Rented House - Freezing

TheCityManager

I rented a 3 bed semi on a 6 month lease..3 months gone.....It's FREEZIN...have heat up FULL all day and still need coat and hat on in house or sit on top of radiators...my daughter refuses to stay and I had to move out over xmas as I just couldn't stick the cold..girlfriend kinda doesnt like staying either so I seem to spend most of my time at hers or friends....

What can I do ?

Can I get rent reduced due to excess gas bills and fact I cant really stay here ????

The_Conductor

If you've signed a 6 month lease- you are liable for the lease (you can leave early and sublet the lease- but it would be up to you to find a replacement tenant, and it has to be with the agreement of the landlord).

Is there a particular reason its so cold? Insufficient insulation? Lack of double glazing? Poor heating systems etc? I take it you've done the usual things like bleeding the radiators etc?

I'd bring this up with the landlord initially- perhaps there is something that can be done.

In future- ask for the energy rating cert for the unit before you rent........

tenchi-fan

the extreme cold will only last a couple of weeks and at least pipes didn't burst. My advice is to leave the heating on 24/7 and wear a woolly jumper.
My own house has an energy rating of E2 but the only room that is a misery to walk into is the poorly insulated bathroom.

the_syco

Bleed the radiators: they are the usual suspects. You'll know if they need bleeding if the tops are cold, and the bottom are hot. Easy to do, and the "key" that you use only costs a euro in your local DIY.

Close all the doors, leave the heat on, and then go from rrom to room, to see can you isolate where the heat may be escaping.

goz83

I am in the exact same situation. As I write this, my hands are freezing, I am wearing a big jacket and a woolly hat. Moved here in October with my gf. Insisted on 6 month lease. Never thought about the BER and the land lords are as scabby and tight as a clamshell with a cold.

It's an end terrace house with single glaze windows. The only insulation is a bit of fibre glass in the attic. The heating could be on all day and I can still see my breath. I can hear the wind howling loudly down the chimney. If I open the living room door, it feels like Jack Frost is walking through me. This may sound funny, but i'm not joking, it's really terrible. The radiators were bled a couple of weeks ago and no heat stays in the house. I have worked in warehouses and they are warmer than this house. Isn't there a minimum standard which must be upheld? I'm sure the house must be of a certain BER to be rented. I'm thinking about approaching the land lords with a few words as this is unacceptable.

TheCityManager

Right even more...

Had landlord over today...

House is Freezen...nought they can do they say..claim house got a BER C rating ...:eek:

Freezer is not working...say they wont buy a new one as house is up for sale...told me to buy myself a chest freezer:eek:


Dishwasher blows all the sockets in kitchen so cant be used:eek:...will try to have it looked at !!

Garage has many many leaks..specifically needed garage for storage of stuff...:eek:...nothing they can do they say !!


Alarm has not worked ... need alarm as I have expensive stuff stored in, now soaked, garage..nothing they can do they say !!


Opinions please!!!!!!!

Paulw

It's damn cold weather.

A BER C rating is good, better than most homes.

You don't have to use freezer. If it wasn't working when you moved in, they're under no obligation to replace. Same with alarm.

As for dishwasher, sounds like a bad circuit, that should be easy enough to fix. Wash the dishes by hand until then.

Again, if it was leaking before you moved in ... they can get away with doing nothing, especially if they are trying to sell the premises.

I've my heating on all day here, and it's still cold. Mine is a modern (4 yr old) apt. I own it, so not much I can do. It's well insulated, but the weather outside with the wind and rain, and cold .... well ... not much I can do.

goz83

The fridge must be replaced. They must do this. The dishwasher is a safety hazard. If the garage was part of the lease they must honour it. look at this site for your entitlements. http://www.myhome.ie/lettings/advice/tenants/viewing-checklist-for-renters-2568

I have a similar complaint with the oven. The inside glass is missing so it loses alot of heat, which the house then loses. When I open the oven, smoke billows out (and it's not because i'm a bad cook).

ednwireland

goz83 wrote: »

Isn't there a minimum standard which must be upheld? I'm sure the house must be of a certain BER to be rented.

nope existing houses dont have to meet any ber level just need to have one (in the process of upgrading a property its getting cavity wall insulation and more loft insulation, the ber will go from f to e2 )
council house didnt need a ber until last budget
think new properties re different but dont have one of them

gurramok

Paulw wrote: »

It's damn cold weather.

