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Am I allowed to move the location of my central heating thermostat so I get the desired room temperatures?

  • 7 November 2023
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I
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Anyone with a similar problem as mine?

My local authority building regulations dictate where the central heating thermostat is sited. In my property it is in my entrance hall which is about 1/4 the size of my lounge. Subsequently the hallway heats up very quickly and switches off while my lounge is still freezing! In order to counter this I have to crank the thermostat up to sauna temperatures in order to warm up the lounge, either that or leave the front door open.

Regulations prevent me fitting flow controls on the hall radiator which would fix the problem.

Anyone got a solution?

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Best answer by Jeffus 7 November 2023, 17:48

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Blastoise186
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What a stupid setup and ruleset that is!

Let me call in someone who might have some thoughts here. I’m afraid this one is outside of my scope, but since each of the Forum Volunteers specialise in different things, I think @Jeffus and @Firedog might be able to think of something.

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way!
Jeffus
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Hi @IanFerguson 

 

I am assuming you have a gas boiler with radiators for your heating rather than something like a heat pump or under floor heating. 

You are correct in that you shouldn't have a Thermostatic Radiator Valve in the same room as your Thermostat.

 

I suggest asking your local authority to highlight in the building regs where it says your thermostat has to be in the hall, not the local authorities interpretation of the regs in any document they provide. Here is a link. You can search for thermostat in the regs. I've never seen the restriction they mention but I am not a qualified person. 

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1133079/Approved_Document_L__Conservation_of_fuel_and_power__Volume_1_Dwellings__2021_edition_incorporating_2023_amendments.pdf

If you took the TRV out of you living room and put the TRV the hall, then put the thermostat in the living room then you shouldn't have the issue of a TRV and Thermostat in the same room. This may be what is causing the issue with the local authority.

 

It also doesn't make any sense to me as there are portable thermostats depending on the  control system for your gas boiler. 

It also sounds like it is worth checking to see if your radiators are balanced if you are getting uneven heating. 

Do you have a link to your local authorities website containing the limitation they have told you that you could share with us? 

I’m curious, is this the local authority building control telling you directly or a company working on your gas central heating? 

I
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Thanks very much, very comprehensive advice. My first approach will be to the LA to show me the regulations. I have to date accepted word of mouth explanations.

My property is rented from the LA and my boiler (gas -Vaillant) and rads were upgraded less than a year ago. However the thermostat and timer are hard wired and the boiler doesn't support portable controls. Understandably, in today's financial climate the LA choose the cheapest options

It may well be that the LA simply wants to avoid the cost of rewiring in moving the thermostat to the lounge in which case I cannot be bothered pursuing them over it. It has taken them almost two years to fix the security entry buzzer system. Life is far too short, especially when you're my age.

Anyway, super advice and much respect to you and the other forum volunteers.

Jeffus
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Userlevel 7
Badge +2

Thanks very much, very comprehensive advice. My first approach will be to the LA to show me the regulations. I have to date accepted word of mouth explanations.

My property is rented from the LA and my boiler (gas -Vaillant) and rads were upgraded less than a year ago. However the thermostat and timer are hard wired and the boiler doesn't support portable controls. Understandably, in today's financial climate the LA choose the cheapest options

It may well be that the LA simply wants to avoid the cost of rewiring in moving the thermostat to the lounge in which case I cannot be bothered pursuing them over it. It has taken them almost two years to fix the security entry buzzer system. Life is far too short, especially when you're my age.

Anyway, super advice and much respect to you and the other forum volunteers.

Yep

I suspect they won't change the position then. 

It would still be worth asking them to come and check the radiators are properly balanced given the uneven heating. I think that is a reasonable request. This should help if done properly. You could try doing it yourself but I personally wouldn't in a Local Authority home. They could also check there were no air pockets in the radiators

I
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Thanks to this forum, in particular Tim, Jeffus and Blastoise186, I have embarrassed the council into agreeing to resite my CH thermostat to the lounge. I also got my local MP involved (must be an election looming!).

Thanks to all, people power really does work!

Jeffus
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Thanks to this forum, in particular Tim, Jeffus and Blastoise186, I have embarrassed the council into agreeing to resite my CH thermostat to the lounge. I also got my local MP involved (must be an election looming!).

Thanks to all, people power really does work!

Good news

Make sure they switch the TRVs and check the radiators are balanced at the same time.

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