Should Landlords Make Properties More Energy Efficient?

It has recently been reported that properties available to rent can be made more attractive to potential tenants when they are promised low energy bills and reductions in carbon emissions.

As reported by the Energy Saving Trust, landlords are now required to show any potential tenants the Energy Performance Certificate score of the property when performing viewings.

Tenants may be more keen to rent properties that are seen as more energy efficient, meaning cheaper running costs thanks to reduced heating and electricity bills.

A number of improvements could be made to the property to help create a more favourable score, including updating old boilers to new energy efficient measures. Combine this with effective heating controls and annual energy bills could be reduced by up to a third.

It is also important for landlords to think about insulating properties with cavity wall insulation or loft insulation, and to make sure that heat doesn’t escape through single glazed windows. Double glazing can cut heat lost through windows by half.

All of these measures combined could make a huge difference to the amount of money tenants will need to spend on energy bills.

Landlords can even apply to the Energy Saving Trust to find out if they are eligible for money off replacing their boiler with a new, energy efficient model.

Chairman of the Residential Landlords Association, Alan Ward, recently claimed that demand for rental properties is likely to remain strong. However, installing energy saving measures could put your property above the rest in potential tenants’ eyes.