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How much less rent for house without Gas CH?

I've just bought a 3 bed house to rent in Luton, it's going to cost £4k to get a combi boiler with Gas CH, house would rent for £875.00 pm.

How much less would you expect to pay if it had new electric storage heaters with solar panels. It would put me off as I've never had electric heating, others say it's quite common for rented properties, trying yo get an idea if worth investing in CH or leave it with electric heating.
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Comments

  • If you've just bought the place I assume it's a long term investment in which case get gas CH installed. The rent will eventually pay for the upgrade anyway.
    Mornië utulië
  • Not sure if the numbers add up, if it's only £50.00 per month less then it will take 5 years to break even, plus the extra hassle of servicing and gas safety certificates, repairs etc.

    That's why I asked the question, would it be a real deal breaker for potential tenants or how much of a hit would I take to make it attractive.
    Can see loads of reasons from a LL point of view, not so much from a tenant.
  • DaftyDuck
    DaftyDuck Posts: 4,609 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    You'll lose out heavily without GCH... mainly through the voids it will create by people being dubious about taking the property on, or leaving early because of high bills (whether valid or not).

    That's unless you stick in some posh air heatpump, ground source heatpump, or the like.
  • You are thinking of it the wrong way, if 2 houses came up for rent then the one with central heating might be snapped up while you may have more vacant periods. More vacant periods mean less rental income.
  • As a landlord myself I would worry about damp issues caused buy the tenant not having proper heating. The solar/storage is a good option but more expensive however it will pay for itself with the fit
  • Hmmm, might just get it done, as I've just bought it could have done without the outlay.

    Luton has quite high rental demand and because it's a relatively modern house and in a quite area(not many in Luton!) I've been told it should rent easily. Other than the lack of gas heating, the rest is fine, not too far from train station etc. I know a LL in Luton and said defo don't bother with CH as much less hasstle and if priced right will rent out 3 times over rather than 10 times over with gas CH, it's only the 1 tenant I need!

    Quit common in Luton and other towns to have no gas, particularly near the centre I'm told.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    So what heating does this "relatively modern" house have currently? Electric storage?
  • Like other people have suggested, I think you can expect longer voids, and more of them. Getting new storage heaters installed is a bad idea as well IMO.
    "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance" - Confucius
  • The property already has two brand new storage heaters fitted 2 months ago (cost of £900) downstairs, upstairs has new electric panel heaters with thermostats and digital timers, all done by previous owner.

    The options are pay nothing now and expect a lower rent and keep it all electric ( not sure how much lower) or pay £4k to get a higher rent and install GCH.

    As mentioned it's a small house with a EPC of C and has solar. Does anyone rent or have a property with Electric heating, surly it must be fairly common.

    I need to make the numbers add up, I understand GCH would be a better option but much more hassle and don't think I'll recover the costs in a hurry.
  • LEJC
    LEJC Posts: 9,618 Forumite
    Its what people get used to IMO...


    i have 2 properties which I rent out one is GCH and the other in a devopment where gas isnt available so its all electric.


    neither property has been particularly difficult to rent as a result of what heats it....


    The property that is solely electric heated has just broken the ceiling limit for rental income on the development on which it is located mainly due to the fact it has new DG which many of the other similar units do not have.
    I am not aware that anyone expressed a dislike of the electric only situation when viewing.
    frugal October...£41.82 of £40 food shopping spend for the 2 of us!

    2017 toiletries challenge 179 out 145 in ...£18.64 spend
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