Please help me work out storage heater/ immersion heater issues!

[jobnockey]

hello - sorry for rather long post but i need some help re: storage heaters. We’ve just moved into a rented property which has an economy 7 meter, storage heaters and immersion heater.

I don’t want storage heater nightmare stories as we totally love the house, just having some issues at the moment whilst getting used to how everything works… I’m hoping someone out there will be able to help as the estate agents are useless!

So, there are a total of 3 combination convection/storage heaters in the property, 1 of which I have got to work (switched on at wall, set input and output – this is giving out heat)

The other 2 heaters, instead of having an on/off switch at the wall, are plugged into those timer dial thingies (we used to have one on Central Heating controls, where you flip the little switchy bits to the time you want it on/off). I have switched it to on (rather than timed) thinking that this would mean heater will charge overnight etc but no, nothing has happened. I don’t know what the timer is for – is it just for the convection controls? (FWIW I had the timer on initially thinking this would control when it took in heat but apparently not as this didn’t work either)

Does anyone know what I’m doing wrong? The only think I can think of is that the storage heater doesn’t work and the convection heater was on a timer – which I haven’t yet worked out how to use????

Anyone have any clues? I cant find anything on the internet about storage heaters being plugged into timers…

Second is the immersion heater. It’s a simple on/off switch – I can’t see a timer or a thermostat. I don’t know whether to keep it switched on all the time or to have to try to remember to switch it on and off. Internet gives conflicting advice about this – anyone with real life experience who can help?

The house is generally draft free and heats up quite quickly once the convection heaters are switched on so I am fairly confident the storage heaters would be ok if only we could get them to work!

Anyone with more knowledge than me of heaters know if 3 storage heaters would cost less that just using an few hours of convection a day (i.e. couple hours in the evening, 1 in the bedroom in the morning)

I hope someone can help it’s giving me a headache trying to find information!!!

(we also have an electric ceramic hob but that is one for another thread! Trying to persuade landlord to upgrade it to an induction hob!)

PigletJohn, you're amazing, thank you for your help! Going to have a chat with the letting agents now about safety issues!
Sallyhas leftthebuilding I'm going to have a fiddle around with the timers tonight to see if i can get them to charge overnight...
presumable i need to remember to switch the other one off during the day? what happens if i don't? will it be gobbling electricity at the higher rate throughout the day?

If you have not yet taken out an E7-type tariff with your electricity supplier, all your electricity will be charged at the standard rate.

Have a look on cheapenergyclub.moneysavingexpert.com/collectiveswitch?&utm_source=CEC_Subscribers&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=11-Feb-16&utm_campaign=trigger_collective&utm_content=marketleadingdeals

It will probably not be called Economy 7 any more. Try to get a tariff with an evening or afternoon period as well as the nighttime one. Not all suppliers will offer one to you. They might need to install a new timer, which will need the landlord's agreement. As your radio switch is branded London Electricity see what they offer as well.

to add to PJs excellent advice - when shopping around for your dual rate tariff, remember to ask about the cheaper hours. They vary by area and you need to know when they are. They don't always change with daylight saving either!

and while electrical safety checks are not mandatory in England/Wales, that lot looks shonky as. Your landlord needs to spend some money.

How did you get on

Hi there Sallyhasleft...

We (supposedly) have an electrician coming round later this week to check for safety and to hopefully fix the storage heaters as I'm buggered if i can get them to work!
have also set up a night/day tariff with iSupply who came out cheapest in three different comparisons.
Slightly nervous how much we might be spending at the moment but will worry about that when the bill arrives!
Thanks for advice everyone.