Can my landlord choose what heating system to install.

saheath

We have an old back boiler. My landlord has previously said that the cheapest option for him would be to install electric heating. What rights do we have to refuse as like most we want a combi gas boiler?

JGB1955

His house, his choice.

mi-key

I suppose if you offered to pay for the combi boiler to be installed then he would let you have one...

MorningcoffeeIV

Offer to pay for the combi installation and see what he says.

You never know, he may accept.

martindow

MorningcoffeeIV said:

Offer to pay for the combi installation and see what he says.

You never know, he may accept.

I'm sure he would!  But, you might get an S21 in the next few years having poured thousands into his property.

deannagone

You could ask him how much he was going to pay for the electrical heating system (or better still get quotes yourself) and offer to pay the difference.

But bear in mind, you could pay whatever sum agreed, and then the LL decides to end the tenancy within a year.  They could sell the property or even die.  And you've paid all that money out with no long term guarantee on the tenancy.

propertyrental

deannagone said:

You could ask him how much he was going to pay for the electrical heating system (or better still get quotes yourself) and offer to pay the difference.

But bear in mind, you could pay whatever sum agreed, and then the LL decides to end the tenancy within a year.  They could sell the property or even die.  And you've paid all that money out with no long term guarantee on the tenancy.

Make your offer to pay/contribute, conditional on a new 3 year (5? whatever) fixed term contract. With no Break Clause.

Assuming you are sure you won't want to leave in that time!

Note any fixed term AST of 3+ years must be Executed as a Deed.

FreeBear

saheath said:

We have an old back boiler. My landlord has previously said that the cheapest option for him would be to install electric heating. What rights do we have to refuse as like most we want a combi gas boiler?

Have been pricing up replacing an old back boiler with a new combi here. Quotes are coming around £3.6K to £4.5K and that is based on me removing the old boiler and doing the bulk of the plumbing work including replacing some of the radiators. If someone else were to do all the work, I suspect the bill would be around the £5K mark.

Bunging in a few electric radiators could be as little as £1.5K, but it would be crippling on the bill.. The EPC would also take a big hit - Fitting a combi boiler would improve the score quite a bit, and combined with new controls, possibly push it up to the next band.

I'd suggest digging out the EPC for your home, look at the "potential" improvement it mentions by way of fitting a combi+controls, and use that in the pitch with the LL. Having a low(er) cost heating system will make the property more attractive to future tenants, and should be viewed as an investment rather than a cost. Electric heating (unless a heat pump) is a backward step.

_Penny_Dreadful

saheath said:

We have an old back boiler. My landlord has previously said that the cheapest option for him would be to install electric heating. What rights do we have to refuse as like most we want a combi gas boiler?

The way things are heading (Net Zero by 2050) I don’t think it’s unreasonable for your landlord to choose an electric system over a combi boiler. Has he said what kind of electric system because there’s a big difference between modern fan assisted storage heaters with an economy 7 tariff and panel heaters? 

There was an interesting case (Liverpool City Council versus Kassim) where the council hit the landlord with an improvement notice after he installed electric panel heaters in the property which the Upper Tribunal (Land Chamber) found breached the Housing Act 2004 by being so expensive to run they caused excessive cold in the property whereas if he’s gone for modern storage heaters he’d have been ok.  

The property does have to meet a minimum EPC rating of E although oddly there’s nothing to say the landlord needs to get a new EPC because he’s changed the type of heating in the property.  

Murphybear

We had an old back boiler in a property we rented.  There was a scheme where people on certain benefits could get a new boiler for free.  Tenants can get this with the landlords permission.  I can’t see many landlords turning down a free boiler.  

diystarter7

Murphybear said:

We had an old back boiler in a property we rented.  There was a scheme where people on certain benefits could get a new boiler for free.  Tenants can get this with the landlords permission.  I can’t see many landlords turning down a free boiler.  

Hi

What is there is no gas going into the apartment is a scenario many LL's face.