Landlord Series, Part 2: The All-Electric Landlord
In Part 1 of the Landlord Series we built the cheapest gas setups for UK rentals. This time we take the gas meter out of the picture. Plenty of landlords have no choice: city-centre blocks with no gas riser, conversions where the freeholder will not allow a flue, or houses where the old boiler has died and a new gas connection makes no sense.
Going all-electric removes the annual gas safety check, the flue, the condensate pipe and the carbon monoxide risk from a gas appliance. It also brings one real catch: electricity costs roughly three to four times more per kWh than gas. So the trick is choosing equipment that is cheap to fit where heat demand is low, and genuinely efficient where demand is high. This guide breaks down every electric option we sell, explains what each one is for, and ends with tested recipes for city flats and for typical family houses anywhere in the UK, from London and Bristol to Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Glasgow.
The cheapest all-electric rental is not the one with the cheapest boiler. It is the one where hot water comes from a heat pump and heating comes from the right emitter for the room.
Start here: which all-electric route fits your property?
Four questions settle most decisions before you look at a single product.
Is there an existing wet radiator system?
Yes: keep the pipes and radiators and swap the gas boiler for an electric boiler. No: electric radiators are far cheaper than installing new pipework.
Is there room for a cylinder?
A cupboard around 600mm square opens up cylinders and heat pump water heaters, which give the best showers and the lowest running costs. No cupboard points you to an electric combi or instant water heater.
Single phase or three phase?
Most homes are single phase with a 100A main fuse. That caps electric combis at about 14kW. Three phase unlocks 18 to 27kW combis and instant water heaters.
Flat or house, and how well insulated?
A small, well-insulated flat can run happily on direct electric heating. A draughty three-bed semi needs a heat pump for heating, or the bills will land on your tenants and your EPC.
The four types of electric boiler, explained
Every electric boiler is 100% efficient at the point of use, needs no flue and no gas, and sits silently on a wall. What changes between types is how they handle hot water and what kind of heating system they plug into.
| Type | What it does | Hot water | Best rental fit | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric combi | Heating plus instant hot water from one wall unit | On demand, limited by kW | 1-bed flat with one shower | £1,095 |
| Electric system | Heating on a sealed, pressurised system | Needs a separate cylinder | 2 to 4-bed homes, more than one bathroom | £745 |
| Electric heat only | Heating on an old open-vented system with loft tanks | Needs a separate cylinder | Like-for-like swap of an old regular gas boiler | £497 |
| All-in-one / pre-plumbed | Boiler and cylinder supplied as one matched package | Stored, mains pressure | Refurbs where install time matters | £2,100 |
Electric combi boilers: simple, but size them honestly
An electric combi heats the radiators and makes hot water as it flows through. The catch is physics. The kW rating sets the shower flow, and with a 10°C mains supply heated to 45°C you get roughly:
| Combi output | Hot water flow | Current draw (230V) | Verdict for a rental |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7kW | ~2.9 L/min | ~30A | Heating plus a sink. Not a shower. |
| 11kW | ~4.5 L/min | ~48A | Weak shower, expect complaints |
| 14 to 14.4kW | ~5.7 L/min | ~61A, 10mm² cable | Practical minimum for one shower |
| 18 to 25kW (three phase) | 7 to 10 L/min | Split across 3 phases | Good shower, needs a three-phase supply |
For most single-phase flats, a 14kW combi such as the Biasi Pro-Electric 14kW at £1,095 or the ThermoSphere Flex 4 to 14kW at £1,170 is the realistic choice. If you need better hot water without a cylinder, look at the Elterm Ensign range, which keeps 14kW for hot water even when the heating output is set lower, or the Strom AuraHeat stored combis with a built-in 35L buffer.
Electric system and heat-only boilers: the workhorses
A system boiler runs a sealed, pressurised heating circuit and has its own pump and expansion vessel. A heat-only boiler is for older open-vented systems that still have feed and expansion tanks in the loft. Neither makes hot water on its own, so pair either with a cylinder. Check the loft: tanks mean heat only; no tanks plus a pressure gauge means system.
These are the cheapest electric boilers you can buy, and the best value for houses that already have radiators. The Strom 6kW heat only is £497, the 9kW is £570, and the compact EHC SlimJim system boilers start at £745. If you convert an open-vented system to sealed, add a Part L expansion vessel and filling kit (from £57).
Biasi
Pro-Electric 14kW Single Phase Electric Combi
The lowest-cost 14kW combi in our range. Heating and instant hot water from one wall-hung unit, with no flue and no cylinder. Right for a one-bathroom flat on a single-phase supply.
