Just read my tenancy agreement - advice?

hugoshavez

G_M wrote: »

Hmmm.............


Quote:
Originally Posted by hugoshavez
1. Cover is provided by most contents insurance policies. The only problem is usually when you're asked to insure them for accidental damage, as you'd have to look a bit closer to make sure this is included.
a) 'fixtures and fittings' are usually covered by Buildings insurance, not contents
b) when you take out a contents insurance policy, you are insuring your possessions - not someone else's (eg the landlord's). So you need a specific policy for tenants in order to include liability for the landlord's stuff.

Any sensible LL would have their own insurance.

OK.

So, standard contents cover won't include a tenant's liability section? Like on page 25 here?

http://www.directline.com/home-insurance/policy-documents.htm

Or, coincidentally enough, page 25 here?

http://www.aviva.co.uk/library/pdfs/home/NHDHG6080.pdf

It's a letting agent's myth that tenants need specifically written, overpriced "tenant's" insurance, usually sold on comission by the agent. You shouldn't mistakenly propogate it. Not on a moneysaving site.:money:

Fire_Fox

CafeNervosa wrote: »

Yeah, thanks for being so understanding. Are you really telling me you leave the heating on every time you go to work?

I don't know about you but I'm not made of money, I certainly don't earn enough to grin while I pay to heat an empty flat every day.

You won't be if you use the thermostats correctly: you only need frost protection, not a comfortable ambient temperature for t-shirts! :rotfl: That means the heating will only come on IF the room temperature drops below five degrees C, and then only briefly using only a few units of energy. If you use the heating in the morning it should take the room a several hours to cool down to that level anyway That is assuming it ever gets that cold inside - most flats benefit significantly from the insulation of the neighbouring ones.

I have a north facing apartment in Yorkshire and have never measured below 10C during the daytime even when it is sub zero outside and even tho I open the windows every single day. I now have my panel heaters on frost protect year round, my bills are exceptionally low for an electrically heated property. Your energy bills will be down to a power or pumped shower, tumble dryer and actual heating to get the flat up to a comfortable living temperature. Concentrate on reducing the big usage by having shorter showers or wearing an extra sweater, don't sweat about a couple of units here and there that will be dwarfed by 'normal' daily living.

CafeNervosa

One thing about the heating: as I haven't moved in yet (I have yet to sign the tenancy agreement) I don't know a great deal about the heating other than this: it's storage heaters.

Would they really make a difference to potential frost damage?

Fire_Fox

CafeNervosa wrote: »

One thing about the heating: as I haven't moved in yet (I have yet to sign the tenancy agreement) I don't know a great deal about the heating other than this: it's storage heaters.

Would they really make a difference to potential frost damage?

Storage heaters absorb energy at night and release it during the day, it is impossible for them not to release any heat in the day unless they are off at night so all your worries were for nothing. For frost protection you can just turn the input to the lowest setting at night, output to low all the time.

Well done for reading the AST before signing, many don't bother.

missile

CafeNervosa wrote: »

Yeah, thanks for being so understanding. Are you really telling me you leave the heating on every time you go to work?

I don't know about you but I'm not made of money, I certainly don't earn enough to grin while I pay to heat an empty flat every day.

No one is suggesting you have heating on full blast whilst you are out.

In point of fact, most of us do leave our central heating on a low setting at this time of year whilst we are at work and away from home. If you had ever seen the damage caused by a burst pipe :eek: you might understand why it is a sensible thing to do. I note from a later post you have storage heaters.

I am guessing this is the first time you have lived away from home? There are many things you should be aware of. Do you not have a parent or a friend who can advise you?

CafeNervosa

missile wrote: »

No one is suggesting you have heating on full blast whilst you are out.

In point of fact, most of us do leave our central heating on a low setting at this time of year whilst we are at work and away from home. If you had ever seen the damage caused by a burst pipe :eek: you might understand why it is a sensible thing to do. I note from a later post you have storage heaters.

I am guessing this is the first time you have lived away from home? There are many things you should be aware of. Do you not have a parent or a friend who can advise you?

As it happens, no it's not my first time, but I've never been one to leave the heating on (I've had storage heaters before) and didn't have a problem...maybe I was just lucky.

As far as advice goes, friends can say a lot of helpful things, but they don't always have answers. I just thought I'd fish in a deeper pool and see if I could get some helpul info before I see the agent again.

Thanks to all who tried to help.

Kynthia

Everyone, whether a tenant or homeowner, should have contents insurance and leave the heating on enough to ensure their property stays above freezing at all times to prevent burst pipes and water damage.

So many tenants don't realise they would be liable for damage done if the pipes burst. Also many don't consider how much it would cost to replace all of their belongings should they be damaged by a fire or water damage from a leak.

sniggings

just because you leave the heating "on" doesn't mean it is costing you money, it will only power up if the temp falls below where you set it, if out, set it to just above freezing, if the inside drops below that point then the heating will come on but most houses do not get anywhere near feezing point, unless it's been empty for ages, so the heating will not come on anyway, so when going to work you can either turn it on and set the temp very low or turn it off as in both cases the temp is not going to drop to freezing in that short time, so will not even come on.

The flat above me is used as a weekend holiday place and the guy up there leaves his heating on for the 5 days he is not at the property, he must be loaded as he doesn't set it to just above freezing but 18 degrees :eek:

tbs624

CafeNervosa - welcome to MSE Don't be put off asking further questions.

Come on guys - see that red and whote alert to the left - there are a couple of you being a tad sharp with a newbie IMO and its not necessary..

Missile - I'm pretty sure that the majority of posters on here have friends to ask about all sorts of stuff. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't also/alternatively ask on here

tbs624

Kynthia wrote: »

Everyone, whether a tenant or homeowner, should have contents insurance and leave the heating on enough to ensure their property stays above freezing at all times to prevent burst pipes and water damage.

I agree with the latter part of the sentence but many people manage just fine without contents insurance.:)