Energy efficiency changes - some information

If you’re a landlord who wants to improve your rental properties but are wondering whether or not you will be able to access energy efficiency funding from your local authority now that the Green Homes Grant has been discontinued, some research from Rightmove should put a smile on your face.

Last week the online property specialists suggested five ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency rating - and they won’t cost the earth. The Government wants all homes to have at least a C rating by 2035 and all rented homes must meet this target by 2030. But according to Rightmove, more than half the homes in England and Wales have a D, E, F or G EPC rating – not good enough. So they suggest that by making a few cheap changes to your property now, you could boost your rating and save yourself and your tenants money, as well as giving yourself that “I’m doing my bit to save the planet” feelgood factor!

The quick and easy suggestions from Rightmove are:

• Lag your hot water cyclinder – average cost £23
• Draught-proof any single-glazed windows -  average cost £100
• Increase or upgrade loft insulation – average cost £223
• Upgrade your heating controls – average cost £400

Finally, they suggest switching to low-cost lighting, which they say could cost as little as £38. That’s the good news. But here’s the bad news. The government has announced that it is phasing out the halogen bulbs that a few years ago were touted as a more energy efficient alternative to the old-fashioned incandescent lamps we all grew up with. This is good news for the environment – but potentially costly for landlords who will be forced to replace all light fittings such as kitchen spotlights that require halogen lamps. From September there will be a ban on the sale of halogen light bulbs and fluorescent lights will be removed from sale two years later in September 2023. Lighting with fixed bulbs that can’t be replaced are also being removed from sale later this year, to prevent them going to landfill when they stop working. So if you can switch the rest of your lighting to LEDs, do it now – it might help offset the cost of any additional electrical work you will need to carry out in the autumn.