Having your eating paid through your electricity bill.

MaddieSparks

Me and my boyfriend are currently looking at flats to buy and move into as soon as we can. We are looking at a flat in Epping, Essex and we have noticed in the pictures that each room has a radiator that is plugged in attached to the wall. We are going to check that there defiinitly isn't central heating, it's pretty likely as my friend lives just across the road and she has the same thing but is renting.

What are the pro's and con's to having this sort of heating system? Is it going to be cheaper in the long to fit a central heating system if possible as it is leasehold (not sure if we would be allowed to do that) and how much would that set us back. Also any ideas on how much the electricity bill would be with this kind of system, it's a 2 bedroom flat, 5 rooms all together on the top floor.

YoYoY

MaddieSparks wrote: »

Me and my boyfriend are currently looking at flats to buy and move into as soon as we can. We are looking at a flat in Epping, Essex and we have noticed in the pictures that each room has a radiator that is plugged in attached to the wall. We are going to check that there defiinitly isn't central heating, it's pretty likely as my friend lives just across the road and she has the same thing but is renting.

What are the pro's and con's to having this sort of heating system? Is it going to be cheaper in the long to fit a central heating system if possible as it is leasehold (not sure if we would be allowed to do that) and how much would that set us back. Also any ideas on how much the electricity bill would be with this kind of system, it's a 2 bedroom flat, 5 rooms all together on the top floor.

It more turn an and offable

Are you sure they are not electric storage heaters as otherwise it will cost you a fortune to heat in winter. Ask to see the property's energy efficiency report if you have not already been provided with a copy.

I would suggest you get a professional to survey the property if you are hoping to install a different type of heating as they will explain the options to you.

pinkteapot

Many flats do not have gas at all - everything is electric and there is no gas supply to the building. Therefore, it would not be possible to install gas central heating. You should check before buying if there is a gas supply.

Electric heating is considerably more expensive to run. The cheapest option is night storage heaters. You have an electricity tariff called "Economy 7", where your electricity is cheaper per unit for 7 hours overnight. The storage heaters heat up overnight and are off during the day but release the stored heat gradually. That should be what the flat has but you need to check.

I lived in a 2 bed flat which had just two storage heaters in the whole place (one in the lounge, one in the main bedroom). My electricity bill was around £85 per month (few years ago so will be more now).

I now live in a 4-bed house with gas central heating. My gas and electric bill combined are £80 a month. It's slightly cheaper to heat a house with radiators in every room than it was to heat the flat.

MaddieSparks

Pinkteapot was your £85 electricity bill the total for all electricity or just for the heating part?

pinkteapot

Sorry - that was my total electricity bill, so including heating, hot water, cooking and all the other use.

I paid quarterly though (rather than monthly DD). It averaged to about £85 per month over the year but the winter bills were enormous and the summer ones tiny, so the heating was a significant part of it.

Cardew

Whilst storage heaters are cheaper to run, they tend to leak heat during the day, and can run out of heat at night. So if you are at work all day, that heat is wasted.

You also pay a higher rate for the daytime(17 hours) electricity.

If it is a 'radiator' as you state, then it won't be storage heating as these tend to be big.

Without doubt gas CH will be cheaper to run, and will enhance the value of your flat; but as said above you need to check if their is gas to the building - ask neighbours.

macman

Electricity at Standard tariff sis about 300% more than gas per kWh.
But you will not be able to install a gas supply into a leasehold flat without the freeholder's permission, which may well not be forthcoming. Even if it's cost-effective.

pinkteapot

So you know, there was a period (80s and 90s I believe?) when flats weren't allowed to be built with gas - they were only allowed to be supplied with electricity. Presumably due to the risk of a gas leak/explosion destroying the whole building.

I'm not sure if that's still the case and whether new-builds have gas, but if the flat is from that period it'll explain the lack of gas.

You'll see old flats (1960s) on the market that have gas central heating.

MaddieSparks

Apparently it was built in 1980 so that is probably the explanation for no central heating.

We are realkly struggling to find properties at the moment and there always seems to be something in every single one that doesn't quite fit what we need, these 2 being without central heating, I hope it isn't completely impossible to pay for this and hopefully the current residance can tell us the price he currently pays for everything.

pinkteapot

You don't really need central heating in flats - they're generally pretty warm anyway as they're well insulated. Especially top floor flats as you benefit from the heat from flats below you.

My flat never felt cold. The downside is that utilities are more expensive, but then again you don't have the maintenance costs with a flat that you do with a house and garden (providing your service charge is reasonable).