unfair electricity charges-unsuitable living conditions and we are at landlords mercy

srimal5

I am posting this message to receive some advice to tackle an ongoing issue with my landlord.
At a cost of £525 a month I am living in an ice box since september. Flat has age old underfloor electrical heating and 70s style thermostats. Heating was out of order till november and landlord was kind enough to send a electrician to rectify the problem. Now the heating is working but cost of electricity from 22nd Oct to 14th Jan has come to £444.46. This is absurd and unusual for a very small 2 bed flat. Landlord has failed to insulate the boiler which is just a copper tank. Now we don't run the heating and the boiler is switched off as it fails to heat water. Despite of many reminders to the estate agent and landlord, both remain silent to my request. Now I wish to seek arbitration and can some one advice further?

caeler

I know a landlord has to provide working heating and hot water, which technically he is - its just very expensive :-(

I think you need to be prepared to move as soon as your AST comes to an end, I trust that is soon?!

Fire_Fox

Have you put your complaints to the landlord in writing by recorded delivery? If so have you considered contacting Environmental Health? There was some discussion the other day about the landlord having to provide a combination of heating and insulation that was effective:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2199705

Pitlanepiglet

Were you given a Energy Performance Certificate when you took the tenancy? If you're tenancy started in September then it was a requirement.

BitterAndTwisted

Why is the boiler failing to heat the water? To be honest, with the unusually cold weather we've been having since well before Christmas I expect nearly everyone is going to get unexpectedly high bills. It all depends on how many hours a day the heating has been on for it to have cost nearly a fiver a day.

eco-friendly_2

I think the OP is saying the hot water cylinder is not lagged properly, and not holding it's heat.

G_M

eco-friendly wrote: »

I think the OP is saying the hot water cylinder is not lagged properly, and not holding it's heat.

One simple solution: go to B&Q and for £10 or so buy tank lagging.

Barneysmom

Leave as soon as possible.

eco-friendly_2

Now I wish to seek arbitration and can some one advice further

Sorry! there is no real advice that can be given in your situation, you took the property on without knowing the real cost of heating that property. All Heating is expensive, but electric underfloor is probably the most expensive of all.

If possible do as barney says.

clutton_2

there is no such thing as arbitration in your situation .....

you say ""Now we don't run the heating"" - so how are you keeping warm ?

Fire_Fox

srimal5 wrote: »

I am posting this message to receive some advice to tackle an ongoing issue with my landlord.
At a cost of £525 a month I am living in an ice box since september. Flat has age old underfloor electrical heating and 70s style thermostats. Heating was out of order till november and landlord was kind enough to send a electrician to rectify the problem. Now the heating is working but cost of electricity from 22nd Oct to 14th Jan has come to £444.46. This is absurd and unusual for a very small 2 bed flat. Landlord has failed to insulate the boiler which is just a copper tank. Now we don't run the heating and the boiler is switched off as it fails to heat water. Despite of many reminders to the estate agent and landlord, both remain silent to my request. Now I wish to seek arbitration and can some one advice further?

I read your OP wrong, the £525 is your rent but your electricity bill is £150 a month? That is on the high side but not crazy for an all electric flat in the coldest winter for many years. Electric heating is just ridiculously expensive, around three times the price of gas per KWH.

The fact that your immersion is not lagged means the heat will simply escape into the flat and warm it up a little more. Have you run your usage figures (KWH not £££) through a price comparison site? Are you with the cheapest supplier and have you taken yourself off the standard (expensive) tariff?