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AIBU?

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Original poster

To turn down the 'perfect' flat because it has electric heating?

93 replies

PeachyParisian · 06/01/2015 23:59

Lovely flat that ticks all of our boxes but DH is kicking up a fuss because it has electric radiators. It's only to rent, not buy and I'm not sure if it's worth continuing our search (we've been looking since September!) because of this one thing.

Are they really that much more expensive to run? I've only ever had gas heating in the UK. We had electric heating in France and it was quite expensive (although had nothing to compare it with really) which is probably why he is against it.

We have to decide by tomorrow Confused over to you wise MNers!

OP posts:
lurkerspeaks · 07/01/2015 08:24

I had electric storage heaters in my first flat - new build, 2000s, well insulated. My flat was warm and my bills were really manageable.

I moved from there to another modern place with gas central heating and they doubled!

So in a modern building I wouldn't be too concerned.

Jodie1982 · 07/01/2015 08:30

My sis is moving out of her lovely flat because of her shitty electric heating, she hates it. Always freezing cold and damp, she's had to buy some oil filled radiators recently for some heat. I wouldn't take it tbh.

Cupcakes123 · 07/01/2015 08:46

Storage heaters = wank
I hate them so much.

Really expensive, shit at letting any heat out other than at 3am, we're not using them this year and have fan heaters plugged in all over the place instead. Just as expensive but at least we're warm.

Stupid flat is getting mouldy walls that I'm forever bleaching. Don't do it!!!! Confused

londonrach · 07/01/2015 08:55

Depends. We only had rented flats that were electric heated till this one. Everyone one but the one before this was cold, damp and cost alot over the winter. You get used to damp. Its horrible. However we then rented the flat before this one...saw its electric storage heating and through oh well another. It was warm, and cheap the run. In fact we hardly used the heating nd were very warm, having to leave windows open. The difference it was well insulated, middle flat (1stfloorof4floors) and south facing. Seriously it was the warmest flat ive ever lived in. So i would advise go and check. How old is the building? Is it between other flats? Unfortantly if you live in london theres limited gas heating as most is electric as safer in blocks of flats i was told.

Original poster
PeachyParisian · 07/01/2015 08:56

silverstreak I reckon it's probably somewhere inbetween the two. I'm beginning to think it comes down to the efficiency (& newness) of the storage heaters as not everyone seems to have had bad experiences.

I reckon it would probably be alright when we moved in (won't be for a good few weeks yet) but as soon as it gets cold again I'd regret my decision!

OP posts:
antimatter · 07/01/2015 09:00

Are they on Economy7?
I have electric heaters in our house since we moved in 17 years ago.
I would say that you don't need to heat flat as much as a house so I wouldn't worry too much.

expatinscotland · 07/01/2015 09:01

Been there. Bought the tshirt. Burned it. Never again.

sashh · 07/01/2015 09:14

Ask to look at the bills.

I had a flat where the only heating was a plug in convection heater that I used once in the year I was there.

My friend is in a council flat with storage heaters he can't afford to use and is cold, although he is considering getting a calor gas heater, something I used in a previous house that worked well.

Nanny0gg · 07/01/2015 09:18

Depends on the type of heaters and the flat.

My son is on the top floor of a 90s build and his flat is quite warm because of the ones below. He has modern electric heaters and they're easy to control and not that expensive.

Most modern blocks (ime) are electric and not gas so you could be looking for some time.

sparechange · 07/01/2015 09:24

The only place I had electric heaters was a 90s block, and they were absolutely fine. It was a 2nd floor flat with neighbours above and one most sides, so was never really cold, but the heaters were good because you only need to run them in one room at a time, and if you keep the doors shut, it was fine.

Anticyclone · 07/01/2015 09:33

The biggest problem with storage heaters is you cannot have your heat "on demand" as such, because it takes them so long to heat up. You need to plan your heating needs 24h in advance.

So if you're coming back from a weekend away where the heating has been off, you effectively have to live in the cold for a day before the heating becomes effective!

nowwearefour · 07/01/2015 09:36

I agree with the poster who said it might be hard to find a flat with heating that isn't electric...

SaucyJack · 07/01/2015 09:38

What was the hot water like? If you don't have GCH then you also might not have a gas boiler.

