How to keep bills low and be more energy efficient this winter
Almost half of renters are worried how they'll pay their bills
Last updated 27th May 2022
With the freezing cold temperatures and daylight gone by 5pm, half of renters are worried how they will pay their bills this winter.
A new research by OnePoll for Smart Energy GB surveyed 2,000 UK renters in November and found that 49% are worried about how they will make ends meet as temperatures drop.
With the current fuel crisis seeing an increase in energy prices, ongoing hikes in household bills are proving to be a major concern for households across the country.
Moreover 62% of renters indicated they may struggle to pay their rent this winter.
More than half also said these concerns are having a negative impact on their mental health.
They are making their own energy efficient changes - turning off lights (59%), switching off appliances when they aren't using them (56%) and even keeping their heating off, even when it's cold (44%).
Over a quarter of tenants also felt like landlords could be doing more to help when it comes to managing their house's energy use.
If landlords made homes more energy efficient, 46% of renters said they believed their energy bills could be better.
Here are some tips on how your household can become more energy efficient:
Property expert Kate Faulkner recommends some simple steps to help landlords further support their tenants this winter.
Check what eco features the property has already
Depending on the age of the boiler, newer ones will have an 'eco mode' which you can turn on that can save money as it stops water from being preheated. The downside is it takes a little longer for hot water to come out of the tap, the upside is, it can save money.
Use LED lighting
Whether you pay the utility bill or not, either fit LED lights yourself, for example, before you re-let the property or, if you have a tenant already in the property, advise them they could save around £40 a year by fitting LEDs. You could even consider gifting the tenant some bulbs to support them following the utility cost rises.
Get a smart meter
A smart meter is the new generation of meters. Just like cars have more electronic kit, such as sat-navs, keyless entry and diagnostics to understand what's wrong, a smart meter provides in near-real-time information via the in-home display on the user's gas and electricity use, in both Kwh and in pounds and pence, so tenants and landlords better understand what drives their bills up. This helps households understand how they can make changes to their energy use - and save money.
Fit thermostats on radiators
If you haven't already fitted them, thermostats on radiators can really help tenants only heat the areas required, or boost the areas they are living in most, keeping some heat on in rooms used a lot less. I have these and they are my main way to keep the different rooms I use at different times nice and warm, as well as save money on my bills.
If renovating or upgrading a property, fit insulation
A great way to keep costs down for tenants is making sure roof spaces, walls and floors are insulated, basically ensuring less heating is required to keep a home warm. This is a pretty cost-effective way to help tenants (or yourself if you are the bill payer) as something like 25% of heat loss is via the roof, and if installed by a professional, it should deliver savings for around 40 years.