Different attitudes towards reasonable room temperature at home

Mallotum_X

Your temperatures are fine, lodger is being unreasonable. Tell them its your house and they can move on if they dont like it.

Idiophreak

SRT81 wrote: »

The OP's already mentioned –!in their first post, no less –!that the lodger isn't prepared to pay more towards the heating, so in that position you wouldn't have a bunch more money.

So you agreed to rent a room in someone's house, you turn up and it feels freezing to you the whole time. They turn around and say "oh, you want a *comfortable* temperature? That'll cost you an extra £50/month..."

What would you think about that? "Fair enough. Their house, their rules."? Or "hang on...I'm *paying for this* - I should expect the cost to cover heating to a comfortable level"?

You can't charge someone for a room and then charge them *more* to heat it to a comfortable temperature. That's like selling a car then delivering it without the wheels..."oh, the wheels'll cost ya..."

Mallotum_X

Idiophreak wrote: »

So you agreed to rent a room in someone's house, you turn up and it feels freezing to you the whole time. They turn around and say "oh, you want a *comfortable* temperature? That'll cost you an extra £50/month..."

What would you think about that? "Fair enough. Their house, their rules."? Or "hang on...I'm *paying for this* - I should expect the cost to cover heating to a comfortable level"?

You can't charge someone for a room and then charge them *more* to heat it to a comfortable temperature. That's like selling a car then delivering it without the wheels..."oh, the wheels'll cost ya..."

Only the temperatures it is set to are reasonable, and lodger shouldn't expect not to wear a jumper in winter

Idiophreak

Mallotum_X wrote: »

Only the temperatures it is set to are reasonable, and lodger shouldn't expect not to wear a jumper in winter

Why? They're indoors. There are windows and doors a walls and insulation all shielding them from the elements and there's heating to actually make it warmer than the world outside! All of these things should unite to make it...."comfortable".

A lodger *shouldn't be expected* to wear a jumper indoors.

donfanatico

if you are feeling too hot, maybe you could strip down to your undies to cool down...:eek:


I'l get my coat................

SRT81

Idiophreak wrote: »

So you agreed to rent a room in someone's house, you turn up and it feels freezing to you the whole time. They turn around and say "oh, you want a *comfortable* temperature? That'll cost you an extra £50/month..."

What would you think about that? "Fair enough. Their house, their rules."? Or "hang on...I'm *paying for this* - I should expect the cost to cover heating to a comfortable level"?

You can't charge someone for a room and then charge them *more* to heat it to a comfortable temperature. That's like selling a car then delivering it without the wheels..."oh, the wheels'll cost ya..."

Oh for God's sake...

It's not about fleecing a lodger for a "comfortable" temperature. It's about, and I really hope this is the last time I have to say this, the lodger's preferences NOT being put before the owner of the house, who also lives there.

If I was renting a room (again) in someone's house and it felt a bit cold for me, then I'd ask if we could turn the heating up. It's common courtesy. I would be renting A ROOM. I would not be paying for the run of the house.

If the LL said they preferred the temperature as it was, then I'd have to accept that and stick another top on, or look for another room to rent.

If the LL said that we could have the heating up, but more heat would equal a higher bill and I'd have to pay more to contribute to that, then I'd have to either agree to pay more, or stick another top on, or look for another room to rent.

Are you seeing the common thread here?

If I didn't like it or didn't agree to the LL's terms of having the house warmer I would HAVE TO MOVE OUT.

I would not, like the OP's lodger, ignore the LL and turn the heating up regardless, then continue to rock about in a teeshirt refusing to pay more towards the heating bills.

You keep talking about heating to a comfortable temperature, as if the OP keeps their house at below zero, instead of the very reasonable 15–20º. If colder or hotter than that is your preference then you're probably outside of the average, and need to either find accommodation in someone's house who likes a similar temperature, or rent your own place where you can have it at whatever you like and pay the resulting bills.

