Six Hacks for Landlords to Slash Energy Bills

It’s probably in the interest of landlords as much as tenants to slash energy bills now, even before new EPC ratings apply.

Firstly, energy improvements now may contribute to improving EPC ratings on a property in the long term. Secondly, lower bills make properties more attractive to future tenants. And thirdly, if a property suffers a void - well, the landlord will pay less inn residual energy costs keeping it warm over the worst of the winger.

Norton Finance has produced these six hacks:

1. Draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy and money.  DIY draught-proofing starts at under £3 for a roll of self-adhesive draught-excluding tape. Block up unwanted gaps around windows, doors and chimneys that let cold air in and warm air out. Doing this could save around £215 on fuel after five years. 

What you’ll spend: £3

What you’ll save: £215

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2. Roof insulation: Just like going out in cold weather without a hat, as much as a quarter of heat can be lost if your roof isn’t insulated. The loft of a mid-terrace house costs around £285 to insulate with 270mm insulation, saving you as much as £500 on bills after five years. You’ll also reduce your carbon footprint by about 530kg every year.

What you’ll spend: £285

What you’ll save: £500

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3. Wall insulation: About a third of heat is lost from walls of uninsulated houses. The age of your home will usually determine the type of walls you have, and this in turn affects the cost of insulation. Solid walls let twice as much heat escape as cavity walls. While insulating solid walls can be more expensive, the savings on your heating bills will also be bigger. Insulating the walls of an average mid-terrace house cost under £400, with savings of just under £500 after five years, saving 415kg of carbon each year.

What you’ll spend: £400

What you’ll save: £500

4. Upgrade your boiler: Boilers are improving in energy efficiency all the time. If you haven’t had a new boiler in the last 10 years, replacing it with a newer model could cost around £2,500, but you could save more than £850 on bills within 5 years if you’re in a mid-terrace house. Not only that, a new boiler will reduce your household’s carbon footprint by a whopping 1.92 tonnes of CO2 every year. 

What you’ll spend: £2,500

What you’ll save: £850

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5. Double Glazing: Some 20 per cent of heat can be lost through standard windows. Invest in energy-efficient double-glazed windows to make savings of up to £850 in heating bills over five years, and 80kg of carbon per year. Plus, you’ll be sure to enjoy the peace and quiet that goes along with double glazing. Installation costs average out at around £4,250 for A-rated PVC windows in the average semi, compared to around £15,000 for A-rated hardwood windows. Double glazed windows can reduce the CO2 emissions of a typical household by three quarters of a tonne every year.

What you’ll spend: £4,250

What you’ll save:  £850

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6. Install solar panels: These days, an average solar set-up will cost £4,800 all-in. But it’s estimated that a 3.5kW panel will save you £330 a year - that’s £1,650 in five years. Not only that, a typical solar panel saves over 900kg of CO2 per year. Most homes have upwards of 12 panels; that’s 10.8 tonnes of carbon saved every year, not to mention money paid back to you thanks to the smart export guarantee.

What you’ll spend: £4,800

What you’ll save: £1,650

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