No loft insulation in private rented property.

purt

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Hi folks. Hope I have posted this in the right place as I'm not that familiar with some sections of the forum.

I moved into a private rented apartment back in the summer. In recent months with the big freeze I've noticed the apartment is fairly cold and the temperature in the bedrooms never goes beyond 18 degrees (and that's when the heat is on!) It's a top floor apartment, completely renovated and everything is new. Even the heating system, radiators etc etc. It's gas heating.

As I said, the temperature in the bedrooms never goes beyond 18 degrees when the heating's on. When it's off they're freezing and the temperature can be as low as 12 or 13 degrees. On investigation it seems the apartment has no insulation in the loft whatsoever. So, it would seem that's where the problem stems from.

We've mentioned the heating to the landlord and he's had the plumber out checking the actual heating system. It's working fine. The bedrooms just don't retain any heat and we need the heating on constantly just to take the chill off them. Once the heating goes off, the rooms are pretty cold within an hour or so.

I intend mentioning it to the landlord and see what he says. Before I do, I just wanted to canvass opinion on the issue, particularly around any legal rights I may have etc.

It's frustrating me no end as the gas bills are ridiculous at the moment (in excess of £40 in the last three weeks alone) and it's not a huge apartment, nor am I getting the benefit of the expenditure.

Thanks.

keystone

Just tell him that "the loft needs insulating.please". I wouldn't worry about legal rights just at the moment because if you raise that as an issue his cooperation level is likely to drop.

Cheers

david29dpo

Was there an EPC with the flat?

ronaldmacdonald

I sympathise. We too have no insulation in the loft at all and the bedrooms struggle to get above 18 unless the heating is on constantly at around 25 degrees. Its amazing what a difference even 50mm of insulation will make. I suggest you ask your landlord to insulate the loft, perhaps say that it is affecting your ability to sleep. I am sure there are loads and loads of insulation grants available that your landlord could take advantage of so cost shouldnt really be an issue.

Tigsteroonie

We're in a privately rented house, and we've just has our loft insulation increased to 20cm for nothing (we qualified because of the baby) under Manchester's version of the Warm Front grant scheme. We also got cavity wall insulation!

diable

I can't believe that someone spent all that money doing up a place then wanted to skimp on the loft which would have cost about £200 - £300 to insulate. Either the builders took him for a ride or he's a tight fisted landlord.

purt

diable wrote: »

I can't believe that someone spent all that money doing up a place then wanted to skimp on the loft which would have cost about £200 - £300 to insulate. Either the builders took him for a ride or he's a tight fisted landlord.

Thanks everyone for the replies. I actually suspect it's the former as he doesn't strike me as being tight fisted. I'm gonna phone him this morning and see what he says.

I'm in Northern Ireland. There was no EPC and such things tend never to be discussed in the private rented sector here. I'm not entirely sure of the legal requirements around these here either.

diable

culchied wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the replies. I actually suspect it's the former as he doesn't strike me as being tight fisted. I'm gonna phone him this morning and see what he says.

I'm in Northern Ireland. There was no EPC and such things tend never to be discussed in the private rented sector here. I'm not entirely sure of the legal requirements around these here either.

ahhhh if you speak to him you can also mention that the rooms feel "damp" he may hurry up and get loft insulation fitted as it could cost him more in the longterm ;p

Swipe

Wow I wish my bedroom only dropped to 12C. I have 300mm loft insulation and still wake up to temps of 8C once the heating has gone off.

ronaldmacdonald

Swipe wrote: »

Wow I wish my bedroom only dropped to 12C. I have 300mm loft insulation and still wake up to temps of 8C once the heating has gone off.

8C? :eek: with 300mm of insulation - what is it? 300mm of ice?
Either you live in the Arctic or your house has serious thermal problems. Do you have any windows? That must be unliveable.

27col

I agree entirely with diable. Why would you provide a means of heating without providing any means of keeping the heat inside the building. Amazing!!
Does your landlord know that there is no insulation?