Faulty radiator has sent my energy bill soaring - my responsibility or my landlord’s?

CBanda

Hi all,

I have been paying my energy bill for a 3-bed flat in London for about 1.5 years and recently, I was alerted to the fact that my bill has spiked. When I did some searching in the house, I realised that we have a radiator in the living room that cannot be switched off and it appears to have sent our energy bill soaring. I do not know how long this has been an issue but as soon as I discovered it, I reported it to my energy supplier and my landlord/estate agency. 

After this, my energy supplier has been supportive but my landlord is shirking responsibility and will not cover the bill at all, claiming that it's like "discovering a leak after a building has collapsed, for example". 

I'd like to know what to do in this situation. If there is a faulty equipment in the house that affects energy bills, who's responsibility is it?

Gerry1

Welcome to the forum.

There's no point in contacting the energy supplier.  The energy has been used and will have to be paid for.  You can't expect other customers or shareholders to pay it for you.

What type of radiator is it and why can it not be turned off?

FlorayG

the LL is responsible for the repair but I don't see how you can hold him responsible for costs caused before you reported it. How was he expected to know? It's your responsibility to notice and report it

elsien

Given your lack of proof as to when the problem started and lack of clarity around what impact this has had on your bills, I’m not really surprised the landlord is pushing back. 

Do you have a smart meter?

Hoenir

CBanda said:

I realised that we have a radiator in the living room that cannot be switched off 

In what way is this causing you a problem? We never switch our lounge radiator off. 

EssexHebridean

Generally speaking it's not any individual radiator that manages how your heating runs - it's the thermostat. If you have a radiator pushing out heat 24/7 that sounds as though the timing for the system isn't set properly, or the thermostat itself is defunct. (In this instance though I'd have thought you would have noticed it getting roasting hot?) 

Do you have smart meters? If so, your customer portal with your supplier should also confirm that your heating has been running 24/7 - what is shown there? 

DullGreyGuy

We are talking gas central heating here yes?

If we are then it sounds like you dont know how to use the system. The timer sets when the heating can be on or off, the thermostat turns the heating on or off within the on period set my the timer and the TRVs or valves set which radiators the heat flows through when the timer and thermostat turn it on. 

The radiator in the room with the thermostat should always be on full otherwise the thermostat can't judge the impact of its work. Other radiators, ideally with TRVs, can then be fine tuned relative to the temp you are setting. Typically the lounge is the most heated room of the house so having it on full would be normal practice. 


It's your responsibility to identify problems and flag them to the landlord. You've only just noticed you can't turn the radiator off so clearly you weren't attempting to have the lounge freezing and some other room hot. Once the landlords been made aware then they have the responsibility to fix it in a reasonable timeframe.

QrizB

I must admit I'd assumed it was an electric panel heater (or one of those expensive ones with German names, filled with rocking horse poo or something equally exotic).

Gerry1

QrizB said:

I must admit I'd assumed it was an electric panel heater (or one of those expensive ones with German names, filled with rocking horse poo or something equally exotic).

Hard to understand how an electric panel heater couldn't be turned off.  You can always switch it off at the socket or pull the plug out.  Similarly you can switch off a spur outlet or remove the fuse.

NedS

Didn't you notice it was overly hot in the living room?

Scot_39

CBanda said:

Hi all,

I have been paying my energy bill for a 3-bed flat in London for about 1.5 years and recently, I was alerted to the fact that my bill has spiked. When I did some searching in the house, I realised that we have a radiator in the living room that cannot be switched off and it appears to have sent our energy bill soaring. I do not know how long this has been an issue but as soon as I discovered it, I reported it to my energy supplier and my landlord/estate agency. 

After this, my energy supplier has been supportive but my landlord is shirking responsibility and will not cover the bill at all, claiming that it's like "discovering a leak after a building has collapsed, for example". 

I'd like to know what to do in this situation. If there is a faulty equipment in the house that affects energy bills, who's responsibility is it?

It is perfectly normal on many boilers - if were talking GCH - older ones especially - to have one permanently open radiator.

The heat was not lost - it would have gone into your room - to keep you warm.  And you could have used the main thermostat and air circulation to it if not in that room (it ideally should have been) as appropriate to regulate your room temperature.

If you had said the radiator was leaking and so losing x litres per day / week - like a dripping tap might - then thats more of an issue for a landlord.

If the room was at a decent temperature - not too hot for your needs - then regardless of heating type you benefited from the energy released.