A quarter of couples have argued about the central heating

Twenty-four per cent (24%) of people living with a partner have had a heated debate with their other half about how warm their home should be, with 12% having argued about their energy bills, according to research from Gocompare.com. And 8% have already had a fight this year about turning the central heating back on.
 
Worryingly though, fewer than one in five (17%) say they will keep their homes as warm as they would like to this winter regardless of the cost, and 25% are expecting their homes to be cold because they can't afford to heat them as much as they would like.
 
The research revealed that 7% of couples fight for control of the central heating, and in the ‘battle of the boiler' it seems that women have the upper hand. Almost a third (31%) of women declare themselves in charge of when the heating goes back on compared to just 22% of men. And while 15% of women don't think their heating is on enough, one in five (20%) people believe their partner is wasteful when it comes to energy use.

24% have argued with their partner over the central heating
12% have argued about energy bills
8% have already had a fight this year about turning the central heating back on
31% of women say they are in charge of when the heating goes on compared to 22% of men
20% believe their partner wastes energy
15% of women don't think their heating is on enough
43% find energy bills confusing
Twice as many men say they can explain a kWh than women
Only 13% could estimate roughly how much it cost to heat their home for an hour
 
Women are also more likely to override the central heating timer with 16% saying that they often switch the central heating on earlier than it would come on with the timer, compared to just 9% of men.
 
Over a third (36%) of respondents declared that as a couple they were like chalk and cheese when it comes to heating, with one of them usually being too hot or too cold compared to the other.
 
Just over two fifths (43%) of all respondents thought that energy bills were confusing; however twice as many men (24%) than women (12%) thought they could explain what a kWh was on an electricity bill. Just over 1 in 10 (13%) thought they knew roughly how much it cost to heat their home for an hour.
 
Jeremy Cryer, energy spokesperson at Gocompare.com, commented: "It seems that for a lot of us the central heating can be the cause of blazing rows and icy silences, and although for some the disagreements are over how warm they like their homes, for others it's the worrying about paying the energy bills that puts a strain on their relationship.
 
"However, although 31% of those we asked are worried that they won't be able to heat their homes as they would like to, less than a quarter (24%) have compared their energy tariff in the last year to make sure it's the best deal for them. Finding a better energy tariff online can take a matter of minutes and you can save a decent amount, even as much as £400.
 
"There's not much you can do if one of you likes to lounge around in shorts and a t-shirt while the other is decked out in jumpers and scarves. But if it's the thought of big bills that's causing tempers to reach boiling point, shopping around for a cheaper tariff could be the way to a happier home."