Is your heating ON or OFF?

sammy_kaye18

just wanted to let everyone know that wilkinsons have fingerless gloves but they are long in that they go up to your elbows - lovely and cosy and only cost £2

A_fiend_for_life

lauzjp wrote: »

We have to have the heating up a good whack to be able to feel any noticeable difference. Our council flat windows are badly fitted, though the council deny this after several inspections. We previously put bubble wrap and all sorts of insulation type stuff around the windows to little avail - except damp and condensation!

The energy saving trust does free energy surveys so if that comes back as saying the windows are dodgy it might mean the council have to do something about it. I am not sure if they do council houses too but it would be worth checking.

Have you tried speaking to your councilor or MP? They have more of an interest in ensuring things get done. Even better is writing a letter.

Has anybody gone down this route? Is there a dedicated thread to getting councils to pull their fingers out on these matters?

Steel_2

No heating on here in Northamptonshire either yet. It's turned into a bit of a competition to see how long we can hold out.

In fact, it was so warm up here today I had the living room window open.

Had a few open fires in the evenings over the last two weeks and have the heated blanket on for a few minutes at night to take the chill off the sheets. I usually have a rug or lap quilt over me to keep my legs warm during the day and have rediscovered how warm my Animal snow boots are.

My postie thought they were very fetching and laughed all the way down the drive at me :rotfl:

itsrainingmen_2

Mines on, but not on timed and at the lowest thermostat setting to take the chill off. Still wearing socks to bed!

Does anyone know if there is any truth in the advice 'it's cheaper to leave your heating on all the time on a low setting as it costs more to heat a house from cold?

vickiem30

A_fiend_for_life wrote: »

The energy saving trust does free energy surveys so if that comes back as saying the windows are dodgy it might mean the council have to do something about it. I am not sure if they do council houses too but it would be worth checking.

Have you tried speaking to your councilor or MP? They have more of an interest in ensuring things get done. Even better is writing a letter.

Has anybody gone down this route? Is there a dedicated thread to getting councils to pull their fingers out on these matters?

I'm a borough councillor for my sins. Getting hold of your councillor can often do the trick; they can give the officers a kick up the jacksie, if needed.

I've had some cases where repairs needed doing and managed to get a positive outcome.

A_fiend_for_life

vickiem30 wrote: »

I'm a borough councillor for my sins. Getting hold of your councillor can often do the trick; they can give the officers a kick up the jacksie, if needed.

I've had some cases where repairs needed doing and managed to get a positive outcome.

Thanks vickiem30,

It seems there are a fair few people struggling more than they need to.

I'm not sure where but it might be good if there was a sticky thread on this somewhere. Perhaps the gas and electric board. It's not even winter yet and folk are struggling.

vickiem30

That's really good idea. If you are not a confident or assertive person ,it's easy to getted fobbed off when you complain to the council. They are so busy, that things can get overlooked, or wrongly catagorised as non-urgent.

A_fiend_for_life

Ok I think I will post on the suggestions board first and take it from there.

A_fiend_for_life

OK I have posted the suggestion here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=14857927#post14857927

Churchmouse

vickiem30 wrote: »

I'm a borough councillor for my sins. Getting hold of your councillor can often do the trick; they can give the officers a kick up the jacksie, if needed.

I've had some cases where repairs needed doing and managed to get a positive outcome.

It sure can!!! I used to work for the GLC before it was abolished first time round. Only worked in the mortgage department, but can say that any file marked "member's enquiry" went straight to the top of the pile. Sadly that sometimes meant that a possibly more urgent, but not member marked, case was unfairly left undealt with. But not in my workload it didn't;) I was fair to everybody:D I even answered back to members, I didn't need the job that badly. Too many of my fellow workers did

Mind you that was quite a few years ago, but I suspect little has changed. It always saddened me that the patient, non-confrontational people got the worst treatment.