my tenants asking for a heating programmer??

CB1979_2

hi guys well my tenants have been in 4 months and everything is going swimmingly, touch wood! lol

however they have asked me, if I can fit a timer on my boiler so that they can set for the heating to come on at say 6am to heat it a little before they get up.

now that's a fair request in my opinion but should I have to pay for it or do i take the stance of "if they want it, they can pay for it".

in my eyes, they are asking for a luxury item, the boiler, heating & hot water all work 100%, but it has never had a programmer/timer.

they are on a 6 months tenancy and may be moving out in a couple of months, then I'm going to be completely renovating the place and installing new boiler, etc etc, so don't really want to pay for something that will get binned in 2 months!

I have considered offering 50% payment, but after a little research it'll cost about £150 so that £75 is quite a hit on my £150 month profit.

so any advice?

cheers

prudryden

That's a tough call.

Perhaps you can tell them that you want to replace the boiler and if they let you do it now they will get a timer + thermostat along with a new energy efficient boiler. Work will only be done during the day time.

babe_ruth_3

For the sake of two months can't they keep the heat on constant and turn it down during the night to keep the place from going stone cold?

CB1979_2

@ prudryden - I'm going to be completely renovating the flat and moving boiler to a new position, so unfortunately that is not an option.

@ babe ruth - you would've thought so, just keep it on low to take the chill off the place, and if they don't like sleeping with heating on, just turn their rads off at the valves!

but if this were you would you feel it was landlords responsibility?

as i say it has never had a timer, just a room thermostat.

prudryden

CB1979 wrote:

@ prudryden - I'm going to be completely renovating the flat and moving boiler to a new position, so unfortunately that is not an option.

@ babe ruth - you would've thought so, just keep it on low to take the chill off the place, and if they don't like sleeping with heating on, just turn their rads off at the valves!

but if this were you would you feel it was landlords responsibility?

as i say it has never had a timer, just a room thermostat.

It is not a responsibility to provide a timer. In any case, they have a termostat.

Voyager2002

Have they given notice? Do you have any reason to believe that they will leave shortly? Otherwise, perhaps you should discuss your plans for the property with them and find out what their plans are. Perhaps the new boiler (in new position) could be installed before the other work is carried out.

Personally, I think the timer is an essential, but if you do something to improve the place you could suggest a rent increase and see what they say.

babe_ruth_3

I suppose these days a central heating system without a timer is a little odd.

However, your property is heated so havn't you fulfilled your obligations as a landlord?

I have a similar situation in that i have a property with gas central heating run on a combi-boiler with no room thermostat. I can only think that the boiler it's self has a built-in thermostat. Either way the tenants have never mentioned the fact that there is no room control.

Anyway, going back to your original question. I don't think you should put one in now just to rip it out again in 2 months time.

hearts

If they switch off most of the radiators and leave one on all night in say the hall then this will heat the whole house nicely.

PosterBoy77

Perhaps their main concern is that it will cost them more to heat if they have to keep the boiler on all the time. Most heating systems do have a timer these days and with the constant push for everyone to be greener, a timer on the heating system is an essential item. I believe the current setup would not comply with modern day building regulations, so I can see both sides. Perhaps you could offer them £50 towards extra heating costs due to the inefficient system, as you will be updating it soon anyway?

Gorgeous_George

Just say 'no'.

You've offered to pay half and explained that you intend to replace the boiler. Not your problem.

Would the timer need to be fitted by an electrician? If so, you might find that they are all busy and you may have to wait two months for one to be available.



GG

BTman

Does your boiler have a plug on it? I would hate to save a LL any money.. but why dont you switch the boiler to constant and buy a plug in timer switch (about £5)?
That's what I did when my old boiler's timer packed up...