£1,095 inc. VAT
EHC, Strom, Biasi, Baxi
Electric System Boilers 4kW to 48kW
Sealed-system boilers with built-in pump and expansion vessel. Pair with a direct or indirect unvented cylinder for strong showers in homes with more than one bathroom.
From £745 inc. VAT
Strom
6kW Single Phase Heat Only Electric Boiler
The cheapest way off gas for a house with an old open-vented system. Keeps the loft tanks and existing radiators, so the swap is close to like-for-like.
£497 inc. VAT
AIZO Quality Heating
Expansion Vessel Part L Filling Kit 8 to 24L
Expansion vessel, filling loop and fittings for converting an open-vented system to sealed when you fit a system boiler, or for adding capacity to a larger circuit.
From £57 inc. VAT
Check the supply before you order. A 14kW boiler alone draws around 60A. Add an oven, shower and kettle and a 100A main fuse gets tight. Ask your electrician for a maximum demand calculation, and consider load-shedding controls if you later add an EV charger.
Hot water without gas: four routes
Hot water is where the all-electric landlord wins or loses on running costs. A typical tenant uses as much energy for hot water as for heating in a small flat, and that demand runs all year round.
1. Direct unvented cylinders: cheap, reliable, mains pressure
A direct unvented cylinder heats water with its own immersion elements, with no boiler involved. Pair it with an off-peak tariff so the cylinder heats overnight, and it delivers mains-pressure showers for very little capital outlay. Two ranges stand out for rentals:
JAB DUC IE Direct (90L to 300L)
British-made duplex stainless steel with internal expansion, so there is no separate expansion vessel to fit, check or replace between tenancies. The full unvented kit is in the box and the inner container carries a lifetime manufacturing warranty. View the JAB DUC IE Direct range.
OSO Super Xpress S2X (pre-plumbed)
All valves, expansion vessels and cables sit hidden under one lid, which cuts install time and tenant tampering. OSO's stratification means the 210L model delivers around 353L of usable water at 40°C, so you can often fit a smaller cylinder. 25-year cylinder warranty.
Installation is a G3 controlled service, so use a qualified unvented installer.
2. Heat pump water heaters: the star of the all-electric rental
A heat pump water heater looks like a cylinder with a small heat pump on top. It pulls warmth out of the surrounding air and moves it into the water, so each kWh of electricity delivers around three kWh of hot water. That makes it the most efficient way to make hot water in a flat with no gas.
It suits flats especially well for three reasons. It plugs into a standard 13A or 16A circuit, so it does not strain the supply the way a big combi does. It needs no outdoor unit, so there are no freeholder or planning arguments about something on the balcony. And it cools and dehumidifies the cupboard or utility room it sits in, which helps with condensation, a constant battle in rental flats.
Ducted models such as the OSO AquaSustain DHP 200L (£2,970) can also take their air from kitchen and bathroom extract, recovering heat that would otherwise be thrown out of the building. For most rentals, our pick is the Becker & Wolf range. Every model is A+ rated, Wi-Fi controlled through the Becker & Wolf app, works in air temperatures from -7°C to 43°C, has a 2kW backup element for cold snaps, and ships with the G3 safety kit. The wall-mounted models hang like a large boiler, which makes them ideal for flats with no floor space to spare.
| Becker & Wolf model | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 80L wall-mounted, R290 | Studios and 1-person flats | £1,270 |
| 100L horizontal wall-mounted | Flats with low ceilings or above-door spaces | £1,170 |
| 100L wall-mounted, R290 | 1 to 2-bed flats, 2 to 3 people | £1,300 |
| 200L floor-standing, R290 (COP 3.68) | 3 to 4 people, one bathroom | £1,695 |
| 250L floor-standing, R290 | 4 to 5 people | £1,750 |
| 300L floor-standing, R290 | Larger houses and small HMOs | £1,850 |
| Hot water source | Electricity for ~2,000kWh of hot water a year | Illustrative annual cost at 25p/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Immersion / direct cylinder (peak rate) | ~2,000kWh | ~£500 |
| Electric combi or instant heater | ~2,000kWh | ~£500 |
| Heat pump water heater (COP ~3) | ~670kWh | ~£170 |
Illustrative only, based on a one or two-person flat and a flat 25p/kWh rate. Real costs depend on the tariff, usage and the air temperature around the unit. A direct cylinder heated on a cheap overnight rate closes some of the gap.
