Renting - requesting new radiators?

rmills55

Hi all, just a quick question/people's opinions. 

So in April I moved into a 3 bed semi, renting it. I moved because the landlord is a friend of my father, he let me have my dog and in turn I rented this property no one else wanted because it flooded last year.  I plan on staying for around 8 years.

Anyway since we moved in, the brand new bathroom window and rear sliding door broke, he has both them fixed, the bath seal keeps failing and leaking, keeps having to be redone, and the heating gets stuck on (open vented system, assumed 3 port valve). 

The landlord has no questions asked fixed all of these issues straight away. Including having a new programmer/timer fitted to boiler.

So the living room is about 7mx4m, a large 2 meter window at front and a 3 meter sliding glass door at back. This room has 2x 2m radiators. They don't heat up propally at bottom anyway, so when the plumber comes next week to so the 3 port he's going to have a look at them and see if they're full of sludge. They are using 8mm microbore pipes. 

So as all the radiators in my house these radiators are singles, and unvented/no fins so they are very inefficient in today's standards. The kitchen is the only vented rad and that's the only warm room in the house. The house takes about 6 hours to get from 16c to 19c in living room, front room (converted garage) never hits 18c as the radiator is 400mm. Upstairs isn't so bad as heat rises. 

Now I know the plumber is likely to sort the radiators heating up correctly, but am I within my right/reasonable to request the living room radiators to be changed for vented ones? So they warm that room in a reasonable time. I'm not bothered about front room as that's where my tumble dryer is, and upstairs is warm enough and heat rises of course. 

I didnt want to just ask, if this is unreasonable.

Thank you all

Pixie5740

rmills55 said:

Hi all, just a quick question/people's opinions. 

So in April I moved into a 3 bed semi, renting it. I moved because the landlord is a friend of my father, he let me have my dog and in turn I rented this property no one else wanted because it flooded last year.  I plan on staying for around 8 years.

Anyway since we moved in, the brand new bathroom window and rear sliding door broke, he has both them fixed, the bath seal keeps failing and leaking, keeps having to be redone, and the heating gets stuck on (open vented system, assumed 3 port valve). 

The landlord has no questions asked fixed all of these issues straight away. Including having a new programmer/timer fitted to boiler.

So the living room is about 7mx4m, a large 2 meter window at front and a 3 meter sliding glass door at back. This room has 2x 2m radiators. They don't heat up propally at bottom anyway, so when the plumber comes next week to so the 3 port he's going to have a look at them and see if they're full of sludge. They are using 8mm microbore pipes. 

So as all the radiators in my house these radiators are singles, and unvented/no fins so they are very inefficient in today's standards. The kitchen is the only vented rad and that's the only warm room in the house. The house takes about 6 hours to get from 16c to 19c in living room, front room (converted garage) never hits 18c as the radiator is 400mm. Upstairs isn't so bad as heat rises. 

Now I know the plumber is likely to sort the radiators heating up correctly, but am I within my right/reasonable to request the living room radiators to be changed for vented ones? So they warm that room in a reasonable time. I'm not bothered about front room as that's where my tumble dryer is, and upstairs is warm enough and heat rises of course. 

I didnt want to just ask, if this is unreasonable.

Thank you all

As long as the EPC rating is at least E (assuming England) then you do not have a right to request more efficient radiators. Nor do I think it is reasonable to request new radiators.

GibbsRule_No3.

PPOV if you know you are staying for 8 years, would it be worth you offering to buy the radiators you want, would it not save you money in the long run anyway.  Always assuming the landlord, your fathers friend says no.

CKhalvashi

Wickes have cheap radiators, so it may be worth looking there if you are happy to replace them.

By all means ask, but don't be surprised if the answer is no.

bbat

I would wait and see what a difference it makes when the radiators are working properly and what first winter is like.
My old landlord once put in new radiators (a plumber told her it was needed - good salesman). In all honestly we noticed no difference to the way the bigger rooms heated. The large single sash (non double glazed) windows were the issue. 
I'm not saying new radiators aren't better or more efficient. But in my situation they just didn't make a noticeable difference. 

TripleH

Have you tried bleeding (letting excess air out) of them?

rmills55

Hi all thank you for your replys!

EPC rating is C, but it is due to expire in the coming months. The lowest score in everything is the heating controls (no trvs, stat by front door, room with no rad ect).
I do plan on waiting in the plumber, see how that works first. I actually have access to some radiators for free, only a year old (my father new house is having under floor heating fitted so radiators going free)
Double glazed but throughout the house 5 windows are blown! Only 1 small one in living room
Yes tried bleeding them, tried balancing them as all valves were open both sides on all rads in house. Pump on speed 3.

Again thank you for everyone's input 

TheJP

rmills55 said:

Hi all thank you for your replys!

EPC rating is C, but it is due to expire in the coming months. The lowest score in everything is the heating controls (no trvs, stat by front door, room with no rad ect).
I do plan on waiting in the plumber, see how that works first. I actually have access to some radiators for free, only a year old (my father new house is having under floor heating fitted so radiators going free)
Double glazed but throughout the house 5 windows are blown! Only 1 small one in living room
Yes tried bleeding them, tried balancing them as all valves were open both sides on all rads in house. Pump on speed 3.

Again thank you for everyone's input 

So you could offer to pay to have the free radiators fitted, obviously you need the LL permission first.

lookstraightahead

I rented for quite a while when I divorced.

I wouldn't expect them, no. But you could offer maybe to go halves? It's been super cold recently I would say everyone without an airtight house had felt it (I've just bought a really old house where nothing fits or works properly and have got a couple of mobile radiators as extras).
If you're already being given a favour by having your pet, and the rent is fair, I wouldn't push it either. 

TripleH

Does the system need flushing (to clear gunk that had built up over time)?

It may well be the radiators, but just trying to think of other quicker fixes to try.

rmills55

Also to add, I'm not bothered about th actual expenses of running it, I just want it to heat the living room quicker.
The stat locations is awful, so leaving heating on 24/7 literally means boiler will be fired 24/7
Thanks