Is it time to turn the heating on?

With temperatures soaring outside you may think this article has been posted at the wrong time of year. Bear with me though, as it could pay to turn your heating on now despite the logical preference for some air conditioning!

You see, much like a car needs to be run every so often, so should a boiler. If it’s not there are several things that might happen, all of which could lead to a breakdown when you actually need it the most. 

The obvious one would be if the boiler or heating system has developed a fault, for which you’ll only find out when you turn it on (presumably because you are cold). Whereas checking it periodically should mean when the time comes you’ll remain nice and toasty (although perhaps not quite as much as we are now!).

‘Combi’ boilers, which provide both the heating and hot water, may still be ‘on’ during the warm weather (to supply the hot water) but they aren’t fool proof either. They contain a valve that shifts the demand between the heating and hot water, depending on what the control unit is requesting. These valves can get stuck if they aren’t moved for a long period of time (say, the six months of the year you don’t need the heating so have it constantly in hot water mode). Selecting the heating function instead of the hot water every so often can therefore aid the smooth motion of the valve.

Be aware that heating engineers are more in demand come the colder weather too. You can guarantee when the cold weather comes and everyone starts turning their heating on (many for the first time in months), they will be rushed off their feet with repairs. If you’re amongst this crowd you may have to wait (or pay more), whereas keeping on top of it could help identify and rectify any issues before the rush. It’s for this reason that it can also pay to service or replace your boiler during this quieter time, if that’s on the cards for you. 

So, whilst it may seem counter intuitive, turning up the thermostat (briefly) once a month or so can help keep your boiler running, ensuring it is ready for when you need it whilst avoiding niggly breakdowns caused by lack of use. 

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Is it time to turn the heating on?

With temperatures soaring outside you may think this article has been posted at the wrong time of year. Bear with me though, as it could pay to turn your heating on now despite the logical preference for some air conditioning!

You see, much like a car needs to be run every so often, so should a boiler. If it’s not there are several things that might happen, all of which could lead to a breakdown when you actually need it the most. 

The obvious one would be if the boiler or heating system has developed a fault, for which you’ll only find out when you turn it on (presumably because you are cold). Whereas checking it periodically should mean when the time comes you’ll remain nice and toasty (although perhaps not quite as much as we are now!).

‘Combi’ boilers, which provide both the heating and hot water, may still be ‘on’ during the warm weather (to supply the hot water) but they aren’t fool proof either. They contain a valve that shifts the demand between the heating and hot water, depending on what the control unit is requesting. These valves can get stuck if they aren’t moved for a long period of time (say, the six months of the year you don’t need the heating so have it constantly in hot water mode). Selecting the heating function instead of the hot water every so often can therefore aid the smooth motion of the valve.

Be aware that heating engineers are more in demand come the colder weather too. You can guarantee when the cold weather comes and everyone starts turning their heating on (many for the first time in months), they will be rushed off their feet with repairs. If you’re amongst this crowd you may have to wait (or pay more), whereas keeping on top of it could help identify and rectify any issues before the rush. It’s for this reason that it can also pay to service or replace your boiler during this quieter time, if that’s on the cards for you. 

So, whilst it may seem counter intuitive, turning up the thermostat (briefly) once a month or so can help keep your boiler running, ensuring it is ready for when you need it whilst avoiding niggly breakdowns caused by lack of use. 

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Chichester’s Monopoly board

It’s nearly Christmas, which means it’s time to dust off everyone’s favourite board game - Monopoly - and fight over who gets to be the banker (me, obviously). Whilst a new updated version of the game now uses credit cards to track your money, nothing beats the original; complete with (well-worn) paper money and the ability to buy Mayfair for £400. 

That £400 figure is based on the game being created in 1935 (although it was originally released in 1903 entitled ‘The Landlord’s Game’). So, as 2021 comes to an end, it serves as the prelude to my annual look at how Chichester’s modern-day Monopoly board would stack up.

