Unbearably hot flat (leaseholder) why can’t AC be allowed if health risk

[FTBregret]

Londoner, stupidly bought a new-ish build flat that is like a greenhouse (I viewed it in winter). My flat can reach up to 39°c inside and I despise this flat regret buying but can’t go back and it’s not a suitable time for me to sell. During summer I try to avoid staying at home for too long. I’m disabled live alone, regularly feel unwell, have previously fainted, got dizzy spells, and barely sleep but my housing Clarion couldn’t care less

I keep all windows shut during the day but open them at night (single aspect windows so not much breeze). Sometimes I’ll also put fan with ice facing out the open window at night too but barely does much.

I purchased portable AC but it’s inefficient, it doesn’t cool the overall room well enough and you only feel cool if you stand right in front of it. Also I can’t keep windows open all day for safety reasons. Americans claim single hose portable acs which are commonplace in UK are inefficient compared to dual hose (can’t find dual in Uk), there’s some science behind it. Makes sense as my portable ac is no where near as good as split ac or even my friends flat (no ac) who has cross ventilation

Desperately want split ac and/or external shutters but as a leaseholder it won’t be allowed. Why is it not considered as a health safety risk to have to live in these temps as a disabled adult

I’m sure many will comment to tell me I’m being ridiculous and lacking resilience but I have relatives who live in Arizona who wouldn’t sleep in temps above 23°c… why do we have to suffer like this in a first world country

I think, OP, there are health & safety regulations in place for minimal temperatures (in work), but no legislation as yet for maximum temperatures.
These health and safety measures will trickle down into housing development l guess.
Imo, current legislation needs to change, and with it, how houses/flats are built because things are hotting up! It is really quite worrying.

I am fortunate enough to live alone so I simply don't wear any clothes when its hot. I have a kaftan ready to pull on in an emergency but I don't usually open the door unless someone is expected. I am currently wearing flip flops, socks and a smile. A towel wrung out in cold water around you neck is a quick refresher.

Bless you, I can’t handle the heat and it is due to reach 34 degrees here next week.

Do you have a landing window that can be opened (ie outside your flat but still within the building?). When we had a single aspect flat, we opened that, chocked the front door open slightly and managed to get some airflow which cooled it considerably, especially early mornings/late at night. Ours never got to temperatures as high as yours though, as it was (presumably) older and had high ceilings.

Really sorry this is so awful ... I think it's common in new builds, and especially common in new builds converted from commercial premises, something the last govt made easy for developers.

I would get a new portable aircon - ours works really well. Is yours v old or not powerful enough (ours also only has one hose).

https://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/perfect-fit/refine/pf-186

I have these fitted to our south facing windows. The difference it makes is amazing. They are thermal and blackout.

No need for management company permission.

These are ridiculous ideas they will keep the op cold for about 30 seconds and are impractical.

we have stand alone aircon units op and they are really good. When buying them you have to check the power of the AC unit vs the size of space they will cool. You also need window seals to stop the hot air coming in from outside. You can get these on amazon. Move your ac to a small room with a door and seal the windows around the outlet pipe

You need air con.

What model portable one do you have? Are you venting out of the window properly and sealing all gaps? Why can’t you keep windows open?

You can buy split units - look up the Midea Portasplit 8000. You’d need a balcony or patio for the external unit and again a plan to seal the door or window.

Are you venting the ac through a hole to the outside otherwise you are just moving the hot air around. You probably need a blanking piece to fit in an open window with a suitable size hole for the vent pipe and plumb it in or remember to empty the water tank.

Try heat reflecting window film on your windows (3M or similar). You can get them to fit by static - if I were you I might do them myself first as proof of concept and if they help and the install isn’t perfect, pay for a professional to fit them.

Obviously the OP a needs to get decent air con units. But the other ideas aren’t ridiculous at all. I have a neck fan for work because unfortunately we don’t have aircon there. I also use many of the methods on here to cool myself down when I home.

There’s no reason a decent portable aircon wouldn’t work in a small room. Set up the smallest room in your flat as a bedroom. Seal the doorway and buy a decent plug in aircon.

