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I think there's a specifically British thing about accepting being cold and not complaining about it - I've lived in Scotland or London for most of my life, and no one will turn on their heating before November and most houses are 150-400 years old and are not insulated. I can literally feel the breeze inside as I type this.

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I tip my hat to you sir. It is very true. My Irish neighbours were always surprised at how warm our flat was since they ran heating at 18 degrees in winter. Me having not grown up in the U.K. still run it at 23 to this day.

Two of the places I lived had beautiful old sash Windows. Only problem was you could see the curtains move as the breeze came through them in winter.

British housing often seems neglected. Especially the windows. I once had an apartment in Glasgow that had such terrible windows that wasps were getting in during summer while windows were closed. When I complained to the landlord he stuck some cotton balls in the bigger holes. That was the "repair" undertaken.

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