Tenants using huge gas (I agreed to pay in contract). What can I do???

G_M

olly300 wrote: »

Depending on the heater design that can be dangerous.

There are clauses and a law about behaving in a tenant like manner.

These are lodgers,not tenants.

Totally different animal.

kBHX

olly300 wrote: »

Depending on the heater design that can be dangerous.

There are clauses and a law about behaving in a tenant like manner.

Yeah... despite having a word with him not to use the electric heater unattended I came home to find it on again. He was at work and had been for 7.5 hours. Needless to say he was asked to leave soon after. Didn't want to come home one evening and find my place on fire. I also updated my agreement for future lodgers.

V_Chic_Chick

I have absolutely no idea what you expected to happen! When given free heating, of course they're not going to sit there wearing two jumpers, they're going to absolutely rinse the heating.

johnmcga

Johnandabby wrote: »

If people don't have to pay, they don't think about consumption - exactly the same with free bars and buffet lunches!

Just repeating what others have said really - this sums it up. You probably should have seen it coming!

A fair usage clause seems like the best option. Personally I steer well clear of things like lockable thermostats - I don't think it sends a great message to tenants.

In the short term though, perhaps a friendly chat with the tenants will help. They might have just assumed you're making a fortune from the property and can afford it!

JQ.

Our student house many many years ago had inclusive bills - we would regulate the temperature of the house by opening and closing windows. In the winter I don't think the heating was ever turned off.

rpc

For now, you pay what you are contractually obliged to pay.

The next time you do a contract, write in a sensible term. If this is really killing you financially, you could consider issuing S21 expiring at the end of the fixed term and then offer them all a new contract with more sensible terms.

If I didn't have to pay this bill, I might not switch the heating off.

GDB2222

You can change the contract if there is a break clause or when the fixed term ends. In the meantime, as others have said, have a word with them and just chalk it up to experience. It could be a whole lot worse!

Johnandabby

G_M wrote: »

Indeed, while suggestions of lockable thermostats etc are sensible and good lateral thinking, I suspect even that would legally contestable.

I can see a problem if you lock the heating off during the day when people may be in the house and needing heat. However, can't see a problem with a lockable thermostat - no court is going to agree that tenants have the right to heat the property to more than 21oC. Reducing the thermostat from even 22oC to 21oC is likely to save about 10% in running costs - even more if they have turned the thermostat up to 30oC!

Personally I would install a new lockable thermostat at high level, and not have it accessible. Then disconnect the existing thermostat but leave it on the wall - the tenants will be quite happy fiddling with the dummy thermostat!

cells

Why has no one suggested that there may be a problem with the heating system or the meter readings.

A typical houose like mine uses 100 kWh daily in the cold monthsy, there is no way they are using 300 kWh a day from just having the heating a few degrees warmer. Even at 30 degrees inside they wont use that much gas for heating

It must be an error or fault somewhere. My guesss would be the gas company did an estimate reading and then an actually reading and the two were far apart. So this quarter you got a true bill for many quaters underestimate before.

Only way a house could use 300kwh dail is to either have lots of windows open or to let the hot water run constantly.

Johnandabby

cells wrote: »

A typical houose like mine uses 100 kWh daily in the cold monthsy, there is no way they are using 300 kWh a day from just having the heating a few degrees warmer. Even at 30 degrees inside they wont use that much gas for heating

It must be an error or fault somewhere. My guesss would be the gas company did an estimate reading and then an actually reading and the two were far apart. So this quarter you got a true bill for many quaters underestimate before.

Only way a house could use 300kwh dail is to either have lots of windows open or to let the hot water run constantly.

The OP didn't say 300 kWh a day. My gas bill is less than 50 kWh a day during winter, with the heating running all day between 6am and 10pm as I work from home. Large 4-bedroom detached property, and 20 yrs old.

It could be an error or fault. But much much more likely that the tenants leave the heating on for 24/7 at a high setting as they don't actually pay for it.