A BER C rating is good, better than most homes.

You don't have to use freezer. If it wasn't working when you moved in, they're under no obligation to replace. Same with alarm.

As for dishwasher, sounds like a bad circuit, that should be easy enough to fix. Wash the dishes by hand until then.

Again, if it was leaking before you moved in ... they can get away with doing nothing, especially if they are trying to sell the premises.

I've my heating on all day here, and it's still cold. Mine is a modern (4 yr old) apt. I own it, so not much I can do. It's well insulated, but the weather outside with the wind and rain, and cold .... well ... not much I can do.

I've heard the story above before from various people, it really is the luck of the draw(within reason) with regards to how warm your apt can be. Some places that were built in the bubble years would freeze you and others were warm and comfy without any heating on.

Mine(gnd flr) never goes below 14C without heating(i watch that thermo!) and its supposed to be -2C outside, apt built around 1994 i believe. Its quite comfy at the moment so counting my lucky stars i'm not in yours or CityManager's position.

Also, I had bought myself a big freezer as the one supplied was tiny for my needs so its my responsibility.

goz83

ednwireland wrote: »

nope existing houses dont have to meet any ber level just need to have one (in the process of upgrading a property its getting cavity wall insulation and more loft insulation, the ber will go from f to e2 )
council house didnt need a ber until last budget
think new properties re different but dont have one of them

I'm not sure the landlord would even have a BER for this place. Would there be a comeback for me if she doesn't?

A leak has now developed in the kitchen below the bathroom. Checked bathroom pipes and they are dry, so no problem there. Called landlord to report this. Also complained about the heat problem and the BLACK damp around the single glaze windows. She wanted to wait til Monday. No way I told her. I can't risk turning lights or appliances on in the kitchen so I need a plumber now. Plumber on way.

I wouldn't be surprised if the coldness caused the leak. It happened jst after hot water was passed through the bathroom sink drain.

Paulw

gurramok wrote: »

I've heard the story above before from various people, it really is the luck of the draw(within reason) with regards to how warm your apt can be. Some places that were built in the bubble years would freeze you and others were warm and comfy without any heating on.

Mine(gnd flr) never goes below 14C without heating(i watch that thermo!) and its supposed to be -2C outside, apt built around 1994 i believe. Its quite comfy at the moment so counting my lucky stars i'm not in yours or CityManager's position.

Normally, my apt is nice and warm. Last year, we barely needed the heating on. We're the top apt (two below us). We have a solid concrete floor.

This year though, my bottom neighbour went to her daughter in Aus, and the apt below is rented out, so was empty. We had no heat coming up from below. So, this year has been bitterly cold for us, and we've needed a lot more heating.

A few days ago, new people moved in below us, so our apt is warmer (thanks to the heat coming up).

crossmolinalad

Had a cold house too
i ve turned up the boiler stat from 60 to 95 c now is nice and warm inside

The_Conductor

crossmolinalad wrote: »

Had a cold house too
i ve turned up the boiler stat from 60 to 95 c now is nice and warm inside

I'm guessing you mean 'f' not 'c' unless you're rather fond of saunas

crossmolinalad

smccarrick wrote: »

I'm guessing you mean 'f' not 'c' unless you're rather fond of saunas

No i mean the water tem of the boiler itself turned it to 95 degrees celcius
Thermostat in the house at 21Deg celcius
Rooms not in use turned off the radator valves

joolsveer

smccarrick wrote: »

I'm guessing you mean 'f' not 'c' unless you're rather fond of saunas

Surely the boiler thermostat registers degrees c?

