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

During a massive heatwave at work, in a very hot building, I used to take one of those spray bottles used for plants, and we’d spray each other. Certainly helped.

Not sure if already suggested. Feet in cool water (washing up bowl). Frozen hot water bottles are fabulous too

Just to warn people - if you put foil on the inside of windows, this can cause the window to crack. The foil needs to be on the outside.

Can you post a picture of how you are venting the aircon?

By the way, the reason that the freeholder provided temp heating would be because your heating is probably controlled centrally, so it’s their responsibility. With cooling, they do not undertake to provide any cooling services so that is why they are not interested in organising any centrally-managed solutions.

Comments like this are peak mumsnet. Get fucked, you smug twat.

For any windows in the sun - white sheet over a sprung pole right up against the glass.
Fan on the floor pointing upwards, floor level is generally 5° cooler than ceiling level. Once sun goes down, fan on window sill pulling cooler air in from open window.

We have portable units, and they work really well. Are you home all day? We keep the curtains closed and have thermal curtains on them. Then, in the evening, an hour before bed, we switch the aircon units on in the bedroom, and we have to switch them on in the night because it gets too cold.

What kind of aircon unit do you have? I bought a Meaco one a few years ago and it’s been great, although you need to keep it on otherwise the room soon heats back up again. Only time it struggles is when the sun is really strong on the window.

Given there are now summer on summer heat waves, builders should prove some sort of cooling system is in situ eg tree shade, cross breezes, French style shutters, or plumb in air con throughout the building. Same goes for insulation and humidity issues in the winter.

Apologies if someone has already suggested this but are your curtains thermal with the reflective backing? I recently bought black out blinds with this backing for my son's south facing room, which has previously got very hot, having those down all the time makes an enormous difference to the temperature.

The UK will wait till someone dies Its the British way

People die every year from the heat. Something like 1,500 last year according to government figures.

This might help some people.

https://www.shadetheuk.com/overheating-adaptation-guide-for-homes

@FTBregret Thanks, I do already keep windows closed and curtains drawn all day throughout summer. Even when I do open windows at night it reduces temp but not by a huge amount (perhaps because lack of cross ventilation)

Not sure if anyone else has said it, but I'm going to say it anyways...

Are you leaving windows open in 2 different rooms, and propping open the doors?

Only opening one window doesn't reduce temperature much because the hot air is trying to leave through the same window that the cooler air is coming through.

If you open windows on opposite sides of the home, and prop open the doors in between, you get a "wind tunnel" effect and good airflow through the home which helps to cool things down more quickly.

That may not work well in a flat, but you can sometimes leave the door ajar as well as a window.

In a house, opening the loft hatch causes the warmest air to rise up and escape.

The choice will be taken out of their hands. Their homes especially flats are already getting up to inhabitable temperatures so unless they want to a. lose rent or b. exacerbate the housing crisis even more they will have to get their heads out of their arses. I expect they will care more about a than b. Losing rent income will focus their minds.

How will they lose rental income? If people have the option to go elsewhere, why aren’t they already doing so?

This is exactly what I did with my home office. I think I got the tip on MN!

As a HA tenant just get the AC fitted!

How often do they come into your home??

How would they even know?

I second another posters advice about the hot water bottle. Fill it 2/3 full and freeze and just carry that around with you and sleep with it at night.

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/south-london-tower-block-residents-34154331

Residents we met spoke of their appreciation for the councillor's support, including her success in temporarily rehousing some tenants in hotels during the last heatwave. Rhonda said: "She has not left our side for the last four weeks,

Because overheating homes now come under Awaabs Law