Energy-saving tips for tenants
As a tenant, high energy bills can eat into your budget quickly, especially when you're facing rising costs and limited control over the property itself. The good news is that you don't need to own your home to make a real difference to your energy consumption. Here are practical, tenant friendly ways to cut your energy bills.Understand what you can and can't change
Before diving into improvements, it's worth knowing your limitations. As a tenant, you can't make structural changes like installing new boilers, adding wall insulation, or replacing windows without your landlord's permission. However, there's plenty you can do within your tenancy agreement that requires no alterations at all.Master your heating controls
Heating typically accounts for over half of your energy bill, so getting this right makes the biggest impact. If you have a thermostat, turning it down by just one degree can reduce your heating bill by around 10%. Most people find 18-21°C comfortable for living areas.Use your heating timer effectively. Rather than leaving heating on low all day, it's usually more efficient to heat your home only when you need it. Program your heating to come on half an hour before you wake up and switch off half an hour before you leave for work.
If you have thermostatic radiator valves (the numbered dials on individual radiators), use them to control temperatures in different rooms. There's no point heating empty bedrooms or storage spaces to the same temperature as your living room.
Draught-proof without damage
Draughts can waste enormous amounts of energy, but you can tackle them without making permanent changes. Draught excluder strips for doors and windows are cheap, effective, and easily removable when you move out. A simple draught excluder along the bottom of external doors stops cold air rushing in.Letterbox brushes and keyhole covers are inexpensive additions that make a noticeable difference. If you have a chimney that's not in use, a chimney balloon can prevent heat escaping up the flue - just remember to remove it before lighting a fire.
Make the most of natural resources
Opening curtains and blinds during daylight hours lets free solar heat warm your rooms, particularly on south-facing windows. Close them as soon as it gets dark to trap the warmth inside. Thermal or lined curtains are especially effective and are perfectly acceptable additions to a rental property.On sunny days, make the most of natural light rather than switching on lamps. Position your workspace or reading chair near windows where possible.
Kitchen and cooking efficiency
Your kitchen offers multiple opportunities for savings. When boiling water, only fill the kettle with what you actually need - boiling a full kettle for one cup of tea wastes energy and money. If you're cooking on a hob, match pan sizes to ring sizes and keep lids on pans to retain heat.Microwaves use less energy than ovens for small portions. Batch cooking and freezing meals is more energy-efficient than cooking from scratch daily. When using your oven, try to cook multiple items at once.
Keep your fridge and freezer at the right temperature: 3-5°C for fridges and -18°C for freezers. Don't overfill them, as air needs to circulate, and ensure the seals are clean and working properly. Defrost your freezer regularly, as ice build-up makes it work harder.
Hot water habits
After heating, hot water is typically your second biggest energy expense. Shorter showers make a significant difference, cutting just one minute off your daily shower can save around £10 per person annually. If you have an electric shower, it's usually cheaper than running a bath from a hot water tank.Fix dripping taps promptly by reporting them to your landlord. A hot tap dripping once per second wastes enough energy to fill half a bath weekly. When washing up, use a bowl rather than running hot water continuously.
Lighting the smart way
Switching to LED bulbs is one of the simplest changes you can make. LEDs use up to 90% less energy than traditional bulbs and last much longer. Since you're just replacing bulbs rather than fixtures, this is perfectly acceptable in rental properties and you can take them with you when you move.Get into the habit of turning lights off when you leave a room. It sounds obvious, but it's surprising how much energy gets wasted through lights left on in empty spaces.
Appliance awareness
Many devices consume energy even when switched off, known as standby power. TVs, games consoles, phone chargers, and microwaves all draw power continuously. Use plug sockets with switches and turn them off when not in use, or invest in smart plugs that cut power completely.When using washing machines, wash at 30°C rather than 40°C when possible - modern detergents work well at lower temperatures. Wait until you have a full load rather than doing multiple half-loads, and air-dry clothes instead of using a tumble dryer when feasible.
If you have an older fridge, freezer, or other appliance that seems inefficient, you could politely ask your landlord about upgrading it. Energy-efficient appliances benefit them too through improved EPC ratings.