Gas Vs Electric

Dar1371

Hey guys! I was wondering if someone could help me...

Me and my boyfriend are currently looking for a house to rent together. We saw one today that we really liked however everything is electric, including the heating. I've only ever lived with gas central heating, and have a very limited knowledge about these kind of things.

Anyway, anyone out there know much about electric heating? Mostly, is it cheap/expensive/value for money? it's a top floor flat so hoping that heat rises and that'll help!

Any advice???? Thanks so much in advance!!

sam x

Cardew

Heating and hot water with electric is between two and three times more expensive than gas.

Unless it has an Economy 7 tariff with storage heating and then, whilst still more expensive than gas, is closer in price. However it is not a popular method of heating - especially if you are out at work all day.

Consumerist

Dar1371 wrote: »

Any advice????

Hi Sam and welcome to the forum.

Generally speaking, electrical space heating is more expensive than mains gas e.g. central heating.

There are also some exotic energy tariffs out there which landlords find attractive but tend to be costly for tenants. If you do decide to rent then make sure you know exactly which tariff you are on and with which energy supplier. You may find it difficult to change supplier because only the current supplier supports the metering arrangements in the property.

Depending on the situation of the flat, the third floor may be more exposed to the elements and may, therefore, be more expensive to keep warm.

My advice would be to avoid electricity-only properties if you can.

Dar1371

Thanks guys! That's really helpful... we managed to find another flat with gas heating... phew :P