How to Keep a Rented Room Warm Cheaply This Winter

Shared-house rooms in older Leicester terraces can get properly cold in winter, and if bills are included, you often don’t control the thermostat. The good news is that most of the best fixes are cheap, portable and won’t upset your landlord. Here’s what actually makes a difference, roughly in order of value for money.

This page contains Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

First: what your landlord has to provide

Your landlord must keep the heating system and hot water in working order, and a home that can’t be adequately heated may not be fit to live in. If your radiator doesn’t work or the boiler keeps failing, report it in writing. That’s a repair, not something you should have to fix with gadgets. If there’s no heating at all in winter, contact your landlord urgently, and Leicester City Council if it isn’t sorted.

1. Stop the draughts (cheapest win)

• A door draught excluder for the gap under your bedroom door.
• Removable draught seal strips for gappy windows. Choose a type that peels off cleanly to protect your deposit, and ask your landlord first.
• Keep curtains shut once it gets dark, and tuck them behind the radiator rather than over it so the heat goes into the room.

2. Insulate the window

• Thermal blackout curtains make a noticeable difference in rooms with single glazing or large windows.
• Window insulation film is a cheap, clear temporary layer that goes on with tape. Check with your landlord before you fit it.
• Radiator reflector foil goes behind radiators on outside walls to bounce heat back into the room.

3. Heat yourself, not the room

This is where the biggest savings are. Warming your body directly uses a fraction of the energy needed to heat a whole room.

• Heated throw – ideal at a desk or on the sofa. Most use around 100-160 watts.
• Electric underblanket – warms the bed before you get in.
• Hot water bottle with cover – the classic, and almost free to use.
• Heated gilet or a wearable blanket for long evenings.
• Thicker bedding. A 13.5 tog duvet is a cheap upgrade for winter.

How to work out running costs

Divide the wattage by 1,000 to get kWh per hour, then multiply by your electricity unit rate (it’s on your bill, or ask your landlord if bills are included). For example, a 120W heated throw uses 0.12 kWh per hour, so at a rate of 25p per kWh that’s about 3p an hour. A 2,000W fan heater uses 2 kWh per hour, which is about 50p an hour at the same rate.

4. If you need a heater

• Check your tenancy or house rules first. Some HMOs don’t allow portable heaters.
• An oil-filled radiator with a thermostat and timer gives gentler, steadier heat than a fan heater.
• Choose one with a tip-over switch and overheat protection, plug it straight into a wall socket (not an extension lead), and keep it well away from bedding and curtains.
• Never use a portable gas or paraffin heater in a bedroom. They’re a carbon monoxide and fire risk.

Electric blanket safety

• Buy new from a reputable seller, and avoid second-hand blankets.
• Check it regularly for scorch marks, frayed wires or damaged controls.
• Don’t use one with a hot water bottle, and don’t fold it when it’s on.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on whether it can be left on overnight.

Warm room, but watch for condensation

Sealing up draughts and drying clothes indoors can raise humidity. Keep some ventilation, and if you start seeing water on the windows in the morning, read our guide to damp and mould in a rented room.

Choosing a new room? Check the EPC rating and ask how the heating works at the viewing. Our renting a room checklist has the questions to ask.