a hair salon always stinks , haiir ,skin , and all the other chemicals will line the pipes and cause a bad smell. She can replace the traps and pipes and have no smells . But it will gradually get worse again ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_T](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/mr_t/32/515_2.png) [@Mr\_T](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/Mr_T)\ **Post date:** [23 November 2021 15:30 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/smelly-drain-and-missing-boiler-part/28494/3 "2021-11-23T15:30:45Z")
You don’t have any obligation to use the tenant for the repairs. In fact, I most definitely wouldn’t, as it could encourage him to break other things if he gets rewarded for it. Get an independent person and ask them to send photos of the replaced items. Also, do an inspection and get photos as you go. We had a similar situation in which damage was done, and the boiler tampered with, to cause slow damage over time. Impossible to prove. But if you think this is happening, are these the sort of people you want as tenants? Consider serving notice and maybe do so in the nicest way you can, so maybe they don’t do more damage, if this is the case. ---
**Author:** ![judith1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/judith1/32/450_2.png) [@judith1](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/judith1)\ **Post date:** [23 November 2021 19:29 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/smelly-drain-and-missing-boiler-part/28494/4 "2021-11-23T19:29:17Z")
Many thanks, Mr\_T, and we will follow your suggestion with reference to the repair and thorough inspection with photos. ---
**Author:** ![judith1](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/judith1/32/450_2.png) [@judith1](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/judith1)\ **Post date:** [23 November 2021 19:30 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/smelly-drain-and-missing-boiler-part/28494/5 "2021-11-23T19:30:15Z")
Thanks Colin for your response that we’ve taken on board with our response to the tenant. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/community.openrent.co.uk/system/32/11_2.png) [@system](https://community.openrent.co.uk/u/system)\ **Post date:** [9 August 2022 12:52 UTC](https://community.openrent.co.uk/t/smelly-drain-and-missing-boiler-part/28494/6 "2022-08-09T12:52:58Z")
Closed on 9 August 2022 12:52 UTC