This summer a couple of my tenants raised concerns about their flats getting extremely hot, particularly during the warmer weeks. They asked what can be done about it and I am trying to understand what options landlords typically consider.
Have any of you had similar feedback from tenants? If so, how have you approached it? is it more about educating tenants on ventilation and usage, investing in shading, or looking at retrofit solutions that actually work in practice?
I would really appreciate hearing how others are tackling overheating, especially in older builds or properties with electric heating.
It’s hard to know what to suggest without more details about your property type. Not sure what electric heating has to do with it as you have don’t have a problem with heating.
The property is a 1950s block, top floor flat, which probably doesn’t help in summer. I mentioned the electric heating because I was looking into AC units that can also provide heating, thinking that might make the current system redundant.
Have you (or anyone else here) installed AC in a similar setting? I’m curious about what’s realistically involved in terms of permits, installation work, ongoing costs, and whether it’s been worth it for tenant comfort.
Have the tenants been in situ for a few summers? I take it all the windows operate as they should. We used a freestanding fan to circulate air at home.
This was their first one in the flat so I think it took them by surprise. Windows all work fine but being on the top floor really seems to amplify the heat.
Fans are definitely the easiest short-term option but I am wondering if anyone has gone further in a block setting like installing AC, fitting shading, or trying other retrofit solutions. I am trying to gauge what is realistic for landlords without ending up with something too costly or disruptive.
Prob with using AC for heating is siting of the units. They’re typically sited at the top of a wall so that the coldest air meets the hottest air in the room and then the cold air sinks. In winter though, you want the warmest air at the bottom of the room. This makes them much less efficient than rads for heating.
We have perfect-fit blinds on all our south facing windows and we keep these shut all day on the hottest days in summer. Combining that with ceiling fans works for us, but we’re not a top floor flat.
What does the leaseholder have to say about you installing shading / AC units?