No heating/ no hot water

daveymingming

I bought a property which has no hot water, no central heating system and no gas to the property. I'm a single man with no kids earning under £30,000 per year. I seem to ineligible for any financial help, can anyone offer any advice?

Emmia

Did this not come up when you viewed the property/read the particulars pre-purchase?

Is there a fireplace or electricity? Oil?

How were the previous owners heating it?

QrizB

Welcome back to the forums!

What was your plan for the property when you bought it? Not having these services can't have come as a surprise?

From the info you've given, you might qualify for ECO4. What EPC rating does your property have?

daveymingming

Emmia said:

Did this not come up when you viewed the property/read the particulars pre-purchase?

Is there a fireplace or electricity? Oil?

How were the previous owners heating it?

I bought it at auction and I was aware of it. The previous owners were old and basically the inside of the property needed to be replaced. They must of used an immersion heater but that doesn't work. I have read about grants for all sorts of energy related things. It's just I'm so lost in it all and it appears because I am single and work a full time job, that I'm not eligible for any help. I would of thought having hot water to a home is a 'right' is it not?

JSHarris

There are still a surprising number of homes around without central heating, and even more where there's no gas supply available.  Always amazes me how many people around where I live rely on fires plus an immersion heater for hot water, especially older people that have lived in the same house for years.  Areas like ours that are off the gas grid seem to have a high number of homes like this.

daveymingming

QrizB said:

Welcome back to the forums!

What was your plan for the property when you bought it? Not having these services can't have come as a surprise?

From the info you've given, you might qualify for ECO4. What EPC rating does your property have?

The property will be my only home. I read that there are a lot of grants going and with my EPC of F then I would highly likely get some help. I have possibly got it all wrong. I heard about an eco4flex but it doesn't seem to be available in my area, Stoke on Trent, as my council have told me.

cymruchris

daveymingming said:

Emmia said:

Did this not come up when you viewed the property/read the particulars pre-purchase?

Is there a fireplace or electricity? Oil?

How were the previous owners heating it?

I bought it at auction and I was aware of it. The previous owners were old and basically the inside of the property needed to be replaced. They must of used an immersion heater but that doesn't work. I have read about grants for all sorts of energy related things. It's just I'm so lost in it all and it appears because I am single and work a full time job, that I'm not eligible for any help. I would of thought having hot water to a home is a 'right' is it not?

Nothing is a 'right' - as you say you knew the state prior to purchase, and being an auction property it's sold as seen (which I know  you know) - but in terms of financial support I think it also varies depending on where in the world you are. There are some local council schemes that seem to offer some financial assistance - so I'm not sure if you've looked at your local council website or whether you're looking at national schemes only?

This is one in my local area:

https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Resident/Housing/HousingGrants/HeatandSave/HeatandSaveGrantAssistance.aspx

JSHarris

The basic requirements for a house to be classified as habitable, and hence fit to live in, have to pay council tax, etc, is that it needs to be weathertight and have a potable water supply.  Everything else is optional. There's no requirement for a house to have any heating or hot water system, electrical installation etc.

(I am sadly deeply familiar with what counts as a "habitable building", or "rateable hereditament" - I have the scars from battling with my local authority over this!)

Hoenir

daveymingming said:

Emmia said:

Did this not come up when you viewed the property/read the particulars pre-purchase?

Is there a fireplace or electricity? Oil?

How were the previous owners heating it?

I bought it at auction and I was aware of it. The previous owners were old and basically the inside of the property needed to be replaced. They must of used an immersion heater but that doesn't work. I have read about grants for all sorts of energy related things. It's just I'm so lost in it all and it appears because I am single and work a full time job, that I'm not eligible for any help. I would of thought having hot water to a home is a 'right' is it not?

Which is why the property was auctioned rather than marketed. Priced accordingly. Didn't you budget for having the at least the basics done. 

daveymingming

Hoenir said:

daveymingming said:

Emmia said:

Did this not come up when you viewed the property/read the particulars pre-purchase?

Is there a fireplace or electricity? Oil?

How were the previous owners heating it?

I bought it at auction and I was aware of it. The previous owners were old and basically the inside of the property needed to be replaced. They must of used an immersion heater but that doesn't work. I have read about grants for all sorts of energy related things. It's just I'm so lost in it all and it appears because I am single and work a full time job, that I'm not eligible for any help. I would of thought having hot water to a home is a 'right' is it not?

Which is why the property was auctioned rather than marketed. Priced accordingly. Didn't you budget for having the at least the basics done. 

I was aware of the lack of hot water. This is a money saving site no? The government are giving many many grants for all sorts related to energy. I was hoping for some advice on what I may be entitled to (if any). Some have helped so thanks, some are trying to have a dig. Dig somewhere else will ya.

theoretica

Help with insulation may be more available than with the heating  https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation/