Rented Property Energy Efficienty?

lemonkettaz

lemonkettaz

lemonkettaz

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Hi,

I'm currently in a student rented property and I was wondering if there are any laws on the energy efficiency of a house, It's a bit ridiculous but only half of the windows in our house keep a draft in and are relatively new, the other half are clearly old (not sure if they are double glazed) and are really drafty...

I'm concerned because it takes a while for the house to heat up and it loses the heat really quickly, in the living room it always sounds like the window is open thats how bad they are...

It might be a long shot but I've got a feeling our gas bill will be very high throughout winter and was wondering if there is a chance something can be done with regards to getting the rubbish windows replaced to help bring energy bills down?

Thanks
 
Tbh it does seem a little bad they have let it get to that state - if you have a property manager or landlord that'd be my first port of call.

If it's costing you a silly amount in heating I'm sure they'll help you out somehow, afterall it's their property that is substandard, but at the same time every penny spent by them is a penny they lose.
 
We haven't had any energy bills yet so can't really say, surely they can just say don't use so much energy?

Should I ask for an energy performance certificate first?
 
Tell me about it...... seems no one cares about those who rent, some of the homes never get maintained correctly.

I rent my home at the moment, and I loath to try and fix anything. I refuse to pay for decorating even. Why I should be seen to improve a home that isn't mine is beyond me.

Anyhow, I'm sure I'll be in the same boat as you this winter, all my windows glazing has blown and I'm about to start writing letters to explain that this'll not keep the warmth in, and will let the cold in...

Not too sure what the legal stance is on this, so keen to find out.
 
Welcome to student properties, where double glazing is a luxury!

If your lucky you get double glazing with the seals intact... we weren't that lucky!
 
A few years ago, my landlord sent round one of these energy guys to check insulation etc..

I never heard anymore from it. Even then the windows in my home were rather poor, they need to be all replaced. Honestly, I can't see it being sorted this year, and next year me and gf will finally get our act together and get our first house, so that'll fix it for me..

I too dread the bill for winter, my living room is so cold, even now its getting cold. Warmest room for me is where my PC is.... Sit in there all winter. lol
 
I think it's ridiculous. They charge full price for student letting and it's always a dump, fair enough their stance might be "it will get trashed anyway" but a lot of people want to live in a nice house.

With all this environment talk surely every house should be made to be much better and keeping heat in?

No doubt any point of view will be shot down if I go to the landlord.

Paying over £300 for a room is hideous
 
iv-tecman said:
Tell me about it...... seems no one cares about those who rent, some of the homes never get maintained correctly.

I rent my home at the moment, and I loath to try and fix anything. I refuse to pay for decorating even. Why I should be seen to improve a home that isn't mine is beyond me.

Anyhow, I'm sure I'll be in the same boat as you this winter, all my windows glazing has blown and I'm about to start writing letters to explain that this'll not keep the warmth in, and will let the cold in...

Not too sure what the legal stance is on this, so keen to find out.
Click to expand...
For people that rent, the legal stance seems to be bent over with your arse in the air. :(

http://www.communities.gov.uk/plann...formance/homes/energyperformancecertificates/ this came into effect last year and so will apply to the OP or anyone who has recently started renting.

My girlfriend has the same problem. Her flat has terrible insulation and although they 'fixed' the windows this summer (:rolleyes: ) she is worried that her bills will still be ridiculously high. She hasn't got a leg to stand on because she started renting before that^ law came into place.

lemonkettaz said:
I think it's ridiculous. They charge full price for student letting and it's always a dump, fair enough their stance might be "it will get trashed anyway" but a lot of people want to live in a nice house.

With all this environment talk surely every house should be made to be much better and keeping heat in?

No doubt any point of view will be shot down if I go to the landlord.

Paying over £300 for a room is hideous
Click to expand...
It's not just student houses. Try paying £900+pcm for a 1 bed flat and and still suffer the landlord's laziness.
 
Haha I lived in a student house which had walls without cavities! That was double glazed too for all the good it did.

Sadly its just what student houses are like for the most part, cold, damp and drafty and cost a fortune to heat.

We used to just put on more jumpers as heating the place felt pointless given it escaped the moment you turned it off. Oh and alcohol :)

Once recorded a temperature of -2 celsius in the corner of my bedroom...
 
There are no regulations at all I'm afraid.

What I recommend is go to Homebase and get a roll of masking tape and tape up all the gaps on the window frames. It'll make a massive difference and you can just peel it back off in the spring. Also make sure you've got thick curtains up as they insulate well.
 
We have single glazing in ours. Something I failed to notice when looking round. Also very drafty doors. Be a bit cheeky to ask them to put double glazing in!
 
If the windows are causing a damp/mould problem you may be able to get something done, aside from that you should have realised what a state the windows were in before you signed on the dotted line.

I had the same problem in one place I stayed in whilst at uni - single glazing with huge gaps leading to awful drafts. We fitted some of that plastic "double glazing" film. The saving grace for us was that we lived above a kebab house and they resold us gas and electricty through a pound coin meter - the gas one would give you 5 units instead of 2 if you put £2 in :D

That, and the heat rising from the fryers/ovens kept us pretty toasty (not nice in the summer though).
 
Make a wooden frame up that fits snugly in the window. wrap it with a large sheet of clear polythene and put the hair drier on it to make it taught.

Voilà, instant double glazing!
 
We do have mould problems because of the windows?

Is there anything written down that can help me get them to seal the windows properly? like regulations or whatever?
 
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