With around 471 streets in Chichester (PO19 postcode district only), it would take a long time to make it around the full board, so I’ll pick out a few notable mentions.

Let’s start with Old Kent Road; the cheapest space on the board. In Chichester that spot would go to Lennox Road, with the average property on the street valued at £173,000. Located close to St. Richard’s Hospital, the street mainly consists of flats; many housing just a single person, the majority of which are renting (with a mixture of social and private tenants).

The Strand is halfway across the Monopoly board and today in Chichester this spot would be occupied by Sherborne Road. It is the main thoroughfare through Parklands, passing its park and parade of shops along with 130 homes; most of which are 1930’s-built semi-detached houses with driveway frontages. Their average value of £419,000 closely matches Chichester’s average property value as a whole (£416,000).

And what’s the Mayfair of Chichester? Well, the most expensive street in Chichester for the second-year running is West Street. The average property in this city centre street, with the Cathedral on its doorstep, will set you back £1,214,000. Quite a few of the buildings have been recently upgraded or converted, including a beautifully restored seven-bedroom Georgian home that sold for £2.525m in September 2020.

So, what type of Monopoly player are you? It’s always interesting to note the different styles of play, which seem to mimic landlords’ real-life dealings. Some like to accumulate the cheaper properties, receiving multiple rents, whilst others prefer to save up for the premium plots, every so often bringing in a king’s ransom.

If you’re thinking of getting into the ‘landlord’s game’ for real, be sure to follow my Chichester property market updates throughout 2022 by visiting www.bit.ly/chipropertynews.

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Chichester’s Monopoly board

Christmas was a rather low-key affair for the majority of us and it seems a distant memory now as the decorations are stuck in the loft for another year. Normally I would have dug out a variety of board games to enjoy with friends and family, but this year they remained untouched in the cupboards. Like much of 2020 though, things moved online…and this year that included a couple of rounds of Monopoly, having picked up the ‘app’ on sale in December.

Whilst the app features an array of fancy graphics, new board layouts and updated values, I couldn’t help but play in ‘classic’ mode…meaning I could still own Mayfair for a rather unrealistic £400. That figure is based on the game being made in 1935 (although it was originally released in 1903 entitled ‘The Landlord’s Game’). So, as 2021 kicks off, it serves as the prelude to my annual look at how Chichester’s modern-day Monopoly board would stack up.

With around 461 streets in Chichester (PO19 postcode district only), it would take a long time to get around the full board, so I’ll pick out a few notable mentions.

Let’s start with Old Kent Road; the cheapest space on the board. In Chichester that spot would go to Lennox Road, with the average property on the street valued at £170,000. Located close to the hospital, the street mainly consists of flats; many housing just a single person, the majority of which are renting (with a mixture of social and private tenants).

The Strand is halfway across the Monopoly board and today in Chichester this spot would be occupied by Oak Avenue. It is a straight road close to the parade of shops in Parklands, mainly consisting of 1930’s-built semi-detached houses and bungalows with driveway frontages. Their average value of £409,000 closely matches Chichester’s average property value as a whole (which has increased by 11% in a year!).

And what’s the Mayfair of Chichester? Well, in a change at the top after several years of dominance for North Pallant, the most expensive street in Chichester is now West Street. The average property in this city centre street, with the Cathedral on its doorstep, will set you back £1,187,000. There have been quite a few recently upgraded and converted buildings on West Street, with a beautifully restored seven-bedroom Georgian home selling for £2.525m in September 2020 helping to move West Street to the top spot of Chichester’s most expensive streets. 

So, what type of Monopoly player are you? It’s always interesting to note the different styles of play, which seem to mimic landlords’ real-life dealings. Some like to accumulate the cheaper properties, receiving multiple rents, whilst others prefer to save up for the premium plots, every so often bringing in a king’s ransom.

If you’re thinking of getting into the ‘landlord’s game’ for real, be sure to follow my Chichester property market updates throughout 2021 by visiting www.bit.ly/chipropertynews.

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