The rising cost of living is squeezing everyone’s budgets, which means it is more important than ever for landlords to do everything they can to try to ensure that they help their tenants manage their energy use and reduce their bills. Doing so will not only benefit their tenants but may also help them avoid a rental void as their tenants will be less likely to be left unable to pay the rent.
Landlords of privately rented properties will also be required to make sure their rental properties have an EPC rating of at least C in order to continue taking on new tenants under the regulations, which are expected to become law in England and Wales in 2025.
So how can landlords both help their tenants to reduce their bills and improve the EPC ratings of their properties?
Smart meters
These allow tenants to have visibility of their energy usage in real time so that they know exactly how much they are spending each day.
Smart thermostats
These allow tenants to have more control over how they use their heating every day. Some smart thermostats will even turn the heating off when they identify that a property is empty and then turn it back on when the tenants return, thus saving tenants from paying to heat an empty home. Research has indicated they can help reduce heating bills by between 12 and 23%.
Eco features
Many boilers have an ‘eco mode’ which stops water from being preheated. This means that it takes a little longer for hot water to come out of the tap but it does save money.
LED bulbs
Before renting out their property, landlords should make sure to replace all of the bulbs with LED ones. If they already have a tenant then they should make sure that they know that they could save an average of £40 every year just by using LED bulbs.
Radiator thermostats
These allow tenants to choose to boost the heat in the room that they are in rather than having to heat the whole property all the time, which will help to reduce their bills.
Insulate
Twenty-five per cent of heat loss is through the roof so landlords should make sure that the loft is well insulated. Doing so will also have a positive effect on the property’s EPC rating.
Double-glazed windows
Properties with double-glazed windows lose, on average, 10% of their heat through their windows. According to research, single-glazed windows are responsible for up to 70% of a property’s heat loss! Investing in double glazing can have a large effect both on a tenant’s bills and the EPC rating of the property.
Insulate the hot water cylinder
Check the thickness if you already have a jacket that fits over your tank. If it isn’t at least 80mm thick, think about getting a new one. Increasing the insulation from 25mm to 80mm thick can save up to £70 per year.
We have seen a definite increase in the importance of EPC ratings to tenants who are wary of renting properties that cost a fortune to heat. If you are looking to rent out your property and would like some advice on how to make your property more energy efficient please give us a call on 01326 331812 and we will be happy to advise you.
