How difficult/expensive would it be to get a thermostat thingie downstairs?

[DextersMistress]

I have a combi boiler in the bathroom upstairs, and currently it he only way to turn the heating on/off is on there.

Is it a big job?

Get a wireless thermostat then you can move it around..they cost around £100 plus fitting which is a straight forward job. Helps if you have the boiler instructions as you connect a receiver to the boiler and then the thermo operates as usual.

Just guessing here, but I imagine there would be wiring to and from the control panel downstairs and then a self contained sensor/timer device. Even quite complicated ones cost about £50.
If you can go through existing wire channels or simply drill down through the floor to directly below your bathroom it shouldn't be difficult. However, it's a job for a professional IMO. The company that installed or does the maintenance on your boiler, probably.

This is a question for PigletJohn!

You could have a wireless one, if you don't mind it going wrong from time to time, when the batteries run down or for no apparent reason.

Presumably you already have a timer and a room stat?

Erm, there's a dial thing on the boiler itself (with the little notches to set the time) but nothing elsewhere in the house.

(I think PigletJohn has some sort of Mumsnet emergency callout signal, like the BatSearchlight )

thanks Sgt your batcall worked!

It is very unsatisfactory and uneconomical to have no thermostat. Are you sure there is not one that is faulty or disused?

I would suggest running a cable to the room below (I bet it is the kitchen), probably using the plumbing duct in the corner. There must be pipes running downstairs so there will be a path. The cable must not touch hot pipes. A kitchen means you can conceal the cable, for example above wall cabinets though there are rules about positioning it. The stat should be away from heat sources such as cooker, freezer, toaster, radiator.

I recommend the Honeywell CM907 programmable thermostat. You can get a much cheaper stat if necessary, and upgrade when you can afford it, but labour will be the main cost. A heating engineer or qualified electrician can install it.

Once you have a wired thermostst, changing it to a different type is much easier.

There's definitely nothing here. Kitchen is below the bathroom so it looks like we can do it, thank you muchly PigletJohn

Aha! We have the Honeywell CM907 (one for bedrooms and one for sittingroom/kitchen). Five years and no complaints, apart from the loud "tac" as they switch on and off.
I particularly like programming a three-hour PAAAAAARTY of extra heating, or telling it we're going on holiday for a week and start heating 24 hrs before we come home.