The_Conductor

joolsveer wrote: »

Surely the boiler thermostat registers degrees c?

Ahhh- the penny drops.....
My thermostat is rated solely for room temperature- water gets heated as a by-product of the gas heating- and has a cut-off of 80c (after which it bypasses the hotwater tank and goes directly to the radiators- if it tops 90c- it vents via the external release (which the builder decided was perfect over the front door........)

Diarmuid

goz83 wrote: »

I'm not sure the landlord would even have a BER for this place.

It's a legal requirement since Jan 2009.

iguana

Can you start using whatever rooms face south as your main rooms? Each night before you go to bed open your curtains up wide so the room can warm up somewhat from the morning sun. As soon as the sun begins to set pull your curtains even if it's not yet that dark to keep the heat in. Keep the doors closed at all times and if there is an unused fireplace in the room block the chimney.

I've lived in victorian houses for years and I only ever switch on the heating in the rooms I am using for a few hours a day. In the coldest weather I'll have it on from about 4-10, at a low steady heat. I don't have it on now and I'm sitting in my living room in my pyjamas and I'm perfectly comfortable and it's slightly colder here according to the BBC than it is in most parts of Ireland. The house I'm in now has no insulation at all, it's a layer of London stock bricks and plasterboard.

As for having to wear a jumper, well it's winter and a particularly cold winter at that. You should have to wear a jumper, life isn't an episode of Hollyoaks where everyone parades around in tight tops regardless of the weather. Go to Penneys and invest in some thermals, some fleece tops and even a fleece lined tracksuit pants or two. Don't get me wrong, it's really annoying to only use a minimum of the house in winter. I fanatasise a lot about my future brilliantly insulated house with huge solar gain windows and geothermal heating running off solar panels where I can sit about my warm house in my underwear even when it's -10c outside. But in the mean time I live in an uninsulated house and I'll make the best of it without spending a fortune on gas.

PCPhoto

iguana wrote: »

Can you start using whatever rooms face south as your main rooms? Each night before you go to bed open your curtains up wide so the room can warm up somewhat from the morning sun. As soon as the sun begins to set pull your curtains even if it's not yet that dark to keep the heat in. Keep the doors closed at all times and if there is an unused fireplace in the room block the chimney.
.

erm.... this is Ireland ...... sun ???

seriously tho...OP....do you have much time on the lease left ? if not ...its a case of learn from the mistake .... you've learned some of the things to check before moving into an apartment. (ask for BER rating/cert, check insulation and check and agree to get anything that is broken to be fixed etc)

iguana

PCPhoto wrote: »

erm.... this is Ireland ...... sun ???

There is plenty of sun most days, it doesn't need much heat in it to warm up a room through south facing glass.

Mailman

open fire with coal and antracite; problem solved.

with enough antracite your grate will melt it'll be so hot.

coal and antracite are comparitively cheap even with carbon tax.

kerosene heaters are very effective too but have to be used in well ventilated rooms as they give off CO; if it is a very drafty house that's not a problem.

The_Conductor

iguana wrote: »

There is plenty of sun most days, it doesn't need much heat in it to warm up a room through south facing glass.

Tbh- you'd want a fair amount of south facing, unshaded glass- for it to make a large difference in the current weather conditions. If its not double glazed- you're as likely to have a cold draft from the windows, south facing or otherwise, as anything else. You'd almost be better off- using the heaviest possible curtains to close the windows, and heat the room once you're no longer sending the heat straight out the window.......

My parents do use solar panels for all their hot water- I'm not saying you're not going to get a nice bit of warmth *in optimal conditions* from south facing glass- but if the place is a refrigerator- you're pretty screwed no matter what you do.......

S.

mcaul

TheCityManager wrote: »

Right even more...

Had landlord over today...

House is Freezen...nought they can do they say..claim house got a BER C rating ...:eek:

Freezer is not working...say they wont buy a new one as house is up for sale...told me to buy myself a chest freezer:eek:


Dishwasher blows all the sockets in kitchen so cant be used:eek:...will try to have it looked at !!

