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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect heating to be on?

583 replies

Glitterinthegrey · 08/02/2021 16:39

Me & DD's are spending our days at my FIL house for the next couple of weeks while some work is being done on our house.

We're having meals here, but I brought all the food with us, and I'm doing him dinner every day too.

It's absolutely freezing in his house! Youngest DD is sitting under a duvet in the spare room, and oldest is wearing her gloves to do her homework. There is snow on the ground outside. I asked him (politely) if we could put the heating on - he says it'll come on automatically if it goes below 16.5 degrees!

AIBU to think this is too bloody cold? He just shrugged and said that we should wear more clothes!

OP posts:
Meowtha · 08/02/2021 18:15

Heating on 23 over here Grin

NonagonInfinityOpensTheDoor · 08/02/2021 18:15

@JustFrustrated

Mines currently at 26 degrees, just figured I'd offset the weirdos who think 16.5 is ok.

It's not. It's really really not.

Ok, I’ll turn my heating up and sweat myself silly because JustrFrustrated says so. Hmm fuck my own internal thermometer eh.
peboh · 08/02/2021 18:17

My heating tends to sit between 16-17. I've never once had to wear gloves inside. That's a perfect temperature for me personally.

Stovetopespresso · 08/02/2021 18:17

@Honeybobbin

I just sit in the freezer and get my DH to chip the ice off my face when he walks past. In fact I had my house demolished because it felt too luxurious having walls and a roof. Bloody lightweights nowadays.
🤣🤣🤣
sunflowersandbuttercups · 08/02/2021 18:17

Ours is around 18-19 during the day and we have it turned off overnight. Anything above 20 and I struggle and start getting a headache for some reason! Anything below 16 is uncomfortable, though.

Samanabanana · 08/02/2021 18:21

Who are all these people who have their houses set to 16° over winter? Life's too short to be cold. It's a constant 21° in this house over winter. Any less and I'd go on strike.

Followthelarch · 08/02/2021 18:21

I don't have heating at this time of year, put some extra layers of clothes on will help a lot

Dear god, when do you put it on if not when there's snow on the ground and an artic blast of minus 7 !!

redpencil77 · 08/02/2021 18:21

@covetingthepreciousthings

Good grief! The minimum working temperature in the UK is 16 degree

I didn't think there was a minimum working temperature..?
I think it's generally expected it should be 16 for staff to be comfortable but I don't think it's enforceable or enforced.

It's recommended by HSE not legal. 13 degrees if manual working. No guidelines on upper limit
Southwest12 · 08/02/2021 18:22

Mine is set to 16 in the daytime and 18 from 6-10pm and from 6-8am. Sometimes I'll turn it up to 20 but it very rarely gets that hot. I do get cold if I'm home all day at the weekend but put an extra cardigan on, or use a blanket if I'm watching TV.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/02/2021 18:22

It was 19 degrees in schools when I was younger so it's too young for the DC in this place.

Chloemol · 08/02/2021 18:23

Mine comes in below 18 at the moment, March I will switch to come on if it goes below 17 but 16.5 is far to cold

Sorry either he puts the heating up, or I would go back home and put up with the works

TwelvePaws · 08/02/2021 18:23

Is it such a difficult concept to grasp that some people prefer colder homes and that some of us understand it’s February and jumpers are a bloody given.

Maybe some do.

But the people I’ve known who ‘don’t like it too hot’ seem very comfortable in my house, my grandparents used to ask to sit closest to the radiator in other peoples houses. Funny that. Another mean relative always had freezing cold hands at home but was warm in my house. They were just tight. All very well off but tight. I guess that’s how they became very well off. 🤣 They also bought crap quality food and said they couldn’t tell the difference.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/02/2021 18:24

@Samanabanana

Who are all these people who have their houses set to 16° over winter? Life's too short to be cold. It's a constant 21° in this house over winter. Any less and I'd go on strike.
Mean bastards.
Tlollj · 08/02/2021 18:25

Don’t know why people who don’t feel the cold think it makes them superior somehow.
I’m bloody freezing and could not handle 16.5 degrees.

Iknowwhatudidlastsummer · 08/02/2021 18:26

YAB massively U to "expect" anything

It's his house, and he is in it!
If he's happy, it's not up to you to change his habits.

I would be wearing ski clothes as I'd be absolutely freezing personally, but that's neither here or there.

If he comes to your house, would you switch your heating off completely to make HIM comfortable? Of course you wouldn't, you only accommodate your guests to a point.

He would only be unreasonable if he was only switching the heating on when HE is in the house, not when there's someone else (like some host families do for their au-pair...)

BeautifulandWilfulandDead · 08/02/2021 18:28

A balmy 21.5 during the day here. We're all at home and I find it exhausting to be cold all day. It was still cold in here today.

Toorapid · 08/02/2021 18:29

Blimey. Our thermostat is set at 19 and people complain here. At work people insist on at least 22 and I wear summer clothes all winter.

In what world is 16.5 warm enough? Age UK say bedrooms should be 18 degrees and living rooms 21, which would both be too warm for me, but 16?

Sweet666 · 08/02/2021 18:29

Since when is 16 degrees a cold temperature? It's 1 degrees outside where I live in UK..? This is crazy to me! And how does everyone know what temperature it is in your home? Does central heating tell you the heat?

Shitonthebloodything · 08/02/2021 18:30

It's -3 outside today I cant believe people who can afford it don't have the heating on.
OP could you ask him to turn off the other rads so only the one in your DD's room is on?
Ours is set to 20 or at least it would be if I knew how to work the bloody thing. It's usually 15-16 when we get up and that's absolutely freezing especially as we have tiled floors.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/02/2021 18:31

"Since when is 16 degrees a cold temperature? "

Normal for sitting down is around 20. 16 is cold inside and not moving.

We're not talking about the temperature outside FFS.

My central heating doesn't tell me the heat, but some people have thermostats although that's not exactly the same as having a room thermometer.

TwelvePaws · 08/02/2021 18:31

Does central heating tell you the heat?

Yes.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/02/2021 18:33

"YAB massively U to "expect" anything

It's his house, and he is in it!"

And he's accepted to have guests. He didn't warn them there would be no heating.
If you're too mean to put the heating on, DON'T HAVE GUESTS!
Same for lights, etc.

Lavanderrose · 08/02/2021 18:33

I agree with you, during the winter the temperature inside should be more than 16 degrees. And it is something to take seriously because the prevalence of cold in homes is considered one of the main reasons we have higher deaths during the winter. Experts advise that 18°C is the minimal risk to the health of a sedentary person, wearing suitable clothing. And below 18°C, negative health effects may occur, such as increases in blood pressure and the risk of blood clots which can lead to strokes and heart attacks.

dotoallasyouwouldbedoneby · 08/02/2021 18:33

YANBU that's a very low temperature. Even 21 degrees feels too cold with snow outside. Mine's set at 23 degrees right now.

Pootle40 · 08/02/2021 18:34

@Sweet666

Yes i do live in UK it is not bad if you wear enough clothes, the winter this year has been very mild I think? It's about getting used to it and then you can handle it better
Depends where you live. I'm in south east Scotland has been 1-2c for the last week during the day. Never higher than 4-5c since Xmas. Not mild.
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