In many professional Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), rooms are rented at an all-inclusive rate with landlords footing most, if not all, of the household bills.
Even reducing such maintenance and running costs by pennies can save you pounds in the long-term, and in some cases, increase the efficiency of a home.
Here are some of our Partner's top tips on saving energy.
1. Energy Efficiency Grants
First and foremost, check out what grants and subsidies might be freely available to you in your area. You could be saving money on tons of things, from loft and cavity wall insulation to combi boilers and new windows.
2. Heat Settings
There are so many wild and wonderful gadgets out there now for controlling your heating and hot water systems.
Aside from pre-setting the times and temperatures on boilers and heaters, you can get a range of devices that will not only allow you to control the settings from home, but for the tenants to heat a room for example, without going over the top. After all, you need to give them some control – if they get cold, they will only buy electric heaters and that will push costs the opposite way.
It’s also important to remember the thermostats. You’ll find them on boilers and immersion heaters, and if they aren’t fitted to your radiators, that’s something else to consider.
3. Lighting
It seems like the simplest of things, but choosing the right light bulbs is a minefield. There are so many different types, different energy consumptions and different brightness levels.
A halogen light will use 20% less energy and they are very cheap. They aren’t great for permanent use, but if they are switched on and off for short times, such as in a cupboard or downstairs toilet, they work.
The compact florescent light will use 70% less energy. They take a while to come on and can’t be dimmed normally, and there is an environmental impact as they contain a lot of mercury.
LED lights are now on a par with other energy saving light bulbs. You can get core white, warm white and daylight. They are more expensive but have a long life and save you on maintenance.
Don’t forget, you should always think about fitting occupancy switches that have an automatic on/off switch.
4. Appliances
Never go for the most expensive or the most fancy! When you buy white goods, you should always think about the running costs – and the noise. Check the energy efficiency label and look out for the Energy Trust recommended sticker.
5. Education
At the end of the day, if your energy bills go up, so will the rent you have to charge your tenants. Therefore, it’s also in their best interests to keep costs down.
You’re not asking them to share showers, but just to be energy conscious. Remind them to switch off the lights when they aren’t in the room, turn of appliances once they’ve finished using them and not to leave windows open unnecessarily – especially if the heating is on!
You could even try putting some posters up around the house.
What top tips do you have for saving energy around the house?
