The Government, local authorities and businesses alike have been strained during the ongoing economic storm and have faced tough choices on how to streamline their services and save money. Many have turned to green measures as an option, from low energy light bulbs to hybrid cars; there is an inescapable green movement underway.
Tenants are also looking for cost saving measures as well, and the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) can play a pivotal role in their decision. The EPC documents the energy efficiency for the property and makes suggestions on how it can be improved. Improvements vary from low energy light bulbs, to new boilers and all can be highly beneficial in the marketing of your property.
Cavity wall insulation for example on a 3 bedroom terraced property can generate savings of £103 a year, combined with low energy light bulbs the savings can increase to over £150 a month. The biggest improvement however is solar power, if you have a south facing roof, not only will solar panels generate free electricity, but any excess can be sold back to the national grid earning landlords an additional income on top of the rent.