Student house double glazing

aaroprid

Hi everyone, I was directed to this forum as I was told its the best place to come for the type of query I have.

Basically I am a student living in a privately rented 11 bedroom house. When we moved in all but 2 of the bedrooms were double glazed and in the last few weeks one of the two has been double glazed leaving just mine without. Its not the fact that 'Im the only one without' that bothers me, its just that it is constantly freezing in my bedroom. The other day I woke up and could see the condensation on my breath. I cant ever open my curtains because the radiator is under the window and the little heat it gives off goes straight out unless I tuck my curtains behind. On top of this the current window frames are mouldy and rotting and damp is starting to spread across the walls near the window.

When I mentioned to my landlord about the poor state of the windows he just said 'out of the budget' and open your windows more to stop the condensation and mould. I understand that by ventilating the room more the condensation problem would die down but it is snowing outside at the moment and to open my windows it would take literally hours to get my room back to a temperature where I could sit in it without freezing.

Im sorry if this sounds like a bit of a rant but I am totally unsure of what to do and was hoping someone could give me some advice on what to do or whether this is something just not worth pursuing at all.

BitterAndTwisted

I'd be inclined to get some bubble-wrap taped up on the window to try and keep some heat in. Also perhaps invest in a dehumidifier to get the condensation problem under control.

I sincerely hope that you are paying a lot less rent then everyone else in this huge mansion if you're the only one contending with this problem.

aaroprid

Yeah it looks like thats the route im going to have to go down, cover the windows, get a dehumidifier etc.

Unfortunately no, were all paying the same

McKneff

You can buy some cellophane stuff from Wilkinsons that you put on with a hairdryier and that acts as double glazing.

Tuck your curtains on to the windowsill.

Early evening chuck a blanket or something over the curtains, its amazing how much cold air it keeps out.

Wear a hat for bed.:D Seriously.

aaroprid

Ohh Mc, that stuff from wilkinsons sounds awesome cheers. Looks like im gonna have to invest in some of that.

clutton_2

cling film makes fantastic double glazing but it does need 4 hands to do it.... get one of your warmer chums to help.....

Hammyman

Try turning the heating on if its so cold you can see your breath.

tbs624

aaroprid wrote: »

Its not the fact that 'Im the only one without' that bothers me, its just that it is constantly freezing in my bedroom.

Have you actually measured the temperature? Keep a chart for a week with two readings per day.

This will be useful for discussions with the LL . If you have to get an additional background heater and there is joint responsibility for the elec bills then you may have some strife from your housemates so being able to show them the actual temps inside your room may ease some of that.

aaroprid wrote: »

The other day I woke up and could see the condensation on my breath. I cant ever open my curtains because the radiator is under the window and the little heat it gives off goes straight out unless I tuck my curtains behind. . ......

Lots of properties have radiators beneath windows - the theory was that cool air from the windows would be heated up before it hit the main part of the room.

Couple more suggestions for you - you can get spring loaded curtain poles ( or a similar type of shower rail) which you can set inside the window frame. Get along to a charity shop and buy a blanket or thick curtain and hang it behind the LLs curtains, and then tuck the LLs curtains behind the radiator. Don't tuck them onto the windowsill as they will probably get damp from condensation.

Clip on radiator shelves are supposed to deflect radiator heat further into the room - don't know how effective they are.

You can get rolls/sheets of padded foil which you attach to the wall behind the radiator supposedly to reflect heat back into the room.

aaroprid wrote: »

On top of this the current window frames are mouldy and rotting and damp is starting to spread across the walls near the window..............When I mentioned to my landlord about the poor state of the windows he just said 'out of the budget' and open your windows more to stop the condensation and mould.

The LL has a statutory liability to maintain the structure and exterior of a property ( s11 of the LL&T Act 1985) and this includes dealing with rotting window frames - if he doesn't have a contingency fund to deal with such things then he should not be letting out property.

Damp and condensation can be affected by tenant lifestyles and attributable to a lack of sufficient heating and airing of the room/property but if window frames are rotting and the heat source is insufficient it can make it hard for Ts to address the matter entirely by their own actions. The LL should be providing you with a dehumidifier until he can get that window sorted out. Can he give you a date by which your window may get done?

Have a chat with the accomms officer at your Uni - if the LL was on their lists it is usual for him to have had to sign up to a Code of Practice, usually drawn up between the local LL association , the Uni and the local Council.

There should be a Private Sector Housing Officer at the local Council - they ( or the Environmental health Officer) can arrange for a property/your room to be inspected under HHSRS ( Housing Health and Safety Rating System) and "encourage" the LL to complete certain works, if necessary. Excess cold is one of the recognised housing "hazards" which the System looks at.

It's a shame that the energy saving light bulbs don't give out so much heat as the good old fashioned type - in the past many of us have sat studying in a cold room , swathed in a blanket, feet on a hot water bottle, with hands clasped to the side of an angle poise lamp

maninthestreet

Buy an electric heater to supplement the radiator in your room?

pimento

I swear by my electric blanket.