Renting - cold house

Ranjo

I am renting an old property, detached house built around 60's maybe 70's and it is freezing. The internal walls are like ice to touch and we go through a load of oil heating it. When the central goes off, the place is freezing again in 15 minutes. All internal walls are solid concrete & the double glaze windows are fairly old.

The central heating is good, all new, but insulation is bad. There is insulation in the attic but I think it's the walls which are causing the loss of heat.

There has not been a BER cert done, but I would suspect its a rating G.

Are there expectations on insultion, or is there anything I can request?

murphaph

Ranjo wrote: »

I am renting an old property, detached house built around 60's maybe 70's and it is freezing. The internal walls are like ice to touch and we go through a load of oil heating it. When the central goes off, the place is freezing again in 15 minutes. All internal walls are solid concrete & the double glaze windows are fairly old.

The central heating is good, all new, but insulation is bad. There is insulation in the attic but I think it's the walls which are causing the loss of heat.

There has not been a BER cert done, but I would suspect its a rating G.

Are there expectations on insultion, or is there anything I can request?

You can request a BER cert if the property was let recently (I believe the requirement to furnish a BER to buyers/renters came in in January 2009). If you have been there since before this date, you can just talk to your landlord about possibly providing remedial measures, but it remains the landlord's decision...you are free to seek somewhere better rated of course.

Your walls may not lend themselves to an easy insulation upgrade, not all walls have cavities to pump (cheapest way, very effective) and external insulation is sometimes not an option depending on finish. Internal is usually the most disruptive.

The attic insulation may be there, but could it be improved?

Ray Palmer

Central heating, double glazing and attic insulation. You reckon it's a G?

You reckon wrong and don't get what BER does. They don't run heating experiments they calculate based on the fittings. Probably some C rating given what you said.

Insulating walls is relatively new a concept here. The air gab was considered insulation. Cavity brick being a good proportion of buildings. Some older walls have a better thermal value than 70s or 80s walls with insulation.

Ranjo

Ray Palmer wrote: »

Central heating, double glazing and attic insulation. You reckon it's a G?

You reckon wrong and don't get what BER does. They don't run heating experiments they calculate based on the fittings. Probably some C rating given what you said.

Insulating walls is relatively new a concept here. The air gab was considered insulation. Cavity brick being a good proportion of buildings. Some older walls have a better thermal value than 70s or 80s walls with insulation.

True I don't know for sure it would be a G, but I do know for sure it won't be a C. New central heating - yes but old and not very effective double glazing and very cheap insulation.

Ray Palmer

Ranjo wrote: »

True I don't know for sure it would be a G, but I do know for sure it won't be a C. New central heating - yes but old and not very effective double glazing and very cheap insulation.

You fail to understand how it is calculated. It isn't really about quality and does not give you an accurate basis to heating costs or comfort.

the_syco

Ranjo wrote: »

When the central goes off, the place is freezing again in 15 minutes. All internal walls are solid concrete & the double glaze windows are fairly old.

On a nice bright day, turn all heating off, get a candle, and hunt down draughts. When you have them all found, block the ones that shouldn't be there, but leave the ones needed for ventilation (esp if you're using gas to heat the place).

MOTM

Is it an option to move if it isn't warm enough? Moving is hassle, but so is paying big heating bills!

leonidas83

Ranjo wrote: »

I am renting an old property, detached house built around 60's maybe 70's and it is freezing. The internal walls are like ice to touch and we go through a load of oil heating it. When the central goes off, the place is freezing again in 15 minutes. All internal walls are solid concrete & the double glaze windows are fairly old.

The central heating is good, all new, but insulation is bad. There is insulation in the attic but I think it's the walls which are causing the loss of heat.

There has not been a BER cert done, but I would suspect its a rating G.

Are there expectations on insultion, or is there anything I can request?

Your entitled to have a BER cert done but as for the insulation, its a matter of opinion & while you can request the landlord to carry out works, he's under no legal obligation to do so.

You should explain your predicatement to the landlord in a friendly way & possibly even offer to make a contribution towards to the works if they are carried out to the appropriate standard. Otherwise move out

Ray Palmer

leonidas83 wrote: »

Your entitled to have a BER cert done but as for the insulation, its a matter of opinion & while you can request the landlord to carry out works, he's under no legal obligation to do so.

You should explain your predicatement to the landlord in a friendly way & possibly even offer to make a contribution towards to the works if they are carried out to the appropriate standard. Otherwise move out

There isn't really a prediciament. The property is not faulty. Only really top end house of age will be insulated to modern building regs. You don't need a BER rating to know that.
Yes the landlord should have provided the BER. It wouldn't have rang any bells. There is only major refurb work to solve the insulation. Not many people have the 6 k+ to invest in rental property that gives a very marginal return. The BER rating wouldn't jump either.
I have insulated rental property when the grant was better. Financially it is a lose but the tenants like it. House price has not been effected. Very little value is given to the improvement so why would any LL do it.
Insulation in the attic sounds like it could be improved but won't make much difference unless it is not there at all.