Heat included? (Rochester, Howard: real estate, apartment complex, lease)

[wftmomx2]

A lot of apartment ads in Rochester seem to say "heat included." I am trying to figure out whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. If it's an actual apartment complex as opposed to a side-by-side or apartment in mansion or some such, do the apartments/townhomes have their own thermostats with free heat or is this usually where all the units are controlled by one person (manager??) Or is each place different? I can see where heat included could either freeze you or blast you out of the place. Thanks.

[HowardRoarke]

Originally Posted by wftmomx2

A lot of apartment ads in Rochester seem to say "heat included." I am trying to figure out whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. If it's an actual apartment complex as opposed to a side-by-side or apartment in mansion or some such, do the apartments/townhomes have their own thermostats with free heat or is this usually where all the units are controlled by one person (manager??) Or is each place different? I can see where heat included could either freeze you or blast you out of the place. Thanks.

Excellent, excellent question. It it's "heat included", make sure there's a thermostat in the unit/apartment/townhouse. I peddled real estate on the side in Rochester, and thus discovered many places in the city which don't have a thermostat in them, especially the places with that old radiant heat set up. Either there was come centrally-controlled deal for all of the units, or one unit had a thermostat, thus one person might have control over multiple units, regardless of size, etc.

Consider, too, that you may still get a gas AND electric bill if it has a gas stove, and the rates could vary quite a bit. You could get a small bill in September, then a large one for January, despite the fact heat is included in the rent. Reason for this is there's a gas stove. So, if you get a big bill from RG&E, just ask for an audit or send in the reading off the gas meter. If the apartment is 100% electric, then the bills shouldn't vary much unless you're using space heaters and air conditioners.

DO NOT rent from a company/landlord where the heat is included, yet the heat is controlled by someone else. You'll either burn up or freeze to death during Jan. and Feb.

[wftmomx2]

Thanks for this information. I thought that would be the case. Living in TX, we are used to the large fluctuations; my winter elec/water is about $85; summer up to $350 and home is only about 1500 sp. '. Also have gas stove & hot water heater and heat is gas so have that bill as well. My daughter will be up there looking for an apt. in a couple of weeks and I didn't want her to get stuck with no control over temp.

[ncnittany]

HowardRoarke...brings up lots of good points. I rented an apartment once and the heat was included. The thermostat was on the was wall, but between the lease signing and moving in, the prick land-lord put a clear plastic lock box over it, and set it too low. My roomie and I asked him to turn it up a few degrees, but he refused. We froze for week or so until we learned that putting a bag of frozen peas over the box warmed things up nicely

My point: A thermostat is nice, but make sure you have control over it.

[doggz]

Typically, heat is "included" in older multi unit buildings when there is one heat source (i.e. furnace) and, yes, that is almost always controlled by the landlord. Where each apartment has its own furnace and thermostat it really doesn't make economic sense for the landlord to offer heat as a component of rent, though "never say never" is my motto.

[garmin239]

I've lived in heat included. When living in an apartment complex, I had full control. When living in a house split up into apartments sometimes it was "locked" , but we'd just break the lock or use tricks to get the heat up when needed.