What’s the best form of electric heating for rental flat?

My experiance for electric is from a one bed house, I changed from those horrible storage heater to gas boiler/rads and no regrets and it was much easier to let.
Another studio we had for years with economy 7. Someone previously replaced a bath for a shower with anelectric shower and still left the huge storage tank in. Well after some years it dawned on us why is the tenant heating this huge tank when they have an electric shower. The one room had a stoarge heater replaced a number of times. So, started to look into electric heating options all the different types of panels all a bit confusing and lots of sales buff.
At this time I bought a large one bed flat conversion that had an Heatrae Sadia electric boiler with a "wet" radiator system called Electromax Combined Electric Flow Boiler and Direct Unvented Hot Water Cylinder.
It did have a tank/cylinder but not so big, basicaly as it had a bath. It has proved very efficiant and not if any more that gas. So, in the studio we had a Heatra Sadia system put in consisting of a boiler (this about a metre high and 10/12cm square) plus one radiator. It is capable of running 5 rads! For the shower room & kitchen sinks we had a small under counter instant heater all good and tenants are very happy.
The one bed flat had an Electromax and the studio a had a much small system.
No bath, then no need for the tank, use an electric shower.
I would recomend anyone to look at these Sadia systems. (there are a few others)

Reply to the comment left by Dennis Leverett at 19/07/2021 - 13:17
The EPC is calculated on a points system and your Solar Panels should add enough points to make your property a 'C' at least. However, at my last EPC the surveyor didn't even notice I had solar of the roof, so sometimes you need to point out the obvious.

The last electric radiators we purchased for a flat was back in 2018 from this company. https://www.electricradiatorsdirect.co.uk/news/the-best-electric-radiators-uk-for-2021/. Can recommend their service. We did also consider the Dimplex Quantum storage heaters to use on Economy 7 but as soon as Smart Meters become the norm ECO 7 will come to an, as Energy companies will move to 1/2 hourly billing like the Octopus Agile tariff.

I would suggest a heat pump- air sourced. and ideally with no cooling. They are fairly quite too need a outside wall/space. If it makes sense then also use it to heat the hot water but you will need a cylinder
Heat pumps are common in a lot of countries now its certainly better than e7
Alternative is solar - but unlike the suggestions of converting the solar to electricity use the solar panels to heat hot water /radiators The efficiency is much better then converting to electric by far only trouble is need storage and like solar power expensive to set up with all the equipment and storage

Reply to the comment left by Christopher Rogal at 19/07/2021 - 13:42
So many on here have experienced how useless the EPC is and what a waste of time, take the one day course and become an EPC consultant.
The two flats I am mentioned have identical heating but the EPC accessor calls one flat storage heaters which they are not and the other flat as electric radiators, go figure. Their database of efficeint heating, clearly doesn't work. Until an actual heat map is provided with an EPC, they are worthless.

Reply to the comment left by Christopher Rogal at 19/07/2021 - 13:42
So many on here have experienced how useless the EPC is and what a waste of time, take the one day course and become an EPC consultant.
The two flats I am mentioned have identical heating but the EPC accessor calls one flat storage heaters which they are not and the other flat as electric radiators, go figure. Their database of efficeint heating, clearly doesn't work. Until an actual heat map is provided with an EPC, they are worthless.

I appreciate the limitations of the EPC system but it is what we are stuck with. That is why knowing your assessor and building a good working relationship that will help you design an improved and recognised system.

Reply to the comment left by at 19/07/2021 - 22:45
Totally disagree, these are a tick box exercise that actually doesn't really prove anything, if the "skilled" consultant has ticked the right boxes. If they have got the heating wrong or the usual "assumed not installed" like loft insulation, underfloor insulation, when proved to have been fitted completely ignores it.
The only real way is a proper heat map showing the level of heat lost, absolute proof. Solid wall can have similar and in some cases better thermal capacity as a cavity wall it depends on the make up of and how built. Ticking a box with an arbitrary figure if solid or cavity etc is ridiculous, especially when they are going to bring this lie into law.

Reply to the comment left by DGM at 19/07/2021 - 22:54
You raise a very good point. These assessments are taken as bible truth, but they carry big implications.

Such as whether I’m going to find myself obliged to wind down my rental portfolio and re-possess people’s homes of 20 years, because the government determines that they don’t meet certain standards.

The objectives are reasonable, but there’s considerable margin for error.

Reply to the comment left by Richie at 19/07/2021 - 18:23
Good points. I put in an electric shower to reduce the need for a hot water cylinder. It didn’t occur to me that a similar kitchen hot water heating unit would finish the job.

It’s essentially replicating what a gas combi boiler does for hot water.

It doesn’t unfortunately solve the problem of expensive electric heating.