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Ignatius Lord · 21-10-2012, 09:43 PM

Have a guy who used an electric heater because he couldn't be bothered to use his radiator! (bills were inclusive of course)

electric heaters cost a fortune, is there a way to stop people using these? Thinking of making rt\\tenants pay half bills now

Vanessa Warwick · 21-10-2012, 09:50 PM

There was some good advice given on this thread:

Gas and electricity bill reduction

Mark S · 22-10-2012, 08:33 AM

I just encountered the same problem in one of my properties. I have mentioned three main reasons why electric heaters are not allowed:

1. Heater in question has not been PAT tested and therefore not to be used in the property as they are a breach of Health & Saftey.

2. This one is not strictly true but mentioned my insurance will not cover the use of electric heaters by tenants.

3. Expensive to run and will cause my utility fair use policy to be exceeded and therefore it is not reasonable to expect other tenants to pay to the use of electric heaters.

I hope this helps

Ian · 22-10-2012, 09:26 AM

If you are rewiring you could put a separate radial circuit into each room with a 5 amp MCR/RCBO, however this will be expensive to install and you have the issue that some hair dryers take over 5 amps.

Dave Reaney · 22-10-2012, 10:36 AM

Mark S

What you tell your tenants is entirely up to you, but you may be inerested to know that (1) is also untrue - do you insist your tenants hair dryers and iPod docks are all PAT tested?

The subject of shared utilities - and their costs - is always a tricky one in HMO situations.

In the 1st ever bedsit I lived in (1980s) each room had it's own coin meter for electricity. That seemed a fair arrangement, but could be seen as

a) expensive to set-up unless HMO being created from total re-fit
b) over prescriptive when washing machines are on coin meters and communal sockets are locked (to prevent extensionleads being used).

#Ian - sorry, hadn't read your post, not copying - honest!

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