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

Reply to the comment left by blair at 19/07/2021 - 21:36My solar panels have a gadget which heats the hot water tank (not radiators) through emersion heater before being fed into system so in effect I get free hot water plus full rates on electricity produced. It works really well plus have a log burner in the lounge which in the winter almost heats the whole bungalow if lounge door left open. We have oil heating system but because of the log burner and free hot water use very little oil and by burning the correct wood very efficient and environment friendly. The double glazing lets heat in but not out. The solar panels are German made with a 20 year insurance backed guarantee not to lose more than 20% of their "production" efficiency over the period. Fortunately we purchased before the Gov. change in tariff's and these are increased in line with inflation w.h.y. every year, we have now recouped all our initial investment in less than 6 years. Beware of cheap Chinese panels from the discount boys, we struck lucky with a very good local firm that knew their trade inside out.

Reply to the comment left by Christopher Rogal at 19/07/2021 - 23:03
I have no issue to having an EPC, but it has to have absolute meaning and be proven about the heat loss and real solutions. The current tick box exercise is a waste of time, Solid wall, answer external insulation - err conservation area, can't do - another useable answer please.
The current EPC is not fit for purpose and a total waste of time.
Every EPC I have has mistakes, even when pointed out they ignore, as it doesn't matter at the moment not a problem. When it becomes law, I can see EPC consultants being sued for wrong assessments, that will cause egg on the governments face as the papers will love this.
As I said earlier underfloor and loft insulation installed, EPC says assumed not installed, so you sue for their incompetence.

Guys, what all this about EPC's a bit off subject!. The original question was:
What’s the best form of electric heating for rental flat?

Reply to the comment left by Richie at 19/07/2021 - 23:20
EPCs isn't really off subject. There's no point in installing electric heating if it won't get a high enough EPC rating.
The EPC system doesn't recognise Lot 20 which seems to be completely nuts. Lot 20 compliant heating is very controllable and often much lower wattage than old school electric heating.
I have 2 flats that are all or mainly electric heating and they are cheaper to run than most of my other properties which have gas central heating. They are a bit smaller but it's mainly not paying a second standing charge that makes it economical.

The all electric one has a Dimplex Quantum storage heater in the lounge, a Lot 20 panel heater in the bedroom (with a very programmable remote control) and large low wattage Lot 20 towel radiators in the shower room and kitchen, again with programmable remote controls. It has an electric shower and electric undersink water heater serving the kitchen sink and bathroom basin.
Not only is it cheap for the tenant to run it also doesn't need an annual gas safety check. If any of it goes wrong it's only one item so isn't expensive to replace and doesn't majorly inconvenience the tenant.
The downside is the EPC rating. Even doing everything the assessor recommended that was within my power to do (freeholder won't allow cavity wall insulation) it only just scrapped into a D rating.

Reply to the comment left by Dennis Leverett at 19/07/2021 - 23:10The problem with solar panels of course is that they are useless for providing any useful room heating. The worst three months for solar power generation are December, January and February which are just the months when you need the most heating. I don't think there is any easy way of storing the excess generation produced in the summer months to be usefully used in the winter months.

Heat pumps, as already mentioned are expensive, 10-12K is normal for an install including upping the radiator sizes by 30-50% as heat pumps run at a lower temperature. They are large, often the size of a fridge freezer and noisy.
Electricity is going up fast and many companies are charging 19-20p a unit now, up 30%+ on a year ago. Not helpful, I know but at the moment is does not compete with gas

Reply to the comment left by Martin Riddle at 21/07/2021 - 12:06
From what I read, gas boilers will be around for a long time (except for new build houses). Electric heating drags down an EPC rating and is very expensive, as you say.

I have six tenanted flats without gas, and I’ve reluctantly concluded that they need gas central heating.

As for heat pumps, how do you secure five fridge-freezer-sized units (one per flat) to the outside of a five-story Victorian building?

And then protect and maintain them?

My HMO's have new(ish!) gas boilers and I will be replacing them in the next 2 or 3 years with 10+ year warrantied gas boilers.
Heat pumps are popular in some countries where it is warmer though the winter but I am not sure if they are suitable for the UK. They run at lower temperatures (35-40 degrees C) so you have to leave them on longer to keep to maintain temperatures. HHSRS states you must have heating that will be able to warm up to about 19degreesC in 30 minutes and it is unlikely Heat Pumps will be able to do this at the moment in a UK winter.
My feeling that Heat Pumps will be pushed into the future when the tech gets better and your right, several units in a Victorian building will be expensive and space wise very difficult.

Reply to the comment left by Jo Westlake at 20/07/2021 - 00:04
Lot 20 is what I put into 2 flats, they are quite good, but EPC when they get right what type of heater it is, rate it as low. There is no Gas in the building so that is not an option.
So to back on topic, use Lot 20 electric heating as it is fully controllable, some via wifi, can set a minimum temperature so the unit doesn't heat up and cool down constantly which costs a lot.

My understanding is that EPC's are likely to be replaced with something similar, but different.
Currently, an EPC rating is designed to indicate the financial energy cost to the resident. As gas is cheaper, so electric heating is damaging to the EPC rating.
But gas heating is damaging to the environment, and electric is cleaner, so it is likely that EPC's will be replaced by a system that favours electric heating instead of gas. But this is hard to do when the unit cost of electric is so much higher than gas.
Quite when EPC's will change is anyone's guess, so for myself I would forget about EPC's until we get firm direction from the government. Whatever heaters you decide on, don't spend too much now as there will be changes afoot.