Multi Fuel Stove in Rental Property

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daveyboy31

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Have an apartment with a multi fuel stove. It's handy as the only other heating is storage heaters so we had removed the open fire and installed a multi fuel some years back for ourselves. We intend to rent the apartment out in the coming months. I'm not sure is it a wise idea to leave the stove in place however. On the plus side it may add to the attractiveness of the apartment and get us a bit more rent. On the flip side, I would need to pay to get the chimney swept once or twice a year. More importantly I have concerns of mishaps, accidents etc. Any thoughts from an experienced landlord? Thanks
 
Yeah, I'm sure open fire would need to be swept too. We changed to a stove about 5 years ago. Can be a little trickier to sweep depending on the angle the stove pipe enters the flu. Have swept it myself but I reckon the right job is probably a pro sweeping it from above. My concern would be a chimney fire, smoke billowing back into the room, sparks setting a rug on fire or worse.
 
I'm not sure if this is much use to you but I had an open fire in a house I was renting. I was always anxious to do something with it as it was inevitably left dirty, the chimney had to be swept between tenants, it affected the BER and like you I was always concerned of the fire risks and also of tenants burning rubbish. I had been thinking of a solid fuel stove as an upgrade when Mrs PF suggested getting a gas stove. I was lucky enough that I am on mains gas and the supply was convenient. There was an investment involved and I can appreciate that you mightn't want to take out the existing stove. The gas stove has all the efficiency of the solid fuel stove, is an alternative heat source if there is a problem with the central heating and eliminates all the issues associated with the open fire. For an apartment, there would be no issues with fuel storage or disposal of ashes. One year on and it seems to have been a great hit with the tenants and is still working fine. Would that work for you? It is a Gazco brand by the way.
 
paper-folder said:
I'm not sure if this is much use to you but I had an open fire in a house I was renting. I was always anxious to do something with it as it was inevitably left dirty, the chimney had to be swept between tenants, it affected the BER and like you I was always concerned of the fire risks and also of tenants burning rubbish. I had been thinking of a solid fuel stove as an upgrade when Mrs PF suggested getting a gas stove. I was lucky enough that I am on mains gas and the supply was convenient. There was an investment involved and I can appreciate that you mightn't want to take out the existing stove. The gas stove has all the efficiency of the solid fuel stove, is an alternative heat source if there is a problem with the central heating and eliminates all the issues associated with the open fire. For an apartment, there would be no issues with fuel storage or disposal of ashes. One year on and it seems to have been a great hit with the tenants and is still working fine. Would that work for you? It is a Gazco brand by the way.
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Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.
The only other heat source is electric storage heaters I'm afraid. That's why we opted for the stove for ourselves. I guess I could remove it and put in an electric fire for example. Just a matter of weighing up the pros and cons. Maybe I’m overthinking it. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
If it was me, I would tell them (tenants) it's not up to standard and can't be used and block access as much as you can. It seems it is a nice feature which could be useful when selling later.
 
elcato said:
If it was me, I would tell them (tenants) it's not up to standard and can't be used and block access as much as you can. It seems it is a nice feature which could be useful when selling later.
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They'll surely ask for it to be fixed or replaced, if they only alternative is electric storage heaters.
 
elcato said:
They could but I would tell them at the viewing that it won't be fixed.
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Hmmm. A recipe for trouble and a "my stingy landlord won't fix his broken stove and I'm freezing!" complaint to the RTB.
 
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I was thinking of just removing the stove and stove pipe. I suppose the question there is whether electric storage heating alone is acceptable to tenants and if removal of the stove would bring down the rental value much. If so, I suppose it could be worth retaining it and having it swept every year. Presumably that would be sufficient from a health and safety point of view. New to it all so just thought there might be folk out there in the same boat. Thanks
 
If you make it utterly clear to the tenants that you are showing it as is and that the stove does not and will not work and the only other source of heat you are offering is storage then the tenants have no right to ask for it to be fixed. On viewing they may ask would you supply another heater. The same is going on for years when tenants are looking at period houses converted to apartments. They may still have a fireplace and a mantelpiece but they are made aware that they cannot use them.
 
I have two stoves, the smaller one needs to be cleaned regularity, I got caught relighting it after the summer season as I had not noticed that the flue pipe was blocked at the rear from debris, this lead to smoke filled roof, open windows, put out fire, smoke everywhere.panic !

The bigger stove is easier to mind, for me I'd remove it, storage heaters are common in apartments.
 
Thanks all, good to get a range of views on it. I think I'll play it safe and remove it. I know through experience that fires and stoves need to be looked after and operated properly or they can be dangerous.
 
All the properties I rented had an open fire.I used them during the winter and found them great. My landlords weren't as conscientious as you and they wouldn't of got them sweeped but I did before every winter. At viewing set up some guidelines and buy a fire guard. Most mature people would have experience of stoves and fires.
 
Superstitious said:
All the properties I rented had an open fire.I used them during the winter and found them great. My landlords weren't as conscientious as you and they wouldn't of got them sweeped but I did before every winter. At viewing set up some guidelines and buy a fire guard. Most mature people would have experience of stoves and fires.
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Thanks
 
I have tenants in a house with an open fire for years. And yes I've had the fire brigade once. Also had the kitchen set on fire this year due to a pot being left on the electric cooker. As long as you, yourself, the landlord organise the cleaning once a year by a property expert I don't see any problem. I hate storage heating as it is far worse than gas or oil. Also the newest type of storage heater, I won't name the brand because Burgess told me in the past not to, well they are terrible in my experience (staying in a short let holiday apartment in Ireland)
 
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