Rented house is FREEZING. Is there owt I can do?

tucbiscuit

get a plug in oil-filled radiator, I have used them to great efeect in my old days as a tenant, even get in touch with the landlord to tell him the probem and ask him to reimburse you or the radiator

RandomDan

I love my oil filled radiator in my bedroom. Heats up the room quickly and I haven't noticed a big jump in electricity since I got it. Saves heating the whole place if you are in one room. Make sure all your windows and doors are closed (use the plastic film suggested previously on any drafty windows) to keep the heat in.

The mould is an issue that you might be able to help too (although it should really be the landlord). Get an antibacterial cleaner spray and scrub the mouldy areas. It will probably still look discoloured but it will kill the mould (thus the spores) and it shouldnt come back for a while. A mixture of heat and ventilation (when its warmer outside) should knock that on the head unless it is a deeper problem.

crispsandwich

Thanks for the helpful replies . The radiator and electric blanket suggestions are good ones. I was seriously peeved last night. I had a big argument with a housemate because for the past 2 months I've had to bug her to put money on the gas and electric when the rest of us had done it (we pay on a meter). She had a right go, said I was playing childish games (??) and then refused to talk to me when I tried to reason with her. So the heating didn't go on last night because we had no money on the gas or electric and none of us could afford to top them up. That's the main reason it was so cold but the heating had been on about an hour before, it's just that the heat disappears so quickly.

Biggles

Nenen wrote: »

What sort of heating is it? You mentioned gas but is that gas fired central heating with radiators or one or more individual gas fires in rooms?

Just brining this question back to your attention.

No-one can help much without you explaining what's wrong in the first place.

It seems hard to believe that it's only your room that's badly insulated in an old house (you said the whole house was single-glazed). Maybe the others have their radiators (or whatever they have, we still don't know) working properly but yours isn't?

crispsandwich

My radiator works fine, it's just that the heat quickly disappears. It's costing a fortune and half of the room warms up, but the half near the window doesn't heat up much at all. The heat just disappears. the whole house is freezing but my room is the coldest.

MrsTinks

I'd definitely have a word with the landlord about the lack or sufficient insulation - also carefully read your tenancy agreement and see if there isn't something in there you can use to get out of the contract - frankly with housemates like that I'd wanna move to somewhere insulated and less hostile

chriserenity

Hence the EPC TBH. I'd dread to think what score your landlord will receive on his property after October!

I'd advise in instances like this to contact the local council and see if you and your landlord can get any help with insulating the property either for free or at discounted rates. Try using buzzwords like 'fuel poverty'. If the property has solid walls try finding grants you and/or your landlord can apply for which have money available for solid wall insulation.

Council may give help for double or secondary glazing in extreme circumstances.

Your energy supplier and/or warmfront and/or the Energy Saving Trust are all also excellent places to inquire about this - see whats available. You're more likely to get help if any of your household are on any kind of benefits. Energy suppliers have to give help to people when they have over a certain number of customers by law - give them a call.

Do some digging - its surprising how much free money is available for this sort of thing.

Mrs_Thrify

Hiya, just thought I would add my idea's...
Your furniture, quilt etc are not in blue are they? if so invest in some warm colours like a red quilt cover and cushions for a chair - it is a visual thing.
Have you a kettle in your room? I would make a hot drink and hold on to the mug. Buy a hot water bottle and a small fire for just your room. Put a blanket or coat around your shoulders when sitting. Buy some slipper boots (my then uni student daughter pinched mine!)

One more month and spring will be here :j

sarah_elton

crispsandwich wrote: »

My radiator works fine, it's just that the heat quickly disappears. It's costing a fortune and half of the room warms up, but the half near the window doesn't heat up much at all. The heat just disappears. the whole house is freezing but my room is the coldest.

My flat doesn't have gas. The night storage heater in my bedroom packed up and I got an oil filled electric radiator as a stop-gap. I know it's probably costing me more, but a year on I haven't got round to getting something more permanent.

It's probably not the most cost efficient solution, but it heats my room great. I have a big bay window so my room loses heat pretty quickly. However, you mention that you had the heating on for an hour. With an oil-filled one, this approach won't be enough. Mine's on from when I get home from work to when I go out in the morning on a medium setting (higher on freezing nights), and I turn it down to low-medium during the day (if I turn it off it's cold in the room by evening).

Regarding condensation/mould, this is a combination of temperature and ventilation. At least once a week, throw all the windows in the room open for a few hours. No it's not cost efficient - you lose all the heat instantly, but it's so worth it. I do it around midday at weekends when lately it's been relatively mild out.

Oil filled ones are cheaper to run than convector heaters. I got a flat panel oil filled one and it's quite wide but flat against the wall.

Guy_Montag

Get a bird - gives you two options:
1) You get to stay in her warm* flat over the winter
2) You can share body heat to keep warm at night


*Girls houses always seem to be warmer than boys.