Why isn't there more outrage about landlords putting in electric boilers?

knight123

I know a lot of landlords are putting in electric boilers as they're cheaper to install and maintain - but as the cost of electricity is 3-4x that of gas they're essentially offloading the cost (and more) to the tenant.

Our rent is comparatively low for London, so we can definitely, but begrudgingly, afford it, but I know a lot people aren't that fortunate and it must be destroying their wallets.

I'm genuinely surprised more people aren't talking about how unfair it is, or how more support is needed. Not just angry tenants, but Martin Lewis, politicians, consumer campaign groups etc - I haven't actually seen anything about it.

We're on the Octopus Tracker tariff which is generally 30% lower than the standard one and even with that we're coming to £7 a day if we have the heating on for a few hours - and this is a one bedroom flat. Dread to think what it'll be like in January and February.

Is anything likely to change in the near future? Surely something will have to give?

EDIT: was wrong about the gas boiler ban, have edited!

Reed_Richards

What really needs to happen is for tenants to realise how undesirable it is to have an electric boiler and avoid renting properties that have them.  That would push the rental prices of such properties down, which would incentivise landlords not to use electric boilers.  

cm4ever

New gas boiler ban from 2025 - that's for new builds only

TadleyBaggie

knight123 said:

plus there's a new gas boiler ban from 2025

That's only for new builds

knight123

Reed_Richards said:

What really needs to happen is for tenants to realise how undesirable it is to have an electric boiler and avoid renting properties that have them.  That would push the rental prices of such properties down, which would incentivise landlords not to use electric boilers.  

True - but in most cities in the UK demand is too high for tenants to have that luxury. Our flat was gas but the landlord replaced the boiler with an electric one when they refurbished the kitchen and bathroom. They live abroad so I don't think they realised just how much more expensive it'd be for us. 

Lorian

I suspect there will be more outrage over the next month as people have their first cold-weather bills land and see just how much an electric boiler running a central heating system costs to run.  I saw a thread recently with someone in this situation and I feel very sorry for them. Other than suggesting people with them they heat the person and not the properly there is little advice that can be given (apart from moving)

Swipe

It could also result in a double whammy after the tenants get stung for their autumn bill and then stop using the heating all winter and the landlords hold back their deposits to pay for any redecorating and plastering caused by damp and mould issues.

tacpot12

Tenants need to read the EPC and pay attention to it, and reject properties that are going to be expensive to heat. I know that properties are in short supply, but until the landlord starts to understand that no-one will rent the property while it has an electric boiler they won't do anything about it.

A change in the law that caps the rent that a landlord can charge if the property has an electric boiler, or heat pump might work, but if this is implemented there should also be a cap if there is no central heating system at all, or it uses oil or LPG.  This might be implented via the Local Housing Allowance Rates system so that the cap is applied to benefit claimants only, who then could not rent properties with expensive forms of heating. The effect would be less than if all tenants were so protected, but it would be easier to implement. 

You would only have to have a cap for every fuel type and suddenly we are back to system where all rents are regulated. 

born_again

Private landlords are free to use what they want. 
I would have thought the switch from NSH to panel heaters would be a bigger issue.

Gerry1

tacpot12 said:

A change in the law that caps the rent that a landlord can charge if the property has an electric boiler, or heat pump might work, but if this is implemented there should also be a cap if there is no central heating system at all, or it uses oil or LPG.  This might be implented via the Local Housing Allowance Rates system so that the cap is applied to benefit claimants only, who then could not rent properties with expensive forms of heating.

Many landlords won't let a property to someone on benefits.  That change would ensure that they all refused.

Spoonie_Turtle

tacpot12 said:

Tenants need to read the EPC and pay attention to it, and reject properties that are going to be expensive to heat. I know that properties are in short supply, but until the landlord starts to understand that no-one will rent the property while it has an electric boiler they won't do anything about it.

A change in the law that caps the rent that a landlord can charge if the property has an electric boiler, or heat pump might work, but if this is implemented there should also be a cap if there is no central heating system at all, or it uses oil or LPG.  This might be implented via the Local Housing Allowance Rates system so that the cap is applied to benefit claimants only, who then could not rent properties with expensive forms of heating. The effect would be less than if all tenants were so protected, but it would be easier to implement. 

You would only have to have a cap for every fuel type and suddenly we are back to system where all rents are regulated. 

The LHA already results in a rent shortfall for most private tenants.  It wouldn't affect landlords at all, only hurt the claimants more on top of them being even less able to afford their energy bills.