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Ending tenancy early - how to agree winter heating arrangements

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samanthaanne89
samanthaanne89 Posts: 9 Forumite
edited 3 January 2018 at 11:20AM in House buying, renting & selling
Hi there,

We are leaving our tenancy 3 months earlier than expected due to finding a house to buy. We've notified the letting agent and the landlord agreed that we could pay for the property to be re-marketed for rent if we paid for it, and the inventory. Nobody has been interested in the property yet therefore I think we will be paying for the three months rent. I know we're liable for the council tax but can apply for exemption as it will be unoccupied and unfurnished.

I think we will also be liable for the electricity bill. This is tricky as it's a pay as you go meter, and the boiler is pretty inefficient. It constantly heats up the water and is warm 24-7. The hot water then fills the radiators (wet electric system). Therefore the boiler requires to be on all of the time if the timed heating is to come on. It's pretty expensive (~£5 a day).

If this is what we have to do, how do we agree on a heating arrangement that will keep the property in good shape? I.e. how many times a day at what temperature. It's a pretty damp flat as it goes so it could be difficult to keep well!

Also - pay as you go energy - am I right in saying if you top up too much you can't get your money back? We won't be very close so it's a pain to have to go and keep topping it up so it doesn't run out while we aren't there.

Any advice appreciated.

EDIT - we are in Aberdeen so it's likely that pipes could freeze.
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  • Comms69
    Comms69 Posts: 14,229 Forumite
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    Can you pop up at the weekends? run it for 40 mins-1hr?
  • pmlindyloo
    pmlindyloo Posts: 13,049 Forumite
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    What exactly is your arrangement with the landlord as regards leaving your tenancy early? Have they agreed to surrender the tenancy as long as you pay a certain amount or what? Have they said that you are responsible for the heating of the property until the end of the tenancy/until a new tenant is found?

    You need to get these arrangements in writing then there can be no come backs.

    If you are responsible until the end of the tenancy then you also need to get arrangements about the heating, again, in writing.
  • samanthaanne89
    samanthaanne89 Posts: 9 Forumite
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    We could do.

    Would once a week be enough? We could set the timer to do that. Just means the boiler would be on the whole time. If we let it go cold the expansion tank could freeze, and also, it would take an age to heat up again.
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    Other option (if pipes are the main concern) would be to turn off the water and drain the system?
  • samanthaanne89
    samanthaanne89 Posts: 9 Forumite
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    That is certainly an option.

    One concern is that the property is pretty damp and we get a tonne of condensation and a bit of mould despite using heating and having all the window vents open. Would this get worse with no heating?

    I suspect there's a bit of rising damp also - agency aware and asking landlord what they want to do about it.
  • samanthaanne89
    samanthaanne89 Posts: 9 Forumite
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    We have only had the agency say that we are allowed to leave early if new tenants are found. Therefore I think we will then be responsible for the heating.

    I do think we should get the heating arrangements written down so we can cover our back. Just wonder what everyone would suggest as something to put forward to the agency.
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
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    samanthaanne89 wrote: »
    One concern is that the property is pretty damp and we get a tonne of condensation
    Shouldn't be much condensation being created if there's nobody there breathing/cooking/showering/drying clothes etc.
  • martindow
    martindow Posts: 10,218 Forumite
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    Can you not reduce the cost considerably if you leave the boiler on but with the thermostat on a frost setting - 8 degrees maybe? You don't need to heat an empty house to as high a temperature as when you are living in it.
  • ProDave
    ProDave Posts: 3,721 Forumite
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    Most of the condensation is from water vapour you produce living in the property. With you gone, it will dry up pretty quickly.

    So your only concern is frozen pipes. So depending where you are, it may not need much heating to guard against that.

    Turn the thermostat down and set it for 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening. The fact that the boiler heats the tank 24/7 is a red herring. It only heats it when the tank thermostat calls for heat, so take less heat out and the boiler will run for less time putting the heat back again.
  • samanthaanne89
    samanthaanne89 Posts: 9 Forumite
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    Our problem is that the boiler that is warm constantly costs around £5 a day to run - that's without putting any heating on. We would like to try and avoid having the boiler run if that is possible. But it sounds like not.
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