3. Pre-plumbed and all-in-one systems: the EHC Compact All-in-One
For houses with a wet heating system, the fastest refurb is a matched boiler and cylinder package. The pre-plumbed bundles start with the Strom 6kW heat only with 150L pre-plumbed cylinder at £2,100.
The standout for landlords is the EHC Compact All-in-One Electric System Boiler. An 8 to 15kW modulating electric system boiler and an indirect unvented stainless steel cylinder arrive factory-assembled, pre-plumbed and pre-wired on a single 800 x 800mm footprint that fits a standard airing cupboard. The Ultimate Package adds an EHC Pro 4 magnetic filter, Adey MC1+ inhibitor and MC3+ cleaner, a twin channel programmer, a room thermostat and a wiring centre. EHC's target is van to finished in under three hours, which means a shorter void period between tenants.
| EHC Compact All-in-One | Typical property | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 150L | 1 to 2-bed flat or house, 1,081mm tall | From £2,800 |
| 170L | 2 to 3-bed home, 1,209mm tall | From £2,865 |
| 200L | 3 to 4-bed home, 1,399mm tall | From £2,925 |
| 250L | 4 to 5-bed home, 1,711mm tall | From £3,070 |
| 300L | 5+ bed home or HMO, 1,930mm tall | From £3,300 |
4. Instant electric water heaters: point of use
Instant water heaters heat water only as it flows, with no storage and no standing heat loss. On single phase they are best for a single basin or kitchen sink. For a whole-flat supply you need three phase, where a unit such as the Stiebel Eltron DHB-E 27kW runs a good shower. They make sense in studios and in newer blocks that already have three-phase supplies, but they draw a large peak load and cost the same per litre as an immersion heater.
Becker & Wolf
100L Wall-Mounted Heat Pump Water Heater, R290, Wi-Fi
Around three times less electricity than an immersion heater. Hangs on the wall, runs from a standard circuit, needs no outdoor unit and comes with the G3 kit. Ideal for 1 to 2-bed flats.
£1,300 inc. VAT
EHC
Compact All-in-One 150L Electric System Boiler
Pre-plumbed, pre-wired boiler and 150L cylinder on an 800 x 800mm footprint. Ultimate Package includes filter, chemicals, programmer and thermostat. Sized for 1 to 2-bed homes.
From £2,800 inc. VAT
EHC
Compact All-in-One 200L and 300L for Family Homes and HMOs
The 200L suits 3 to 4-bed homes with a bath and shower. The 300L covers 5+ bedrooms and HMOs where several tenants shower each morning.
From £2,925 inc. VAT
Strom
11kW Heat-Only Electric Boiler with 200L Pre-Plumbed Cylinder
A matched heat-only boiler and 200L pre-plumbed cylinder for houses that keep their open-vented system. Bigger cylinder for 3-bed homes with a bath plus shower.
£2,450 inc. VAT
Electric radiators: no pipes, no boiler
Where there is no wet system, electric radiators are the cheapest way to heat a rental. Each one is a self-contained heater on its own spur, with its own thermostat and timer. There are no pipes, so nothing to leak, drain down or bleed between tenancies.
Vertical electric radiators
Tall and narrow, for small rooms and alcoves where furniture takes the wall under the window. Popular in studios and hallways.
Horizontal electric radiators
The classic under-window shape that tenants recognise. The easiest swap for old storage heaters or panel heaters.
White electric radiators
A neutral finish that suits any refurb and any tenant. White models are also the easiest to touch up between lets.
Heat retention radiators
Our pick for landlords. A core of heat-storing material keeps radiating after the element switches off, so rooms feel steadier and the element cycles less.
Why heat retention radiators suit rentals
- Steadier warmth. The EHC Standard Heat Retention Radiators use Magmatic heat retention tablets that keep releasing heat for up to 45 minutes after switch-off, with a 50/50 split of radiant and convected heat.
- Smart, tenant-proof control. Built-in timers and thermostats mean every room has its own schedule, and you can cap the maximum temperature.
- Sized room by room. Outputs from 800W to 2400W, so you pay only for the heat each room needs.
- Simple to replace. A faulty unit is swapped in an hour, with no system drain-down and no heating engineer.
- Price. From £635 inc. VAT. Browse the full heat retention range.
Be honest with yourself about running costs. Every direct electric heater, including heat retention radiators and electric boilers, turns 1kWh of electricity into 1kWh of heat. That is perfect for small, well-insulated flats. In a large or draughty house, the bills and the EPC rating can suffer, which is where a heat pump earns its place.