Standard immersion heaters are utterly utterly crap especially if you're used to living somewhere with instant hot water where you could have a bath or do the washing up whenever you wanted.

writtenguarantee · 07/01/2015 10:56

I found this question intriguing and I am a bit of a geek so I dug deeper.

we have a 3 bed house. we have gas central heating (gas is also used for hot water and hob), but I estimate (using the graphs provided by npower) that we use approximately 5000-6000 KWH solely on heating, which translates to about 300pounds/year in heating. electricity is about 2.5 to 3 times the price of gas (I think), so that would jump to about 800-900 pounds/year. (that's really a rough, back of the envelope estimate. grain of salt required).

However, we have a terraced house, so probably use more heating, although I am sure building style is a big factor.

if the flat is sandwiched between floors (i.e. you have people above and below you), you almost certainly need substantially less heat that I use. However, I have never had electrical heating in this country, but people above complain it is both expensive AND bad.

is everything in the flat electric? if you think quality of heating isn't a factor and only cost is, you can estimate the cost and price that in.

specialsubject · 07/01/2015 11:04

I lived in a flat with electric storage heaters. Get the correct tariff (VERY important) and learn how to use them and they are fine. Not perfect; needs some forward planning - but the idea that all the heat has disappeared by lunchtime is nonsense. You also need to time hot water heating for the cheaper periods.

It does of course depend on the insulation of the place. As does any form of heating.

most rental flats don't have gas for obvious reasons. If you want gas CH, look at a house.

a calor heater will make the place quite damp.

kittycatz · 07/01/2015 11:28

Electric heating is awful. Avoid if you can. Expensive and still too cold and the flat will end up damp and horrible.

TedAndLola · 07/01/2015 12:18

Our (husband and I) first flat had economy 7 electric heating. We moved out as soon as we could (thank god for a six month break clause!) and I vowed never to choose somewhere with electric heating again. It was freezing and took forever to heat up to a reasonable temperature. The condensation was so bad that I needed one tea towel PER WINDOW to remove it in the mornings, and end up with seven fully saturated towels. There was damp all over, which was nothing to do with our lifestyle (as the estate agent tried to claim) unless we were happy to live with all the windows wide open with the heating on full blast.

I remember being so miserable on my wedding day when there wasn't enough hot water for a bath :(

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 07/01/2015 12:23

Those heaters can get dusty and they stink with turned on. My ex had those in a flat, they are bloody awful and very expensive.

BarbarianMum · 07/01/2015 12:25

We had electric radiators (not storage) in a modern flat. Twas fine, honestly. You need more info.

Original poster
PeachyParisian · 07/01/2015 12:33

Thanks all!

We're going to go and have another look this afternoon and grill the EA. Hadn't thought much about the fact many flats will use electric heating for safety reasons, so thanks pops for that. I might have to be realistic that this is the best we will find!

OP posts:
Anticyclone · 07/01/2015 12:46

I've lived in a number of flats in my youth and they all had GCH, so it's not too hard to find them IMHO.

SaucyJack · 07/01/2015 12:46

"You also need to time hot water heating for the cheaper periods."

You can only do this if there's a timer. I dunno about new-fangled ones, but older/cheap/basic immersions (the kind you find in cheap rentals) aren't made with built in timers. They need to be bought and wired in by someone.

IM(incredibly bitter)E that's a classic area where shoddy landlords cut costs. 4 of the 4 places I've rented as an adult with immersions didn't have timers fitted.

Add it to your list of things to check. If you want to.

lurkerspeaks · 07/01/2015 13:20

It depends where you are looking.

In Scotland lots of new builds have GCH. Down here in the SE most don't as gas is deemed "too dangerous" for multiple occupancy blocks.

Given that most were built as BTL and it is an additional cost for LL who don't tend to live in the flats you can see why that happens!

I'm one of the people with positive experiences though.

My brother doesn't have GCH through laziness about organising it's installation. He has a victorian cottage and 2 oil filled radiators (about 100 quid each) and can get it toasty and warm if he needs to. He doesn't complain about his bills either. the Oil fired central heating in his last place was a lot more expensive!

RiverTam · 07/01/2015 13:25

a flat with storage heaters isn't a perfect flat. Been there, done that, wouldn't do it again.

specialsubject · 07/01/2015 13:35

lots of confusion here between the (acknowledged) shortcomings of storage heaters and the need to clean and ventilate a property. The latter is the responsibility of the tenant.

I agree that a timer on the immersion heater is essential so do check.