Renting a Property with Oil Central Heating
After what can sometimes be a lengthy search, you may have finally found the perfect rental property, only to realise your energy will be provided through oil central heating.
If you have never used or maybe even heard of oil heating before, don’t worry. At Certas Energy, we’re here to provide you with some useful information to guide you through the renting process.
Read on to understand more about what the obligations are for you and your landlord when it comes to renting a house with oil heating.
What Should You Do Before Moving into a Rental Property with oil central heating?
1. Contact Your Landlord
When renting any property, it’s important to discuss all of the details of your contract and the property, and set up a flow of communication between yourselves and your landlord.
Before signing the tenancy agreement, be sure to read the terms thoroughly and ask your landlord any questions that may be a deal breaker, such as:
Is this a short or long-term tenancy?
What is the deposit?
Are you allowed pets?
Ensure you are completely happy with all of the terms and conditions before signing the contract so you can live comfortably for the duration of your tenancy.
2. Take Photographs For Your Inventory
Once you move into the property, your landlord should provide you with an inventory report. This will consist of images of the entire property, highlighting the condition of each room. It is expected that the property should look similar to this once you leave, therefore it’s vital that you take photographs of any imperfections and add this to the report. These photographs will serve as evidence when you come to get your deposit back at the end of your tenancy.
3. Take Your Energy Meter Readings
Whether the property uses gas, electricity or heated oil, make sure to take meter readings on the day you move in. Doing so prevents you from being charged for the previous tenant’s energy usage and helps your energy provider to build an estimate for your monthly energy usage.
What is oil central heating?
If you are renting a home that uses an oil-fired boiler, you’re joining over one million households in the UK that rely on heating oil instead of national grid gas. Heating oil is a liquid fuel that powers heating systems. The name commonly refers to the petroleum-based oil that is used to heat homes with more traditional heating systems, sometimes known as Kerosene. There are two types of Kerosene to choose from when embarking on your oil-heating journey, Standard Kerosene and Premium Kerosene.
When living in an oil-heated home, you are responsible for manually setting up deliveries of oil which you will keep in an oil storage tank. The price of Kerosene can fluctuate, therefore some people like to buy in bulk and save for future usage. Up to 3,500 litres can be safely stored in the correct conditions, so you needn’t worry about running out of fuel for heat and hot water through the cold winter months.
When renting a property with oil central heating, you needn’t worry about your oil storage tank, this is provided by your landlord. Your landlord must provide you with an oil storage tank and keep up with its maintenance – you just need to focus on paying your energy bills. We make it easy for you to pay for your energy with a range of flexible payment options to suit you. Get a quote from us today to help you get started.
Read our guide for more information on how to decide how much oil you need.
How Can Using Heating Oil Help Save Money?
In a rental property, your landlord must provide you with an oil storage tank, therefore saving you the upfront cost of the tank installation. Utilise this by keeping a close eye on your energy usage to save as much money as possible on your energy bills.
To track your energy usage, get a smart monitor installed for as little as £6 a month. These oil monitors have built-in safety alerts, so you could save a significant amount of money in the long run. You will also get alerts when your supply is running low. In keeping a close eye on your energy usage, you can adopt easy habits to save money that require minimal thought or effort.
For more money-saving tips, take a look at our guide on how to save money on your energy bills.
Does My Landlord Have to Service my Oil Boiler?
When living in a rental property, your landlord has a legal obligation over lots of things – particularly when heated oil is involved. Oil storage tanks and oil-fired boilers require an annual service check and maintenance checks every 12 months, to ensure they are in proper working order.
Under the 1985 tenant act which contains the BS 5410 regulation, your landlord has legal requirements to provide you with a safe supply of energy and also pay for boiler repairs. In being responsible for your oil boiler service, your landlord is legally responsible and must provide you with a registered engineer should your boiler break down. To avoid disruption, read our guide on how to increase your boiler’s efficiency.
Overall, moving into a rental property with oil central heating isn’t as complicated as it may first sound. As long as you keep in regular contact with your landlord and keep a close eye on your energy usage, oil central heating could actually save you money in the long run. Enjoy the freedom of living off the national grid and rent a home with oil central heating today.
To book your first delivery of heating oil, contact us today.
