Freezing cold flat

I've still yet to move into a house that I can call my own but moved into a temporary house-share at the beginning of this month with some lovely blokes in Herne Hill.

Great area, great people and I'm really impressed with how tidy it's kept - especially seeing as they're all boys!

The only thing that's making me want to move out is the fact that it's soooo cold in the house. I go to bed in about 5 layers with my bed right up against the radiator and clutching a hot water bottle. The house itself is an old Victorian terrace with these huge sash windows that rattle and lose heat at an alarming rate. The heating itself is fine, so it's not the responsibility of the landlord to sort out insulation (or so I'm told). I've just checked the direct gov website and here are the criteria that must be met:

A property should be free of serious health and safety hazards, which means your landlord should ensure that problems in the home are dealt with before they lead to poor health or accidents.

Hazards can arise in the home because of its design, wear and tear, or a lack of maintenance. The most common hazards involve:

* inadequate heating, insulation and disrepair
* a lack of handrails, steep stairs and pool lighting which lead to falls
* damp and mould growth
* problems with personal and domestic hygiene
* fire

In practice, the landlord should check to ensure that the home is a warm and safe environment for the range of people who live there.

They do mention insulation so I'm going to write a letter to my estate agent (citing this paragraph) and see what they say!!


Wish me luck!