It’s not efficient no but frankly this needs to be a priority. Assume that it’s also warm in winter?

OP, l just asked DH about this as he is an electician. He suggested a company called Breeza. Apparently they do an ac unit that takes your lounge down to 17 degrees from the 30s pretty quickly.

I find these a lifesaver

https://www.jmldirect.com/chillmax-pillow-cooling-gel-insert-for-all-pillows?srsltid=AfmBOor6YBdC6pXQw0DAR4T9hZnSJ9pvYVN-yWYTbxUc0duiYFZjsIEM

I have the same issue too. I have a really good delonghi portable air con and things to block out the windows, and it's still not enough - it's all the windows that are the problem, and the walls that radiate the heat back in, even overnight. And I'm ground floor too, so can't leave windows open at night, either for ventilation or to vent the portable air con. I have lots of fans but still struggling big time. The thermostat barely goes below 28 even at night, and for weeks after the heat waves have ended.

My housing association is Peabody, who are equally unhelpful. I just want permission to drill a little hole; I'd be the one paying for it and maintaining it and so on, nothing to do with the as I own the flat, but they just have to give me permission, and they take a strange view of what is considered 'exterior' modifications depending on whether it benefits them or not. And I don't live near enough to London for the interior air con that vents through the water system (plus I'm not sure it'd be allowed either really).

So I totally feel for you.

What sort of windows do you have? We shut thin white ikea curtains in the windows so they're covered from the outside. It works way better than curtains inside and don't need permission unlike shutters. It's really common in Spain to have outside curtains.

What sort of AC do you have? We have an AEG portable unit which works very well in our small living room. It was about 600 though, because all the reviews said the cheaper ones were shit. We have solar so I don't feel guilty.

I own a freehold house in London and can’t fit AC. I need planning (poss only because I’m in a conservation area but so is much of round here) and the council won’t allow it unless you can prove you’ve exhausted all other measures on the “cooling hierarchy” and submitted some kind of technical assessment etc and even then it’s unlikely. Three storey terrace and top floor is basically unusable in summer. So it’s not just the HA!

Cos that’s how leaseholds work.

Have you actually applied to the freeholder for permission to install a/c?

@FTBregret contact a local MP or councillor for support as you can’t be alone in these issues.

have you looked at reflective film on the windows to see if that helps reduce it by a degree or two?

The joys of leasehold

my lease includes
cant bang a rug outside
no washing on view (I have my own garden but can’t hang washing in it)
entire place has to be decorated in approved colours every decorating year (every 7 years)
inside of windows have to be cleaned once a month

my dad read the lease and said “I’ve never wanted to paint a room black so much in my life”

I agree with the reflective film, its a cheap and easy way to reduce inside temps.
My front room gets afternoon sun and is basically all bay window on one wall but I have window film over most of it (mainly for the dogs), it always seems to stay relatively cool though.

What portable aircon do you have? We have one that works really well.

Have you double checked the dimensions of the room you want to cool vs the power of the unit?

Can you post a pic of how you are venting it?

The reason that housing associations won’t allow permanent aircon to be fitted is because of how ugly the external units look. Same reason as why most leases prohibit drying washing on balconies. I lived in Asia for years and they are indeed very ugly.

The freeholder HA probably has planning rules that it has to follow so decision is likely out of their hands and they in turn would need to apply for permission.

Your only hope is to band together with your neighbours and make a legal bid to change the rules. You will never achieve this if you act alone.

Fill and freeze a hot water, put in a pillowcase and take it to bed with you
Wear wet socks
Have lots of cold showers - just a quick duck in and out to cool off and rinse your hair through
Drink water with ice
Do all of the above and keep a fan blowing on you

We have an air con unit at work, that has a big hose that we put out the window and small tube that dribbles water. It’s really effective at keeping our shop cool. Yesterday it took the inside temp down from 29 to 22 degrees, plus it blows cold air so I sit in front of it.
One of my colleagues bought it, I think it was around £300.