Thermostat setting
 

I have been told that I am to keep the thermostat set at 79 degrees in my upcoming 3 month rental. Is this reasonable? Personally, I think it is not.

Setting
 

I keep my house at 74 24 by 7. 79 I would be sweating!

No, it is not reasonable. I would call it unreasonable. Are you allowed to flush the toilets? If not, that would also be unreasonable.

We use 78 as the high setting, and find this comfortable with the fans on, since this is winter time, we use 70-72 as the low setting, with no fans.

Who are you renting from? Ebeneezer Scrooge?

when i leave my home for weeks i set to 79
put it on 74 to 72 and all will be good
electric in winter is cheap here

My guests can set the temp whatever they want.

Usually, it is left to the renter to set a comfortable temperature with the proviso that the tenant is responsible for any utility charge over a set amount. Most homeowners are pretty fair about the amount. One like yours probably wouldn’t be.

If it really matters that much to the landlord - run in another direction. It won't be the only issue you will have.

My guess, at this point, is it is prime season. I would offer fifty bucks a month (if reason failed and no options) for the extra juice. But I would be mighty irritated!

I wouldn't offer anything. If you haven't locked in a rental agreement, I would find another place to rent. There are always rentals that come available. You have the landlord from hell.

This is beyond ridiculous. I have my renters set the temp at 78 when they vacate only (like leave to go home). Requiring someone to keep a temperature set at a setting that may not be comfortable is not a reasonable request. I sure hope you can run far far away from this rental!

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Wow, do you people like hot homes, 79, 78, 74. I had to hack my thermostat to get it down to 65. I keep it 67 during the day and 66 or 65 at night. Before the posts start that I’m harming the equipment, I’ve been doing it this way for 20 yrs and not one service call, ever. :-)

This post is right on the money. Any thought of an extra utility charge during a lease should be spelled out in the lease. If it's not in writing, then it doesn't exist.

I know from experience that some potential renters can be a real "PIA" with tons of nit-picky questions and requests before signing the normal rental contract. If you are one of those, perhaps the owner wants you to find another place. Some renters seem to see the process as a challenge of wits for whatever reason. If that is not the case, then the owner is seemingly going overboard with the details and you might be happier with a different rental anyway. There are lots of homes to choose from and most are not that restrictive, (and lots of potential renters also). On one occasion, after dealing with too many frivolous questions, it finally came out that the potential renter did not believe that "visitors" should cost extra and they were simply trying to have two couples live there for the duration in order to split the cost. I was happy to not rent to them after knowing their firm motive. If they had been honest about it up front, we could have saved a lot of time-consuming correspondence with a simple price adjustment. There may be two sides to this post.

Well, actually you are lucky IMO and experience. Usually, they just lie to me about the number of people. It is sad, really. The neighbors tell me anyways. Probability is about 75% that they will want to re-rent. Edit to add: Ditka is probably local, but you see even distant owners can find out if the home is loaded with extra guests.

Now, let me ask you this readers: would you want to re-rent to someone under who did this to you?

As new landlords we too, are wondering what to do about this. In the summer we had a few renters that liked to keep the inside temperature in the mid 60s. I had the property manager check to ensure the air conditioner was working correctly, and they weren’t just trying to get the house down to a livable temperature. No, they both confirmed they like it in the 60’s. I’m thinking of adding to my summer rentals contracts a small surcharge if they want to keep the house below 70F to cover the electric bill. Summer rents aren’t high enough to cover huge electric bills, and at some point it’s cheaper to keep the house empty. On the other hand, I don’t want to raise the rate to always cover the worst possible utility bill.

The easiest way is simply to add a clause that if the electric bill is over X amount, the renter will pay the extra. Simply figure what is the average for your house on an annual basis (pretending it is occupied year round) and go with that, usually around $125. That way, renters see they aren’t being gouged and you’re not stuck with an exorbitant charge. Not a bad idea to do for water since some renters like five showers a day during the summer.

What I do for my homeowners who don’t have a utilities clause is find an excuse to visit the renters a few days after they’ve moved in. If I notice the ac or heat is at an unreasonable rate, I advise them that they will probably have to pay the overage and have the homeowners send a confirming email. Not exactly binding but most renters agree to it.

A good property manager or housewatcher checks an occupied rental at least once a month (a perimeter check works) to insure renters are in compliance. If two couples, then the homeowner can contact the renters and give them a choice — one half month monthly rental for the second couple or get out. If nothing else, you keep all deposits in a case like this.

As to renting to people like this again, no way. A cheat is a cheat is a cheat.

Do not rent from a person who is this cheap-IMHO, they will do everything possible to keep every cent of your security deposit-cleaning, etc.

Maybe they were burned before by a previous tenant and asked for 79 degrees figuring you would put it on 75 degrees. Not a great way to handle a customer but a great way to lose one for next year. If it was me and there was no deposit involved, adios. To many great landlords and rentals here to stress something like this. :thumbup:

:shrug: What am I missing on this one?

I have read this several times since it was posted yesterday. Am I wrong in thinking this is a PROBABLY a Jan. Feb. & March rental. It is the upcoming 3 months and the high season.

Who is going to have their thermostat set at 79 degrees? How would the owner save anything with the heat set at 79?:confused:

Intellicast - The Villages Historic Weather Averages in Florida (32163)

The landlord means 79 cooling.


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Read the link....

Average high temp. Jan.68 - Feb.71 - March 76

Open a window???:thumbup:

The landlord is confused ? Lol


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You’re right. There could be two sides to this story. I can say, though, that we have been coming to The Villages for several years. Our last rental was being sold so I looked for a new place. If I were an owner, I would want to rent to someone just like us. We never complain about anything. The House was always spotless. This list of rules and regulations is certainly putting a damper on our upcoming visit. Certainly not a warm welcome. I’m hoping that it will not be as bad as it seems.

It is an isolated incident! Why extrapolate it to a general condition when it is not.

Relax the other 99% of rentals will be just fine....as per usual!!

...The landlord means 79 cooling.


I can't remember the last time I had cooling on in the winter.

But then I can't remember what I had for breakfast, either

High Electric Bill
 

I have a question about putting a clause in the contract limiting what the landlord will pay for towards the electric...if the electric is limited to say $125, and the electric bill doesn't come until almost a month after the tenant has vacated, and by law, you have to return the Security Deposit within 2 weeks...how can you find out how much overage to charge the tenant and still return the Security Deposit in time? That would also be true with if you limited the amount of water used.

Yup, that what we do too! We are perfectly comfortable with those temps.

Landlords simply take a meter reading for electric prior to your move in, then again at check out. We know the cost per kilowatt hour from SECO and they just multiply to see if you went over the allowable amount. I had a landlord who did this and it seemed fair to me.