Air source heat pumps: do they work in an all-electric rental?
Yes. An air source heat pump is the most efficient all-electric heating system you can fit. With a seasonal efficiency of around 3, each unit of electricity delivers about three units of heat. At that efficiency, the cost per kWh of heat lands at or below a gas boiler, which no direct electric system can match.
Whether it makes economic sense depends on the property:
Makes sense
Houses with outdoor space, a wet radiator system and reasonable insulation. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500 is open to private landlords in England and Wales, and a heat pump gives the biggest EPC improvement of any heating upgrade. It also future-proofs against tighter minimum energy standards for rentals.
Rarely makes sense
Flats with no outside space, leaseholds where the freeholder will not approve an outdoor unit, and very small homes where the heat demand is too low to repay the cost. Here a heat pump water heater plus electric radiators captures most of the saving for a fraction of the price.
Heat pumps also need the radiators sized for lower flow temperatures and an MCS-certified installer to claim the grant. Check current grant rules on GOV.UK before budgeting.
Flats versus houses: the best recipes
Here is how we would kit out the three most common all-electric rentals. Prices are equipment only, include VAT and were checked in October 2026. Installation is extra.
The city flat: 1 to 2 bedrooms, no gas, no outside space
Typical of purpose-built blocks and conversions in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool and Glasgow, where gas risers are absent, flues are banned and the freeholder controls the outside walls.
- Hot water: a wall-mounted Becker & Wolf heat pump water heater in the hall or utility cupboard.
- Heating: heat retention radiators in the living room and bedrooms, an electric towel rail in the bathroom.
- Upgrade: electric underfloor heating under the bathroom tiles.
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Becker & Wolf 100L wall-mounted heat pump water heater | 1 | £1,300 |
| EHC heat retention radiators | 3 | From £1,905 |
| 150W electric UFH bundle (bathroom) | 1 | From £137 |
| Total | From ~£3,340 |
Short on wall space? The 100L horizontal model (£1,170) fits above a door or along a high wall. Prefer a plain cylinder? A JAB DUC IE Direct on an overnight tariff costs less up front but more to run.
The family house: 2 to 4-bed terrace or semi with radiators
The classic UK rental, whether it is a Victorian terrace in Liverpool or Leeds, a 1930s semi in Birmingham or Nottingham, or an ex-council house in Sheffield, Newcastle or Cardiff: an old gas system boiler or regular boiler has failed, the radiators and pipework are fine, and there is an airing cupboard.
- Fastest refurb: EHC Compact All-in-One in the airing cupboard, reusing the existing radiators.
- Lowest cost: Strom heat-only boiler plus pre-plumbed cylinder, keeping the open-vented system.
- Lowest running cost: an air source heat pump with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
| Option | What you buy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest refurb, 2 to 3-bed | EHC Compact All-in-One 170L | From £2,865 |
| Fastest refurb, 3 to 4-bed | EHC Compact All-in-One 200L | From £2,925 |
| Open-vented, bath plus shower | Strom 11kW heat only and 200L pre-plumbed cylinder | £2,450 |
| Lowest up-front cost | Strom 9kW heat only and 150L pre-plumbed cylinder | £2,200 |
| Lowest running cost | Air source heat pump, less £7,500 grant | Quote-based |
Direct electric heating a whole house is the most expensive option to run. If you choose an electric boiler here, budget for loft and cavity insulation, smart controls and an off-peak tariff alongside it.
The large house or HMO: 4+ bedrooms, several showers each morning
Student lets and professional house shares in university cities such as Nottingham, Sheffield, Leeds, Bristol and Cardiff live or die on hot water. Size the cylinder for the morning rush, not the average day.
| Option | What you buy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Heating and hot water in one | EHC Compact All-in-One 300L | From £3,300 |
| Hot water only, lowest running cost | Becker & Wolf 300L heat pump water heater | £1,850 |
In an HMO, check licensing conditions with your council: many require fire-rated cupboards and a set minimum of bathrooms per tenant, which affects where the cylinder can go.
| Need | City flat | Family house |
|---|---|---|
| Hot water | Heat pump water heater | All-in-one or pre-plumbed cylinder |
| Heating | Heat retention radiators | Electric boiler on existing radiators, or heat pump |
| Cheapest to fit | Direct cylinder and electric radiators | Heat-only boiler and pre-plumbed cylinder |
| Cheapest to run | Heat pump water heater and well-zoned radiators | Air source heat pump |
| Main constraint | Freeholder consent, space, supply capacity | Insulation and EPC rating |
Add warmth tenants notice: electric underfloor heating
Cold bathroom tiles are one of the most common tenant complaints, and they cause condensation and mould too. A small electric underfloor heating mat under the bathroom or kitchen tiles fixes all three, and it is one of the cheapest upgrades that changes how a flat feels at a viewing.
