So was i being too unrealistic to think I could keep the heating off, and have you caved in?

[piratecat]

It is still off in my home, but gosh it's cold today.

Upstairs is ok (boiler up here) with the hot water pipes giving off a bit of warmth. Yet downstairs is miserable.

It was ok to say, 'ooh i am going to wear fleeces etc...' when it was 12 degress, but 5 is slightly different non?

I CAN@T AFFORD IT and i feel like poo, for not being able to put it on yet.

'If you are in a house/flat and it's 8c then that's ridiculous, need to sort out some insulation.'

this is a rental house.

it cannot be insulated. its walls are almost a meter thick. stone. built in 1902.

not as easy as 'sort out insulation' when a) you have no money to sort anything out b) it's not your property and it can't be insulated because of the way its built/location.

that's life for some.

it's the highlands of scotland, not spain.

heat will come on at 7. kids out with DH in 4 degree temps, anyhow.

what doesn't kill you just makes you tougher.

We caved and have jacked up the heating

Problem is DS (7 months) sleeps on the 3rd floor and it was freezing - am getting estimates on insulation as the thermometer downstairs is saying 23 degrees which isn't right.

the heating issue has turned into a battle of wills in our house- neither me nor dh want to be the first to crack

We are in the wilds of wales and actually its not that arctic, once the kids are bathed we get pjs, warm socks and dressing gowns on- in fact last night was the first night since last winter that me and dh had a duvet (4.5 tog!) on the bed- we've been managing with a sheet and bedspread until now. Our house is very well insulated though! we may have to switch it on this weekend- BUT at least we will have hit the november target

I would 2nd getting a halogen heater. Mine is really great. Heating would be on if it wasn't for that. And cost me less than £20 off Ebay!

my house is 8c at the mo..freezing

i gave in today, had a friend round with her two kids, and it was very cold. Am annoyed with myself tho, as it was a battle of the wills!!!

It's off now tho.

I also got my gas and elec bill today, and not havinghad the heating on yet has def paid off, as the gas bit is £15 less this quarter than it was this time last yr, even with price hikes. I was well pleased.

holding out till nov...fortunately our back /living rooms get warmed by the sun dirung the day and by the cooker of an evening...blimmin cold everywhere else though...infact i may well crack tonight.

I have caved..I feel simultaneously panicky about the cost, annoyed at self for being such a wuss and..luxuriously warm and toasty..
Unfortunately now have to go and get DD's from CM's (I am home sick today)which means going outside..looks very cold out there and I dont want to go out...wonder if she would keep them over night?

needmorecoffee - read you saying about not getting insulation help with warmfront. It may be worth contacting them again as my parents got a heating system through them a few years ago and were recently contacted by warmfront again to offer insulation help. My parents are getting insulation put in the attic through the scheme.

Stormguard Double Glazing Film

It's available from Homebase/Focus, etc. I can't find it online, sorry about that.

We're putting the heating on tonight because one of our hamsters has gone into hibernation--at least I hope that's what it is. I'm reviving him (I hope) on towel on top of a hotwater bottle in our bathroom, which always has heating when the hotwater comes on the evening.

quick question, potentially moving into a flat which had coal fired central heating (does that make sense)? What are your thoughts on cost etcs for one floor flat with one person in it?

Sorry for hijack

Oh--here we go, there's some on Ebay.

To be honest I have seen for sale more cheaping at B&Q, etc. If there's one near you?

Link:

cgi.ebay.ie/Stormguard-Window-Insulation-Kit-Shrink-Film-draught_W0QQitemZ360102502348QQcmdZViewItem ?hash=item360102502348&trkparms=72%3A1296%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&trksid=p3286.c0 .m14

bought a 15 tog duvet for me and dd because whatever temp it is outside, thats what the bedroom is with no heating, broken windows and no roof insulation.
And dd wont get made tougher, she will just die.

bride1, im so egocentrical I thought that was a reply to me.. I was very confused when I opened your link and then i remembered the other thousands of mnetters lol

NMC, we all know that, your circumstances are exceptional, however.

heating's not normally considered a luxury, but it looks increasingly to be the case fo a lot of people.

have to try ot look on the bright side for us because there's not much that can be done about it - can't just magic up a bunch of money.

how about planning a bank robbery. They are currently flush with our millions I hear

Thanks Bride1.

