By the middle of November, most of us usually have our heating on for at least a couple of hours a day to help us warm up when we come home from work. But amid the rising cost of living and sky-high energy bills, this year has seen many Brits do what they can to resist the urge to spend money on their central heating.
And one man has been left fuming after his boyfriend seemingly missed the memo about putting on a warm jumper instead of the heating, as he decided to put his partner's radiators on without even asking permission first.
The man claimed his boyfriend of just over a year has been staying with him for a week, and while he was out of the house recently, his partner took it upon himself to put the heating on - even though he doesn't pay toward the energy bills at all, as he doesn't normally live in the property.
In a post on Reddit, the man said he was "annoyed" at his boyfriend for not asking permission first, as although he can thankfully still afford to pay his bills, he doesn't want to have to pay more than he absolutely needs to.
He wrote: "My boyfriend and I have been together for over a year now. Things are going pretty well and we are getting along very nicely. But something happened yesterday and I am not sure if I handled it correctly.
"Basically, my boyfriend asked if he could stay with me for a week, because his roommate has Covid and he is trying to not catch it. I went to the gym yesterday morning, and I noticed when I got back he had turned the heating on!
"I couldn't help but get annoyed that he would just do such a thing without asking me first. I mean, it's not that I can't afford the energy bill, it is just that he is turning on something that costs another person (me) money.
"I get that my boyfriend gets cold quite quickly, but that doesn't mean he can just do whatever he wants and turn on the heating. I don't want him to pay for it or something, I just think it's polite to ask the homeowner for permission before turning on the heating.
"If I were in his position, I would just grab a blanket until my boyfriend got home so I could ask if I can use his heating. Especially when gas prices are so high!
"After I said all this to my boyfriend, he seemed to get annoyed and replied with 'if you're so concerned about the costs, I can help with your energy bill'. He just totally misses the point, I don't care about the money. Since then we haven't been talking much, and he seems to be in his own bubble. I don't know what to do."
Many commenters on the post, however, thought the man was overreacting and said he should have allowed his boyfriend to feel comfortable in his home, and accused him of being "controlling" by demanding he ask permission first.
One person said: "It's a first offence. Let him know how you feel, and tell him in future you would like him to ask permission. Does this apply to the TV and making drinks or food, as they would cost you money too?"
While another added: "You say you don't care about the cost but you also said you were annoyed that he did something that costs you money. So you want your boyfriend to be uncomfortable to … save a few pounds? Having to ask you first seems overkill."
And a third wrote: "This is very weird and controlling. Any guest in my home should feel comfortable when I’m not there. What odd behaviour."
There were also several comments from people who agreed with the man though, saying it's rude to turn on the central heating in someone else's home without asking them first.
Someone said: "I would be p***ed if someone stayed at my place and ran my heating without asking. Put a sweatshirt on, this isn't rocket science."
As someone else posted: "Anyone whose parents raised them properly would know how to behave politely in someone else's home. You don't rummage through their home, you don't open cabinets you haven't been instructed to open, and you absolutely do not change the heating or cooling without asking. It's common courtesy."
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