Waiting until people go to have the heating on?

[HannahHut]

Bit of a weird one. My housemates are going on holiday for a week and they over heard me telling my mate I'm going to put £20 on the meter and have the heating/fire on as much as I like (I'm freezing).

One of my housemates said it's selfish for me to wait until they're away to pay for the heating.

Basically, they never put the heating on because they don't want to pay to put gas in the meter. But if I put money in the meter they'll use it even when I'm not there, as a result I stopped doing it.

Aibu to put money in the meter and have the heating on as much as I want when they're away to treat myself?

I think it sounds pretty miserable to be living anywhere with no heating on because no-one wants to pay. I’d be more concerned with finding somewhere that this wasn’t an issue with different housemates, or working out a system where you all contribute a set percentage of the metre payment per week

No YANBU.

Might be an opportunity to have a talk with them about heating for the winter though (with everyone contributing financially).

I think you're going to have to come up with a solution for winter, but I can't see a problem with what you're doing at the moment.

One of my housemates said it's selfish for me to wait until they're away to pay for the heating.

It's your money to spend as you see fit.

What will happen when the really cold weather starts, surely you'll all have to come to some sort of arrangement to cover the cost?

It also sounds a bit 'you vs them'. Were they friends before moving in?

Just tell them you don't do it when they are there because they don't contribute.

Thanks! I did talk about paying between the three of us (they're a couple) but they still say it's too expensive, which I understand meters aren't cheap.

I'm just too stubborn to cough up money for them to benefit when they won't pay their share.

My auntie has been knitting me some lovely socks though so hopefully they'll warm me up!

Had the same issue- was even worse though. House full of blokes, and no electricity for days at a time as they didn't care or want to pay. When I put some in it was gone in a day or two. No you are not selfish. If they don't want to pay for it, bollocks to them. This is why everyone should put in at the beginning of the month and then there is money of the meter. How long u til you can move out? I'd be looking ASAP.

Going on holiday but not heating your home seems like a very odd set of priorities to me.

Everyone should put a set amount in a month for the meter.

If they never pay for heating why would you be selfish?

I agree with a previous poster, I’d think about finding a new flat of that’s possible.

That is really miserable.

What about having a kitty for the heating and agree when it should be on (like an hour in the morning and 2 at night?)

So they can afford a holiday but they can’t afford to pay towards heating? I’d be looking for somewhere new to live. I live in a big Victorian conversion with single glazed sash windows and I am also on a meter. In the middle of winter when the heating is on a lot it costs me £30 a week. Between 3 of you it’s affordable. My gas costs literally pence over the summer as I barely use it so it balances out over a year. You should get an oil heater for your room. Doesn’t cost much to run and at least then your room is warm.

I agree with the priorities thing. They're going somewhere hot so I'm hoping they'll feel the cold more when they get back and come to their senses.

When they put the heating on when I paid I thought it was cheeky but I was home and was chilly anyway so didn't mind. Me coming home to find the heating was on when I come in really annoyed me and that's when I stopped paying.

Looking for my own place is on my list but I need to do a bit of saving first hence the house share.

@HannahHut- seems you'll be saving on heating costs! Were they already in there? Is the heating on a seperate system? Is it not juts linked to the gas or electric? Can you get yourself a little gas heater for your room, off the mains completely so there can be no complaints?

YANBU. It's always startling to hear unrelated adults explain why they feel entitled to someone else's resources (financial or otherwise) and realise that they have no idea what it is that they're actually saying.

We all moved in together. I've known them both for a long time but they only got together just before we moved in. I was wary because I thought if they break up will one move out and then we can split the rent three ways to afford it anymore.
So far that's not been a problem and they sleep in her room and use his for storage etc which is fine by me.

If I had know they were getting together I think I would have been more reluctant to move in with them because living with a couple is awful!

We have had and electric on separate meters so it's not cheap. What is an oil heater, sorry for being a bit thick!

I lived somewhere like this. I was a lodger with a family and they were tight as cramp. Heating was only one for one hour in the morning and one hour at night, same with water. I worked shifts so anytime I’d come in after 7 pm it was freezing. I bought a small (quiet) fan heater called a glow fan for about £40 and that helped. I moved as soon as I could though to share with a colleague. I hate being cold!

*can't split the rent

Is your heating on a pay as you go top up style meter?..if so decide on what everyone can afford, and then every one contributes and the top up goes in the meter...

It's not fair they expect to not pay for heating but want you to pay so hey can use the heating

What is an oil heater, sorry for being a bit thick!

You'd need a non-electric one - more like one of these (there are simpler ones that are cheaper). You'd have the cost of the heater and the butane gas/whatever - so I don't know what that would be relative to your housemates using up any fuel money you put in the meters.

www.calor.co.uk/shop/in-the-home/portable-gas-heaters.html

Yeah, it's a top up meter with a card (didn't know there was another type!). That's what's so annoying. It's not like they use it and it adds to the bill which I pay at the end of the month. I have to walk to the shop, top it up and reset the thing every time there's nothing left.

Absolute pair of cheeky fuckers.

They sound horrid.

Do they put money towards gas and electric at all or are they of the opinion that nothing but heating consumes any energy.

Are you not building up a standing charge debt if no money is regularly being put on? That should be paid for equally by all of you.

Crikey, they sound like a nightmare. I’d point out to them quite clearly that you’ve clocked the fact that they’re happy to use the heat you have paid for in the past even when you’re not there so YANBU and will enjoy cranking it up while they’re away.
As for the winter, have a talk with them about it and if they still don’t budge go and buy a space heater for your own room.

We put money on the electric equally. Cooker is electric (I hate it and would love a gas one) so only the heating is on the gas.

I think I'd be looking for another house-share, tbh.