Hive · Where to put Hive
Where to Put a Hive Thermostat, Receiver and Hub
Updated
A Hive thermostat in a sunny hallway, a receiver inside a metal boiler cupboard or a hub on the floor behind the TV are common causes of 'Hive isn't working' complaints. Hive's installation guide is clear about where each part should go. This guide collects those rules and explains how a JACK pro moves a part that is in the wrong place.
In short
Hive's guide says the thermostat goes on an inside wall about 1.5 m from the floor, away from radiators and direct sun, and not in a room whose radiator has a thermostatic valve. The receiver goes near the boiler, at least 30 cm from large metal objects. The hub starts at the router, and Hive's current hub can then move to Wi-Fi; it should not sit on the floor or in a cupboard. All three should be within about 10 metres of each other.
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The thermostat
The thermostat measures the room, so it has to be somewhere the temperature is typical of the home:
- An inside wall, about 1.5 m from the floor
- Away from radiators, cookers, direct sunlight and draughts from external doors
- Not in a room whose radiator has a thermostatic valve: Hive says the two together can leave the heating permanently on
- At least a metre from TVs, speakers and other sources of electrical interference
- Within about 10 metres of the receiver and hub, allowing for thick walls
Hive's thermostats are battery powered, so moving one to a better room is a new wall fixing, not new wiring. Hive also sells a table stand.
The receiver
The receiver is wired in, so it usually stays where the old controls were. Hive's guide asks for:
- A spot near the boiler or central heating controls
- At least 30 cm from large metal objects, such as a metal boiler casing or cupboard
- No buried cables or pipes where it is fixed
- A switched fused spur with a 3 A fuse supplying it
If the receiver sits inside a metal cupboard and keeps losing the thermostat, moving it a short way along the existing wiring often fixes it. A move that needs new cable is priced from photos.
The hub
The hub connects to your router and talks to the other devices over Zigbee. Hive's guide says:
- Not on the floor or in an enclosed space such as a cupboard
- Away from large metal objects, mirrors and fish tanks, and preferably not in the kitchen
- The current Nano 3 hub can move to Wi-Fi after setup, so it does not have to sit beside the router
How Hive installation is priced
A vetted pro prices your job from photos of the boiler, your existing controls and the Hive kit, and the JACK app shows you that fixed price before you book.
Where the wiring already is matters more than the device. A receiver that goes where an old programmer was, on the same wiring, is the simplest job. Hot water on a cylinder, an old wired thermostat to take out of the circuit, a receiver that has to move, or several zones each add time. A photo of the boiler, the old controls and anything labelled near the hot water cylinder lets the pro price what is really there.
Several devices go on one booking for one price: the thermostat, the hub, and Hive Radiator Valves for each room. Other jobs, such as a smart doorbell, can go on the same visit. Where parking has to be paid for, it is added at cost and agreed before you book.
Prefer to pay for the pro's time? Hourly hire works too: as a guide, smart home installation is typically £45–£95 per hour.
Frequently asked questions
Can you move my Hive thermostat without rewiring?
Yes, if it is a wireless Hive thermostat: it runs on batteries, so it is a new wall fixing and a signal check. The older wired Hive thermostat (SLT5) is wired to its wall plate, so moving it means moving the cable.
My Hive thermostat is in the hall. Is that a problem?
It can be, if the hall is colder or sunnier than the rooms you use. Hive's rules point to an inside wall in a room you actually heat, without a thermostatic valve on its radiator.
Hive devices by type
Hive thermostat installation
The Hive Thermostat, the Thermostat Mini and older Hive thermostats: fitted, placed well and paired.
Hive receiver and hub installation
Single channel, dual channel and OpenTherm receivers, and the Hive Hub that runs the app.
Hive radiator valve fitting
Smart radiator heads for room-by-room control: adaptors matched, paired and scheduled.
Hive multizone installation
A Hive thermostat and receiver for each existing heating zone, wired, paired and labelled.
More guides
Who can install Hive?
Gas Safe engineer, electrician or DIY: what the rules in England say for each Hive job.
Does Hive work with my boiler?
Which boilers and heating systems Hive works with, and what each installation involves.
Hive receiver lights explained
What each light on a Hive receiver and hub means, and when to book a visit.
Switching to Hive
Replacing Nest, Honeywell, Drayton or an old programmer with Hive: what comes out and what goes in.
Hive vs tado°
How Hive and tado° compare to install: receivers, hubs, hot water, OpenTherm and radiator heads.
Hive installation cost
What moves the price of a Hive installation, and how the fixed price is worked out.
Hive in flats and rentals
Landlord permission, boiler cupboards, communal heating and range: Hive in flats and rentals.
Related services in London
Sources
The device facts and rules on this page come from these pages, checked on 31 October 2026.
Jack All Trades (JACK) is an independent London service. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by Hive, Centrica or British Gas. Hive product names are used only to describe the devices JACK pros install, and prices are set by JACK pros, not by Hive. JACK pros do not work inside boilers or claim Gas Safe registration.
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