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

You could buy an oscillating 16" stand fan and at least have circulating air.

I live in the US in an old apartment building built before the advent of central air. I have powerful window AC units but I set them at about 85°F (about 27°C) if I turn them on. I prefer to just use my stand fans to circulate air, even when the temperature is much higher than that.

thank you for this! Do you think the same risk applies to window films? I ordered these window films off amazon but I can only apply them inside not externally (not a ground floor flat)

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0G6L1Q7KT/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1WMN1VBS875MG&psc=1

I just put the hose out the window and draw the curtains round mine. Do you shut the doors to the room it's in?

I've shared the tip before but t loads of people must have thought of it

They will find out. My friend bought a leasehold flat in London, and it's inspected at least annually, for fire safety.

This is a problem with many newer buildsLondon flats. Google it and you'll get a load of results where leasehold flat owners are having the same issues as OP.

I've read about it multiple times, and residents are feeling absolutely miserable.

After many years of just reading posts, I have joined this evening to reply to yours. Last year I was stuck in a similar flat and it drove me completely mad. 29 degrees by 9am, couldn’t use the dishwasher as it produced too much heat, couldn’t open the blinds all day as it was too bright … it’s insane how builders are getting away with putting people’s health at risk like this. I hope some of the ideas here work so you can get some rest.

Exactly You cant live a normal life
Cant put make up on ............concentrating makes me even hotter
Cant cook...............creates more heat Cant have the TV on. Have to keep an eye on the fridge freezer because it usually cant cope. Ditto the food stored in the hall cupboard. Cant keep food in the kitchen cupboard as it gets too hot Not everything is meant to be stored in the fridge and even if we tried it = even more pressure on the fridge freezer along with the heat.

I’d forgotten about the fridge - mine was almost new but constantly straining and chucking out hot air to try and cool itself down.

Just read a bbc article where tenants in Woolwich flat block had indoor temps up to 43c. Children and elderly lived in the block

Their corridor temp had even reached 48c in the summer, so awful

When will the government and housing associations take action? Although was skimming through another popular MN thread today and saw many comments saying it’s not that hot, everyone coped fine in 1976, this generation simply lacks resilience 🫠 no wonder not a priority when many are ignorant of how hot some flats get

Can relate, I can’t look presentable at all, can’t do housework or laundry except at night but then usually too tired because I’ve been sleep deprived with the heat too

Can’t concentrate or think much. I end up eating out more too to avoid heat and similarly I can’t keep much food in cupboards at these temps

They should be made to live in them. During a heatwave

Not to mention the storage of medication that has to be stored below 25c but not below 5c

Not read whole thread but have you tried one of those fans you wear around your neck?

I pity anyone who has a gas safety check due this week

Because there would be a whopping great aircon unit on the outside!

I’m surprised your AC unit is inefficient. I’m in Europe with temps reaching 41. Does your ac unit go through the wall? Or are you putting the vent through the window unsealed? I bet that’s your problem.

OP can you speak to the building management company about allowing the installation of AC units? You need to have proper AC installed. It's an absolute gamechanger and your building management co should NOT be preventing this. We are one of very few developed countries that do not have AC as part of our infrastructure and it has to change. Extreme weather is dangerous. You have every right to keep your home cool.

I would recommend speaking to a lawyer to see if you can launch a legal petition to mske it so they legally have to agree to let you install it.

Going to the press might be quicker. They will be well interested in stories like this right now

They have started selling these cooling mats for dogs, you don’t need to wet them, they feel quite cold when you sit on them. I have no idea how they work.

I got a small one for my little dog last year. I am considering buying a German shepherd size one for me 😁

Seriously, no joke. I got the dog’s one last year quite cheaply from B&M

I think you might have disappeared down an internet rabbit hole with this split Aircon thing., though I do feel for you in not being able to fling the windows wide and get a breeze through in the evening.

We have an ecoair portable unit. We put the pipe through the window and fill the rest of the window gap with a pillow. It's glorious. We keep the upstairs closed up & dark all day then cool it down a room at a time in the evening, keeping doors closed in-between. It works really well.

A well insulated flat should be brilliant at keeping the heat out, as well as keeping the heat in. So once you have a way of getting the temp down once, like our portable unit does in the dark in an hour, as long as you continue to keep the sun out with blackout blinds, closed doors etc it should actually play to your favour in maintain that lower temp pretty well.

By all means push for permanent aircon installation, but in the meantime I find it hard to believe that all portable units are inadequate.

If you dob't have to be on Teams camera etc, wear lightweight cottom wet clothes straight from the washing machine. As long as protect furniture fabric it will keep you cooler when coupled with a fan.

Or use wet sheets as 'blankets' on your legs if you do need to be on camera.

In my experience you need to have the fan directly above you though. We had an expensive one fitted in our last bedroom. It was over DH but not me and I felt nothing at all!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx2ejll1gzjo

Other leaseholders in other new build flats have already been going to the press. I think someone's already linked to one of the articles. It's happening all over London. It's not made any difference yet.

ETA simulpost!