Lodger - Ainu to increase rent?

[bouquetdiva]

I had a new lodger in September. We have central heating. I noticed that he was using an electric radiator in his room and explained that I had not budgeted for the cost of this and that as the house is centrally heated it should not be necessary. I said to let me know if he was cold. He agreed not to use it again but this morning when I got up, the electricity meter is whizzing round so I know he is! Should I either put the rent up by £50 per month to cover the cost or give him notice to leave?

Thoughts please!

[Mummyoflittledragon]

I agree you need to check the radiator is working properly.

In the winter months, I heat the bedrooms in my house to 18ish and the living space to 20ish. Dd spends no time in her bedroom so that’s fine. But 18 isn’t hot enough for his bedroom as he’s also using it as a living room. If you’re expecting him to be in a room at less than 20/21 during the time he is at home, that’s unfair.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

If you wanted me to pay £50 extra for the heater I would refuse. That's not representative of the actual cost.

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

I think some posters are confusing a fan heater (very expensive to run) with an less expensive option.

If he has a static, oil filled radiator with thermostatic control that is not very expensive to run.

I have one in my office because it gets cold in there and it means I don't have to heat the whole house during the day.

Actually I have oil filled radiators in the living room and one dc bedroom too because we haven't had central heating for a while now long boring story

[Austentatious]

Check the radiator in his room is working properly/ bleed it/ put a thermostat in his room and do it that way - will cost much less. A lodger is paying for a service and you can't expect to find anyone prepared to sub your mortgage while they're uncomfortable in your home- easy come / easy go works both ways on lodging agreements

[Snafflebrain]

Dickhead lodger - I’d get rid. I had lodgers for 15 years and ignoring your request when he’s only just moved in would be a warning sign for me that he would be causing me future stress and hassle so I’d line up a replacement and get rid. It sounds extreme over something that superficially sounds petty but my experience of lodgers is they are either totally fabulous or absolute nightmares. If you really want to keep him - adjust the rent and split the bills between you. I bet he won’t be so keen on his heater then and will just stick the central heating on if needed - which benefits everyone.

[MatildaTheCat]

Talk to him and ask why he needs it. Why is he cold...is he sitting working and therefore getting chilly but likes to only wear a T shirt? Maybe he has very poor circulation.

Offer solutions such as bleeding the radiator and suggesting a good thermal vest. If he declines offer him the choice between a rise in rent or moving on. You are hoping to make money from a lodger, not be out of pocket.

And the fact that he’s already used it when he promised not to would make me approach this pretty firmly.

[BabychamSocialist]

£50 is way too much, sorry.

People feel temperatures differently - I know I'm personally a lot colder all the time than DP is, so we have a situation of me being happy with the temperature and him walking around in a shorts and vest on Christmas Eve.

If your lodger is generally colder, I'd be tempted to replace the electric heater with an oil filled radiator which are cheaper to run and offer the same warmth.

[WhatToDoAboutThis2017]

Me264 Yes, my mother complains every time she visits

[Cornettoninja]

Can't you just ask him to buy a heater that costs less to run? (As well as contributing extra to the higher electric bill already used.)

I don't think you should raise his basic rent when there are other solutions and it's a seasonal problem. That's presuming you think he's going to be there for a while.

[StellaHeyStella]

This would really naff me off op.

Agree with the poster who said to get a clear idea from the utility company on how much extra this is costing. You then give him the option to pay the heater premium or leave.

However, he’s already gone against your wishes and used it after you’d specifically asked him not to I think you have a CF lodger on your hands....

[Me264]

Strange how different people are! We have our thermostat set to 18. When it feels a little cool I put it up to 19 or maybe 20 on a freezing day. I’d be sweating and stripping down to shorts and t shirt at 23-24!

[WhatToDoAboutThis2017]

*chances are, not handed

[WhatToDoAboutThis2017]

What you think is really warm is obviously not really warm to him.

DH would be happy at 20; that's too cold for me. I need 23-24 to be properly comfortable, so handed are, I'd be freezing in your house.

It's awful feeling the cold, and nobody should have to feel it in their own home. Nobody puts a heater on just for laughs, so he's obviously cold and your house isn't as warm as you think it is.

[Munchyseeds]

You need to talk to him....if you can't find a compromise that you are both happy with then maybe he needs to look for somewhere else
Have you had lodgers in that room before?

[Caulk]

are you already making a profit from him being being there?

[LondonGirl83]

I'd be passed off if he won't follow house rules. If he is cold he should simply have a word with you about it and then you can turn up the heat or work on a solution. Doing something he promised he wouldn't isn't okay and for that alone I'd be kicking him out as its a red flag

[Cantspell2]

£50 is not ott. Electric heaters are very expensive to run and add massively to a electricity bill.

[Munchyseeds]

I don't mind a cool bedroom sleep in but wouldn't like to spend most of my time in It!!
We have a wood burner in our lounge and if we have the lounge door open when it's running then the thermostat ( set at 20) doesn't click in
My daughter's bedroom is the coldest in the house so she uses a small oil filled rad which I don't think costs much to run...being cold is horrible

[Gemini69]

it's not the 'Begrudging' someone of Heat ... that is the issue here.. it's the actual running costs of such a product... those stand alone Heaters cost a fortune to run...

[innagazing]

Metoo
What the temperature gauge is set to, isn't necessarily accurate, as it depends on where in the house it's positioned. For example, mine is in my very small hallway, which is very hot indeed with the radiator on, so it'll take the reading from there, whereas the rest of the house is much cooler as similar sized radiators are heating much larger rooms.

Just a thought, but does the lodgers radiator work properly? Does it need bleeding?

[Squarerouteofsquirrel]

Maybe the radiator needs bleeding in his room, can make a huge difference to the temp of a room.
And those static heaters do cost a fortune, had one years ago as a student with pre pay metre and it could easily eat through £10 in a day. So you need to sort out the heating in his room, or you’ll be getting a huge electric bill.

[Viviennemary]

This does sound a bit mean to begrudge somebody extra heat. It has been cold lately.. Being cold is miserable. Increase the rent? No I wouldn't be happy with this if I was the lodger. But depends on how reasonable the rent for the room is.

[MeT00]

OP you need to tell us what your thermostat is set to. I read on some of these threads that people have their heating set to 15 degrees! Ours is set to 23 degrees and I would be uncomfortable with anything less than about 21.

[Wormulonian]

Try and work out the cost of his usage - £50 sounds totally OTT and ask him to pay for the additional use. You could compare bills or turn off the heating get him to put on his radiator and note the usage and use your tarriff to work out the cost per hour/minute etc. What make and model is the heater ? Some manufacturer websites list the usage rates for their models.

[Jenny17]

As someone who grew up with the philiosphy that if you're cold put a jumper on and lodgered I can say that I was always cold and feel ill. People would say when you're paying the heating you won't put it on - wrong. When I found out how much it actually cost to heat I was shocked that I would go through so much misery for such little cost.

We all have our personal preference in terms of optimal temperature but it's not on for someone to be cold. Perhaps buy an individual thermometer on his radiator so his room is warmer or find a solution that is cheaper than an electric heater. That saying some electric heaters do not cost so much you could research get rid of his and install yours. There are options. An extra £50 a month sounds ridiculous given heating was already included in the first place. Come to a compromise or perhaps it is better he finds somewhere else rather than be cold.