New build flat - sooo cold

Associate
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Hi chaps.
I feel a bit of a plank for posting this but would appreciate any input anyone in the know may have.
The issue I have is this; I live in (own) a 2 bed ground floor flat that was built by Redrow in ~2005 and have lived here since 2007, being the 2nd owner.

The flat itself has double glazing and a mixture of storage heaters in the living room and electric panel heaters in the bedrooms, hall and bathroom. The main storage heater in the living room also has a fan heater boost.
The thing is, as soon as the temp drops if we don't use the heaters on <more or less> full blast the flat is frigid. Within 20 mins of turning a heater off the room is cold again.

Now for the really odd bit.. It seems as though our flat is the only one in the block of 6 that is soooo cold. I will regularly see other flats in the block with their living room window open in the evening and know various other owners are not using any heating and experience much warmer living conditions. I have been in the other ground floor flat during midwinter and the difference is night and day so cannot even put it down to the heat rises thing.
Also whenever I have stayed at my brothers house it is totally toasty to the point of windows open with no heating on, and each time dread coming back to this place and having to sit with dressing gowns on and under a duvet.

So please tell me chaps, other than being the worlds newest haunted house or the one bit out of 6 that has zero insulation what else could it be???
I am hesitant to contact the managing agent as I will just come across as a whiny moaner and they will say "well WTF do you expect us to do about it?"

I have toyed with the idea of getting someone out to look at cavity wall insulation but seriously cannot believe my little corner of the building was missed out.

Any further info needed just ask!

edit 2 - tldr
-new build flat r cold
-other flats in block of 6 aint with no sign of extra electric heating usage
-whats a chap to do?
 
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Soldato
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14,349
Have you draft proofed any of your front and back doors?

Get the double glazing & windowsills checked.

What flooring do you have?
Do you have curtains or blinds?

Bought a new build house last year, admittedly it is a rather large 4 bed semi with 2/3rds of the downstairs flooring tiled. However the front & back doors were quite drafty being on the edge of the development looking out onto open fields. The double glazing also needed adjusting. Combined with a dodgy thermostat and also not having the heating on enough it's much much better than it was.

Edit: I leave my oven open to cool which warms the kitchen nicely and as long as you've not cooked anything stinky is perfectly fine.
 
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Soldato
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Storage heaters are terrible.

Try heating a house like mine. Two centuries old, the old girl leaks like a sieve. No such thing as cavity walls. The only way you can keep heat in is to stoke up a coal fire. Wouldn't trade the old girl in for anything modern though. They built things properly in the 19th Century.
 
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Storage heaters are terrible.

Try heating a house like mine. Two centuries old, the old girl leaks like a sieve. No such thing as cavity walls. The only way you can keep heat in is to stoke up a coal fire. Wouldn't trade the old girl in for anything modern though. They built things properly in the 19th Century.

Nothing says 'proper' like hypothermia. :confused:
 
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Storage heaters are terrible.

Try heating a house like mine. Two centuries old, the old girl leaks like a sieve. No such thing as cavity walls. The only way you can keep heat in is to stoke up a coal fire. Wouldn't trade the old girl in for anything modern though. They built things properly in the 19th Century.

same in my house the energy rating must be rubbish, nothing like burning some good old coal to warm the place up
 
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@ bennyc
Floors are carpeted throughout bar kitchen and bathroom.
All windows have fairly heavy curtains
Only entrance is an internal door so cannot be external drafts.

Thanks for the reply :)
 
Soldato
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Feel for cold spots. That's it really, feel the walls, ceilings, under the carpet, round the frames of the windows, round the skirting board (seriously - I wouldn't assume anything about the quality of the build).
 
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Thick curtains? As much as it sounds stupid, it seems to make a pretty big difference in the entire block of flats I live in. (Converted 1800s Mansion, freezing..)
 
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@ Brookert
Not sure but can pretend to smoke indoors as it were.

@ Lordsplodge
I wouldn't mind so much if I lived in a Ye Olde Mansion but expect different in a new build!
 
Soldato
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@ bennyc
Floors are carpeted throughout bar kitchen and bathroom.
All windows have fairly heavy curtains
Only entrance is an internal door so cannot be external drafts.

Thanks for the reply :)

Feel for cold spots. That's it really, feel the walls, ceilings, under the carpet, round the frames of the windows, round the skirting board (seriously - I wouldn't assume anything about the quality of the build).

Do you have laminate elsewhere or tiles?

As Telescopi says, if you're loosing heat rapidly there must either be a cold spot or somewhere letting air in/out.

I've not any experience with storage heaters except when I was at uni but presume they heat the room pretty quickly? or do they just pump out a lot of warm air that dissipates quickly?

Are you keeping your heating on a low temperature most of the day or letting the flat cool during the day?
 
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Do you have laminate elsewhere or tiles?

As Telescopi says, if you're loosing heat rapidly there must either be a cold spot or somewhere letting air in/out.

I've not any experience with storage heaters except when I was at uni but presume they heat the room pretty quickly? or do they just pump out a lot of warm air that dissipates quickly?

Are you keeping your heating on a low temperature most of the day or letting the flat cool during the day?

Laminated in bathroom and kitchen.
The heaters do warm the room fairly quickly but the rooms get cold quickly if not being heated.
Somewhat because of the above the flat gets cold during the day.
 
Caporegime
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What facing are the windows?

Our ground floor flat is east and west facing, so come winter we get minimal sun, and it makes quite a difference.

Are you window vents open? Might be worth closing them if so and getting a desiccant dehumidifier to deal with condensation. Desiccant ones heat the air and are quieter than the normal condenser models.
 
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