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Question for the rental owners... Charging for aircon/heating?

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 10:55am
13 replies305 views7 members subscribed
coffeelover

Posts: 16

6 helpful points

Location: Torrox

Joined: 2 Apr 2022

As energy prices go up, I'm looking at the best way to both minimise my exposure to guests who take the Micheal when it comes to using the aircon and being fair to guests who use it responsibly.

1. My options seem to be to monitor all aircon usage and charge accordingly. Either by way of a metre or coin-operated system.

2. Install motion sensors. So it's only on when people are in the room.

3. Put timers on all units, so they only stay on for a given period of time.

Option 3 I'm not keen on, as it'll just annoy people. Option 2, in theory, will work but won't cover the plonkers who fire the aircon to the max and sit in all day with the windows and doors open. So I'm leaning towards option 1.

To give this some context: If a guest puts all the aircon on full power all day, I'm going to get hit with about a 20e a day bill, so I just can't suck it up. And it's unfair to add this to the daily rate.

I realise this is only becoming an issue for people now, but I suspect many hosts like me are thinking the same and wondering what to do. So I'd welcome any input on this from hosts as well as guests.

Although I will say to guests: I get that you just won't want to pay for aircon and so will just rent somewhere else, but I suspect before long, all hosts are going to be doing something creative to cover the cost of aircon, so your choices will diminish.

As a side note, I'm wondering what the rules are on this? I know aircon is no longer a condition of getting a rental licence, but fixed heating is. As most aircon units do both (cooling and heating), I'm wondering do the regs say anything about not being able to charge for aircon, and so by default, heating?
I've read and re-read them, and while I can see nothing saying this, my Spanish is not the greatest. Plus we all know the regs are opaque at the best of times! So comments on this welcome too.

Thanks.

coffeelover

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 2:45pm

coffeelover

Original Poster

Posts: 16

6 helpful points

Location: Torrox

Joined: 2 Apr 2022

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 2:45pm

This post that was quoted has been deleted.

Hi, and yes. The rules changed recently. Not sure when, but they have changed. I think it was last year, but you need to check. The regs now state "air-flow", or words to that effect, in living areas. Plus fixed immovable heating in certain rooms. So in essence, a window and rads bolted to the walls.

We only recently got our licence, and at the time didn't have aircon, although we have since installed it. So ya, 100%, you do not need aircon to get a licence now. Anyone saying otherwise is not up to speed on the regs.

Caveat: This is for the region I'm in, and I believe as a general blanket applies to Andalusia. Other regions, or even perhaps regions within regions, (ie. local town halls) might differ. 

Holaitsdavid

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 10:53pm

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Sat Sep 10, 2022 10:53pm

coffeelover wrote on Sat Sep 10, 2022 2:45pm:

Hi, and yes. The rules changed recently. Not sure when, but they have changed. I think it was last year, but you need to check. The regs now state "air-flow", or words to that effect, in living areas. Plus fixed immovable heating in certain rooms. So in essence, a window and rads bolted to the wa...

...lls.

We only recently got our licence, and at the time didn't have aircon, although we have since installed it. So ya, 100%, you do not need aircon to get a licence now. Anyone saying otherwise is not up to speed on the regs.

Caveat: This is for the region I'm in, and I believe as a general blanket applies to Andalusia. Other regions, or even perhaps regions within regions, (ie. local town halls) might differ. 

Note Air Con when heating is an air flow 'heat pump' the most efficient and cheapest way to provide heat, the ratio is 1 Kw in gives you about 4kw out. Perfect for winter, the high cost when cooling. Using other electric heaters running costs much higher.   

Jean pye

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:10am

Posts: 121

15 helpful points

Location: La Cala De Mijas

Joined: 10 Nov 2019

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:10am

My friend has mobile oil filled radiators which we use when we are there she says they are reasonable but then we are sensible and only use them as absolutely necessary could try that I guess ,.1 radiator ..

coffeelover

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:41am

coffeelover

Original Poster

Posts: 16

6 helpful points

Location: Torrox

Joined: 2 Apr 2022

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:41am

Jean pye wrote on Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:10am:

My friend has mobile oil filled radiators which we use when we are there she says they are reasonable but then we are sensible and only use them as absolutely necessary could try that I guess ,.1 radiator ..

They are about the most expensive and inefficient way to heat a room! 

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TB

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:58pm

TB

Posts: 145

31 helpful points

Location: Torrox

Joined: 6 Feb 2021

Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:58pm

coffeelover wrote on Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:41am:

They are about the most expensive and inefficient way to heat a room! 

Yes I've always heard this about oil filled radiators

Holaitsdavid

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 12:33am

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 12:33am

TB wrote on Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:58pm:

Yes I've always heard this about oil filled radiators

The cheapest way a heat pump, as I posted 1 K can give 4 K heat out, which here your air con unit on 'heat', all the modern ones are 'inverters' and very efficient. With oil filled radiators, many are low wattage and don't give you 'instant heat'. However, they can work well for background heat, if the thermostat set low, they can keep warm for long periods and the power will be off far longer than on. The very smallest ones just 500 watts, in my case have the very small ones in the bath and shower rooms, they stay on low all winter and don't cost a lot to run. There is a thermal problem, once the building gets cold, (all the brick work) you need an immense amount of energy to heat the space, due to the cold walls, I never let my building drop below about 18C and the cost of using several oil filled radiators, plus some warm air from air con never been very high. Either way, this year with the war Ukraine, energy will be much high for us all, summer can be worse with Air Con costs, however, the same units only cost about 25% of cooling on heat, because a 'heat pump'. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHJxDDZpeZM

 
coffeelover

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 8:12am

coffeelover

Original Poster

Posts: 16

6 helpful points

Location: Torrox

Joined: 2 Apr 2022

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 8:12am

Sorry, but can we keep this on topic please? I’m looking for input about charging guests for Aircon usage, not discussing pros and cons of various systems. 

Holaitsdavid

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 2:41pm

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 2:41pm

coffeelover wrote on Thu Sep 15, 2022 8:12am:

Sorry, but can we keep this on topic please? I’m looking for input about charging guests for Aircon usage, not discussing pros and cons of various systems. 

'This coin machine was developed by Madrid-based company Arelia, requires that guests put in the appropriate amount of money in order to use the air conditioner' Here is your answer. ,,,,, 

https://www.gatechecked.com/airbnb-host-air-condition-coin-timer-5888

coffeelover

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:18pm

coffeelover

Original Poster

Posts: 16

6 helpful points

Location: Torrox

Joined: 2 Apr 2022

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:18pm

Thanks. If as it seems that renter was not told about the coin op, his displeasure is reasonable. 

I am still keen to hear from other hosts how they are dealing with this issue. 

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