Landlord's Responsibility?

CharleyNicholls

Sent in this direction by a kind forumite!

Question for any legal bods or people that know about landlord responsibility.

I love love love my new (rented) house dearly but the heating is APPALLING! There are two 2kw free standing electric heaters which barely chuck out any heat but chew through electricity like a tramp on chips.

I had a chat with a chap from Southern Electric today who said "by law" the landlord is responsible for providing me with cost and energy efficient heating.

Do I have any case to beseech them to purchase better heaters for me and Gandalf?! (my cat, not a kidnapped wizard or invisible friend)

I know a guy who sells InfraRed heaters who would no doubt offer me a deal, would I be rude to ask my letting agents to approach the landlord?

Any advice would be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance

19lottie82

Guy from SE is talking nonsense.

Your LL has provided you with heating. Maybe it isn't as efficient as you would like, but it works.

You can certainly ASK you LL to improve your heating facilities, and if you are a good tenant and he values your rental income, he MAY be willing to help, but he is under NO legal obligation to do so.

jackomdj

Do they just plug in? If so and you want the house warmer why don't you just buy them?

sandsni

What do you use to heat water? Is there no central heating at all?

CharleyNicholls

They do just plug in - the problem is, the amount of electricity they use and the amount of heat they give out (or lack of!) Of course I'd buy more heaters but then the electricity bill is going cause me to fall down!

The house has a boiler but that's just for the hot water, there is no "central heating"

I was just wondering if it was likely the landlord would assist or indeed whether it's down to me, which it seems to be.

DevCoder

Electric heaters all give out the same no matter what their type, they are virtually 100% efficent.

Thus a 2KW electric heater will give off and heat the same space to the same temperature as a 2KW oil radiator and a 2KW fan heater and a 2KW IR heater.

tim123456789

krisdorey wrote: »

Electric heaters all give out the same no matter what their type, they are virtually 100% efficent.

Thus a 2KW electric heater will give off and heat the same space to the same temperature as a 2KW oil radiator and a 2KW fan heater and a 2KW IR heater.

and 2kW from a gas boiler or gas fire

To the OP:

The quick fix is to get a couple of Storage Radiators fitted. They will provide the same amount of heat at a third of the cost (correctly installed).

You also need to make sure that all of the simple insulation has been done.

CharleyNicholls

Ok, I'll approach the Letting Agents and see if they could pose the question about storage heaters.

Thanks for all the advice

DevCoder

That would possibly entail new electrics as an E7/E10 meter would need to be installed, radial circuits for each heater (15A each) and the storage heaters themselves arent exactly cheap.

sandsni

If you're on any means-tested benefits you might be able to get some help with insulation - I know there's a scheme in NI so I'd imagine there are similar in other parts of the UK.

CharleyNicholls

No I'm working full time and it's not a poorly paid job.

I suppose I was just trying to be frugal and equally increase the energy efficiency of the home which is currently just about to fall into the "F" zone.

I already have a feeling that the Landlord won't be keen to do anything though as two weeks ago I reported a cracked window pane which was rattling and seemed precarious and having just spoken to the letting agents, they have said the landlord doesn't wish to do anything about it.

Nevermind, I do love a good duvet snuggle in my onesie!