What is in the bundle
The 150W electric underfloor heating bundle pairs a ThermoSphere 150W/m² mesh mat with the ENGO EONE-16W Wi-Fi thermostat and EFS300 floor sensor. From £137.
Why it works in rentals
Schedules are stored on the thermostat, so they keep running if the Wi-Fi drops. The floor sensor protects the floor from overheating, and you can set limits from the app.
What it costs to run
A 4m² bathroom at 150W/m² draws 0.6kW. Two hours a day uses about 1.2kWh, or roughly 30p a day at 25p/kWh.
When to fit it
At a bathroom refit, when the tiles come up anyway. It adds under 10mm with a tile backer board and must be connected by a qualified electrician.
Extra services: EV charging and beyond
An all-electric property is already set up for the next thing tenants ask about. Adding services can raise the rent, shorten voids and attract longer-staying tenants.
EV charging
A 7kW home EV charger on a driveway is a strong selling point. Choose a model with load balancing so it backs off when the electric boiler or shower is running. OZEV grants for landlords and flat owners may reduce the cost, so check current eligibility on GOV.UK.
Off-peak tariffs
Tell tenants how to set cylinder and heat retention timers to an overnight or smart tariff. A one-page guide in the welcome pack often saves them more than any equipment upgrade.
Solar PV
On houses, solar panels can divert surplus daytime power into the cylinder or a PV-ready boiler such as the EHC Comet PV, cutting tenants' bills and improving the EPC.
Smart controls
App-controlled radiators, cylinders and UFH let you check frost protection in void periods and spot faults before a tenant reports them.
Compliance checklist for all-electric rentals
- No gas safety certificate needed once there are no gas appliances or supply, but keep the meter removal paperwork on file.
- EICR at least every five years in England, plus after any major new circuit such as an electric boiler or EV charger.
- Part P notification for new circuits, including electric boilers, UFH and EV chargers.
- G3 qualified installer for any unvented cylinder or heat pump water heater, with the commissioning record left in the property.
- MCS installer if you want the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on a heat pump.
- EPC check before and after the work. Direct electric heating can lower the rating, while heat pumps and heat pump water heaters raise it.
- Legionella risk assessment for stored hot water, with cylinders set to store at 60°C.
Frequently asked questions
Is all-electric heating more expensive to run than gas?
Direct electric heating, including electric boilers and radiators, usually costs more per kWh of heat than gas because electricity costs roughly three to four times more per unit. Heat pumps and heat pump water heaters close that gap because they deliver around three units of heat per unit of electricity.
What size electric combi do I need for a shower?
Treat 14kW as the minimum for one comfortable shower on a single-phase supply. A 7kW combi delivers only about 2.9 litres a minute, which is not enough for a shower. Larger outputs need a three-phase supply.
Can a heat pump water heater go in a flat?
Yes, and flats are where they shine. They need a room or cupboard with enough air volume or ducting, a condensate drain and a standard electrical circuit. No outdoor unit is needed. Check the manufacturer's minimum room size or ducting options before you buy.
Should I keep my wet radiators when going electric?
If the radiators and pipework are in good condition, yes. An electric boiler or all-in-one unit reuses them, and they will also be ready for a heat pump in future. Only strip them out if the system is failing or you want to reclaim the cupboard space.
Are electric radiators good enough for a rental?
For small, well-insulated flats, yes. Heat retention models give steadier warmth and individual room controls. In larger or poorly insulated homes, running costs rise quickly, so consider insulation upgrades or a heat pump.
Can I add an EV charger to an all-electric property?
Usually, but check the main fuse capacity first. An electric boiler and an EV charger can together exceed a 100A supply. Load-balancing chargers reduce charging power automatically when other loads are high, which avoids a costly supply upgrade.
Planning an all-electric refurb?
Send us the property type, number of bathrooms and electrical supply, and our team will put together a matched boiler, hot water and radiator package.
Get a Free QuoteShop Electric BoilersPrices include VAT and were checked in October 2026. Running cost figures are illustrative. Always confirm the electrical supply, building regulations and grant eligibility with a qualified installer.