Energy advice for tenants
Saving energy means saving money. Insulating and increasing the energy efficiency of your home can save you money on energy bills and can also help reduce condensation and mould.
You can view an Ofgem energy rights guide to see useful information about energy rights as a tenant.
Even in a rented property you can take steps to save even more money such as:
- Switching off lights and appliances
- Using heating controls effectively
- Washing at lower temperatures
- Switching energy tariffs or suppliers
- Fitting radiator panels, thick curtains and draught excluders
EPCs are required whenever a building is rented out (with some exemptions including listed buildings and HMOs; for further information please read the government guidelines for when an EPC is required at Gov.uk information on EPC requirements). The certificate provides 'A' to 'G' ratings for the building, with 'A' being the most energy efficient. You should look at EPCs to decide whether or not to rent a property as it indicates how high energy bills are likely to be. An EPC with an F or G rating may indicate an excessively cold home which could be expensive to heat.
The Government’s Energy Act 2011
Tenants have the right to request reasonable energy improvements to improve their property, which landlords will not be able to refuse. Funding must have been sourced for this by tenants.
Making these improvements can be beneficial to both tenants and landlords, saving on costs and having a positive impact on the environment. For more details go to the Gov.uk energy efficiency webpages or download our energy efficiency advice sheet or more details regarding the request procedure.
From April 2018 the government will make it unlawful to rent out a house which has less than an "E" energy efficiency rating so landlords will be legally obliged to make energy efficiency improvements from this date.
There are exemptions, but landlords will need to register an exempt property on the national Private Rented Sector Exemptions Register managed by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Read the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) Regulations 2015.
Making a property more energy efficient
Further information regarding making energy efficiency improvements, available grants and funding and relevant trade accreditation schemes can be found in our Keeping warm and saving energy section. Top tips are also available on the Energy Saving Trust: How to insulate your home and stay warm this winter webpage.
The Council has a new Financial Assistance Policy available to help those, including landlords, who need to improve their property but have limited financial options. Please see the Financial Assistance page for more details.