Top 10 tips for environmentally friendly landlords

The aim of this is for both social and private landlords to improve the energy efficiency of the property.

To improve the rating of your property, Lettingagent.com has identified 10 ways landlords can improve the energy efficiency of their properties.

• Insulate your property: Roughly half the average home’s heat is lost through its walls and loft. Cavity walls can be insulated for a few hundred pounds, and lofts can be lagged with an eco-friendly insulation such as recycled newspaper. Landlords can use their landlord’s energy saving allowance (LESA) to insulate the property.
• Draught proofing: Up to 20 per cent of all heat lost in the home is through windows and doors. Draught proofing can reduce the costs of heating for the tenant and is also covered by the landlord’s LESA.
• Use low energy bulbs: Fit the property with energy saving light bulbs. Not only are you doing your bit for the environment, they last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs.
• Consider renewable energy sources: One way to reduce CO2 emissions is to consider using solar panels or even wind turbines to generate energy for the property. These are a real selling point for potential tenants as reduces the costs of their utility bills.
• Foil panel radiators: Reflective foil panels help use the heat most radiators lose from their backs. This is cheap, and the panels can be found at most DIY shops.
• Install a new boiler: Boilers are also a culprit when it comes to CO2 so when it comes to replacing this choose a high efficiency-condensing boiler with heating controls.
• Fit A-rated appliances: Electrical appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers use up an enormous amount of energy. By choosing A–rated appliances this can cut the carbon emissions from the appliances you install in the property.
• Fix leaking taps: A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so ensure all taps are in good working order.
• Timed heating: Have the heating on a timer so that it is only one whilst tenants are in the property, and not wasted when there is no one home.
• Give tenants green guidelines: This can be anything from ordering a green recycling box from the local authority to a fact sheet on how much tenants can they save on their utility bills with various energy, cost and time savings tips.

Lee Grandin, Managing Director of Lettingagent.com, said: “In the current climate, it is important that landlords take heed of the need to improve their environmentally friendly credentials. There are many advantages to going green as a landlord. Not only can you save money in the long run, but this also attracts a whole new calibre of tenant.

“In 2004 the Government announced a landlord’s energy saving allowance (LESA), which applies to England, Wales and Scotland. This scheme provides all private landlords who pay income tax and let residential property with upfront relief on capital expenditure for installations of draught proofing, loft, cavity wall, solid wall and hot water system insulation in rented accommodation. LESA allows landlords a deduction for income tax purposes up to a maximum of £1,500, so is definitely worth looking into”