Free Home Energy Report - should I bother as renting?

LuFo

Hi all,

Apologies if this is in the wrong forum! - please advise!

I have received a letter offering me a free personalised home energy report, with a form to be completed either on the phone, online or by post!

I was wondering if you think it worthwhile me completing it as I am renting, I didn't get to see one when I took this place on last Autumn, and I must admit so far my energy bills are higher than I had expected for the size of the place (and this was before the really cold weather!).

I have an electricity monitor which is good, so I am making sure all non-essentials are switched off!

Thanks!

Jowo_2

What is the organisation that is offering it?

You could check the local council website as some councils offer grants to landlords to improve their properties energy efficiency (replacement of old boilers, loft lagging, etc). Sometimes there are conditions attached, such as low incomes by their tenants. Other schemes have broader entry criteria, namely that the landlord just has to promise to rent their properties for a few years.

LuFo

Thanks for your reply

It is from the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre at an address in Exeter, and on the letter head it has the local council name on too.

It does mention energy saving home improvement grants and offers available in my area, on the form it asks if anyone living in the property receives certain benefits (which I do).

Fire_Fox

If you are going to stay there another winter then it is worth you applying. Why would you think it isn't??

G_M

You do, of course know that:

"Since October 2008 landlords offering property for rent have been required by law to provide prospective tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate for their property."

This is different. I see no harm in agreeing though I doubt it will tell you much. My guess is you will be asked questions like
Do you have loft insulation? How thick?

then under 'recomendations' it will suggest you install loft insulation to a depth of x" !

I had one of these a few years ago and hoped to find a way to easily insulate my sloping ceilings upstairs and an open chimney. No one visited the house. No one could advise on 'non-standard' scenarios. It was very 'tick-the-boxes' common sense.

GDB2222

Still, any reasonable landlord would consent to home improvements that don't cost them much/anything.

LuFo

Thanks for the replies.

This is meant to be a long-term let, but who knows - from reading this forum I don't think I can be too confident on that!

My LL doesn't want seem to want to pay for anything at all, (in another thread I asked for opinions about getting a shower upgrade, and I ended up having to pay the full cost myself), so I am not sure if it would be worth applying for any grants, as I don't have any idea how much I would have to pay myself for anything, and therefore if it would be worthwhile.

After reading this forum a few weeks after I had moved in I realised I should have seen an Energy Performance Certificate, but the LA fobbed me off when I asked, and I gave up, as I felt it was too late by then having already signed the Tenancy Agreement and moved in.