NMC Must be even worse for you.

I do think people over use heating these days. I don't like it too hot and i don't think it is good for you to have heating on too much. Just wish i could have it on a bit without worrying about money! At least having my pre-pay meter means i know how much i am spending and won't have a huge bill in a few months time.

my lounge is now 16c (my bathroom 10c)

me heating is now on

this is my most successful thread ever.

does anyone know of any schemes to help OAP with heating

my dad is on pre payment metres and gets the £200 allowance but i am not convinced he has the heating on when im not there

thanks

Needmorecoffee, I don't want to patronise you, and I am sure that if there is something available you would have found it, but I know you come from the Bristol area from your profile, and this page on the Bristol City Council website has

Loan Fund Assistance
If you own your property and have a low disposable income, we may be able to offer a subsidised loan to repair your property.

These loans are administered by Wessex Homes Home Improvement Loans on our behalf to remedy failings under the Decent Homes Standard. There are currently three products available to homeowners: a repayment loan, an interest only loan and a rolled up interest loan. The loans can be for any amount between £1,000 and £15,000 and over a suitable repayment term of up to 15 years. The interest is subsidised by the local authority and therefore is a very competetive rate, fixed at 3%.

Minor Works Assistance

All enquiries for homes that fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard will initially be considered for subsidised loan rather than minor works assistance (grant). You will be subject to a simple financial assessment to calculate what level of disposable income you have (i.e the difference between your income and your essential outgoings). However, if you are on a very low disposable income you may only be eligible for grant assistance, but to qualify there must be a a member of your household who is vulnerable.

In some some circumstances, where the amount you could borrow on a subsidised loan is limited, you may be offered a combined loan and grant scheme to help with the necessary repairs .

All applicants must own and occupy the property for this form of assistance.

Discretionary Adaptation Assistance

Households who need additional funding to that provided under the mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants to carry out adaptations to their home where:

1. There is a shortfall of grant under Disabled Facilities Grant to cover the full scheme of works required (as recommended by an occupational therapist).
2. Works are not mandatory but would improve the quality of life for the disabled person.
3. Have a need for urgent mandatory work but either the occupant has been diagnosed as being terminally ill or the adaptation will facilitate discharge from hospital or re-admission to hospital.

All options must be referred through an occupational therapist in the first instance.

Energy Efficiency Assistance:

This assistance aims to improve the energy efficiency of housig and alleviate fuel poverty by providing loft insualtion and cavity wall insulation for privately owned properties. Bristol city Council Private Housing and Adaptations Service is working in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) and Domestic and General Insulation Limited to achieve this.

Full assistance is available to vulnerable private households ( excluding Housing Association tenants) and a subsidised scheme is available non-vulnerable households.

If even one of these was available to you, it might help? I really don't want you to suffer a winter of worry, your daughter has fought so hard, there must be some assistance out there.

I am just soft, my heating went on about a month ago and DH wacked it up from 20 to 24 when he came in.

I do not have the heating on in the bedrooms - keep the doors shut so no cold escapes.

Oh, I forgot to say that I have yet to put heating on, but do put an oil-filled radiator on in each bedroom on intermittent timer (½ on, 1 hour off) overnight.

We are waiting to hear about a warmfront grant, as we only have 1 storage heater in the whole house (rented) in the kitchen. We already have about £500 outstanding electricity and pay £120 per month, and that is without heating.

DD1 also insists on stripping off almost as soon as I dress her, and she is not a chunky thing. I feel her hands and they are like ice . I think it is a sensory thing. She had blue lips this morning but denied she was cold

We just can't afford to flip the switch, either, because we have to put the storage heater on full-belt to warm the groundfloor, and just hope that the warm air drifts up the stairs to the bedrooms.

DD2 is 14months, and still sleeps in our room. We couldn't put her in her own room as we only have 2 oil filled radiators.

And that is without the price hike .

nannyl - do you have a thermostat?

thanks. I'm not actually in Bristol however but those are all loans. Loans have to be paid back. We are already £13,000 over the DFG and accelerating.
But I will check with what my council is offering.