Garage has many many leaks..specifically needed garage for storage of stuff...:eek:...nothing they can do they say !!


Alarm has not worked ... need alarm as I have expensive stuff stored in, now soaked, garage..nothing they can do they say !!


Opinions please!!!!!!!

If the house is up for sale, then you could possibly walk away from your lease
as there is no certainty that your lease will be honoured by the landlord. There are so many good houses with good insulation available for rent, you'll have no probelm finding something more suitable.

iguana

smccarrick wrote: »

Tbh- you'd want a fair amount of south facing, unshaded glass- for it to make a large difference in the current weather conditions. If its not double glazed- you're as likely to have a cold draft from the windows, south facing or otherwise, as anything else. You'd almost be better off- using the heaviest possible curtains to close the windows, and heat the room once you're no longer sending the heat straight out the window......

My old house had single glazed windows and was completely uninsulated but the sun used to heat the rear rooms significantly. I used to use the back bedroom to dry clothes in the winter as they dried so fast, even when there was snow outside. It possibly helped that they were bay windows which allowed in a lot of light but the rooms were always a comfortable temperature. I used to even have the windows open for an hour or so each day as the dogs slept in the downstairs room and to avoid condensation upstairs when I was drying clothes. Our boiler was knackered for most of the first winter so we didn't even have heating a lot of the time but once we had an hour or two of sun the rooms weren't cold in the day.

The north facing rooms on the other hand were a nightmare. They had huge single glazed bay windows and were extremely hard to heat. When the boiler was working we used the back livingroom in winter as the room was smaller and only had one window. But when the boiler was out the front livingroom was the only one with a functional fireplace so we kept the big wool curtains shut all the time.

People really underestimate the amount of warmth that is in the winter sun. Once it is coming through even a single pane of glass it magnifies significantly and will make a huge difference to the heat in a room. But you have to be careful to keep the heat in the room by keeping the doors closed all the time.

sham69

I know how you feel OP.
I am renting a place for the last 4 months and only realised once the cold weather kicked in how badly insulated it is.
The window in the sitting room is busted ( I have it stuffed with a sock).
There is a wicked breeze coming in from the front and back doors.
I have had my heat on for about 12 hours every day for the past 3 weeks plus an electric heater that I use every few hours to boost the heat.
We have sent the landlord an email about it so am waiting for a reply.
We are luck as we have a 6 month review so I assume either party can break the lease at that point.
We have also asked for a reduction as we are paying 1200 for a 3 bedroom semi in Dublin 7.
Hopefully the cold spell won't last much longer.
I will be checking the BER cert on the next property I rent.
We didnt get to see the one for here until a month after moving in.

Roisinbunny

PCPhoto wrote: »

erm.... this is Ireland ...... sun ???

Don't knock the power of the morning sun. Happened the other morning to us after a night of minus 10. Whole kitchen/dining room area of my friends house was toasty warm and she had actually forgotten to time the heat to come on. It was amazing to sit in - it felt like the summer.

Diarmuid

sham69 wrote: »

I will be checking the BER cert on the next property I rent.
We didnt get to see the one for here until a month after moving in.

What was the rating when you did get it?

sham69

the missus checked it as I didnt really want to rent the property (long story).
She thinks it was E2 (which would make sense)

John Mason

Roisinbunny wrote: »

Don't knock the power of the morning sun. Happened the other morning to us after a night of minus 10. Whole kitchen/dining room area of my friends house was toasty warm and she had actually forgotten to time the heat to come on. It was amazing to sit in - it felt like the summer.

+1 to this.

in the morning you can see your breath in my kitchen, it is a case of running making breakfast and running to the sittting room which gets the sun in the morning, it is lovely and warm.

we get a lot of winter sun in ireland, i wear my sunglass more in the car in the winter then the summer.

Diarmuid

sham69 wrote: »

She thinks it was E2 (which would make sense)

ouch! IMHO Making the BER cert mandatory for renting is one of the best moves in the past few years for renters.