Faster, stronger action on cold rented homes is needed in Energy Bill

Andrew, Oxford
17 January 2011

I recently moved into rented accommodation in Oxford and when the snow came our heating just couldn't keep up. We had four electric storage heaters on full power all day for over a month and the temperature didn't get above 15 degrees.

We've done everything we can as tenants to keep the place warm, such as thermal curtains and temporary secondary glazing, but with no insulation in the loft and painfully draughty windows it's like fighting a fire with a water pistol.

But the worst part wasn't the cold. It was the guilt we felt knowing how much carbon dioxide our heating was pumping into the atmosphere. Our two bedroom terraced flat was using 800 KWh a week over that period, which is more than my parents use each quarter in their four bedroom detached house.

Natasha Khan, Bat for Lashes

"We suffered the worst mould you could imagine in my student house. Over our 2 year let, it got to the point where you'd have to dodge at least 20 slugs living off moisture in the carpet to reach the bathroom - then inhale black mould spores if the steam from the shower got too much. The cold, draughts and dampness were pretty extreme!"

Stop tenants feeling the chill

Stop tenants feeling the chill

Help end dangerously cold homes

Stop tenants feeling the chill

Need some help?

For free advice on paying heating bills and how to save energy, visit Home Heat Helpline  or call 0800 336699.

Find out your legal rights as a tenant at Shelter or call 0808 800 4444.