The OP's lodger isn't paying a lot, doesn't want to pay more, and wants everything their own way.

Just doesn't work like that when you're living with your LL.

Idiophreak wrote: »

A lodger *shouldn't be expected* to wear a jumper indoors.

Jesus wept...

Do you just sit in a teeshirt at home and when it's cold whack the heating up?

Yes? Then you pay for the privilege.

This lodger doesn't want to do that. What do you suggest the OP does, just take the financial hit and give the lodger their own way?

Idiophreak

SRT81 wrote: »

Do you just sit in a teeshirt at home and when it's cold whack the heating up?

Yes? Then you pay for the privilege.

This lodger doesn't want to do that. What do you suggest the OP does, just take the financial hit and give the lodger their own way?

Yes. I'm in a house...so I wear indoor clothes...teeshirts, shirts...maybe loungepants and a vest...When I go outside, I put outdoor clothes on...jumpers, jackets...even shoes! It's a radical system, but it seems to work OK.

I can't fault your logic...it *does* cost more to heat a house in the winter... but I'm shocked if that's news to anyone.

Do I suggest the OP takes the "financial hit"? Err, yeah. As I said before, there shouldn't be a "hit" at all. OP should budget on the basis that the lodger may wish to keep that room warmer than the rest of the house and plan on that basis. Given that OP has failed to do this, yes, I believe it should be their "hit" to take, not an additional charge for the poor lodger who just doesn't want to be cold all the time.

moneyistooshorttomention

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

I can't believe that someone has the heating set to 15 degrees overnight or during the working day. In my house it would be off. No-one needs the heating on when they're in bed unless they live up in the Arctic Circle!

In the OP's situation I'd be giving serious thought to giving this lodger his marching-orders if he won't respect what temp the OP thinks is reasonable. If the thermostat is set to 18 degrees and it's a bit chilly in his room there's absolutely nothing wrong with putting on a jumper or a fleece. No-one, unless they are the bill-payer, would expect to be able to walk around at home in a short-sleeved T-shirt.

I think he's an @rse and his attitude stinks. You should get shot of him before his lack of respect escalates to something worse.

Actually, the official guidelines as to temperature DO specify that the lowest temperature rooms (ie bedrooms) should be at least 16C. They also specify that "living rooms" should be at least 18C.

I'm guessing that the lodgers room is a bedsit, rather than a bedroom??? If its just a bedroom, then the lodger is reasonably entitled to have it at least 16C. If its a bedsit (ie includes that "living room" function) then that means the lodger is reasonably entitled to have it at least 18C. If OP had it at lower temperatures than that at any point of time during day or night, then she would be breaching official guidelines and the lodger would be entitled to quote them at her.

This may be why there was never any difference of opinion on that matter at least between lodgers and I, because I was aware of the official guideline figures and went by that (ie rather than a lower temperature).

I remember how much misery it caused me as a child when my mother refused to heat my bedroom, despite my having to use it (even in the winter) for doing my homework in. Hence I landed up not doing any awful lot of homework I should have been doing, as I couldn't stand being cold any longer, so went into the lounge and tried to do it there instead (hence little homework done, as I couldn't concentrate with the tv on:(). Hence, I wouldn't put someone else through that ....and am aware of someone else's right not to be too cold and balance that out with my right not to be too warm for comfort.

It really IS that simple to resolve, ie Just Follow The Official Guidelines and anyone who wants more or less than those guidelines is the unreasonable one (be they lodger/landlady/parent/partner/child/etc).

kyana

since when was a jumper (hoodie, cardigan, fleece, pullover) solely 'outside clothing'?!
yes, i would be peed off if i had to wear my coat inside. that is most definitely outside clothing. but a jumper?! i'd've thought that was pretty standard to wear in the house in winter. it's hardly an encumbrance.

moneyistooshorttomention

Just googled for those guidelines. Have found the World Health Organisation says "18C is suitable for healthy people who are appropriately dressed. Sick/disabled/very old or very young should have 20C".