Energy Saving Tips For Renters – All You Need To Know

Depending on whether you’re a homeowner, or a tenant (renter), the changes you can make to your home to reduce your energy bills will vary differently

If you have a ‘bills included’ deal with your landlord, some of these may not be applicable and you may not be able to affect your bills, unless you can convince them to let you try and get a cheaper deal if it benefits both of you.

If you are with a housing company that owns many properties, or an apartment block for example, it’s likely they will have commercial energy suppliers.

Regardless, you can still get into the great life-long practice of being resource efficient, thanks to these fantastic energy saving tips for renters.

Change your Provider

It is really the first step towards saving money on your energy bills, but as well as that, you can save energy by changing provider. If you’re paying less for your energy, all of your efforts will get you closer towards paying (almost) nothing!

If energy saving is something you want to do for an environmental reason, you could consider switching to Ecotricity, Green Energy UK or Good Energy, just to name a few. These renewable energy providers offer an option that does not consume limited energy resources, like gas and coal.

You can learn about how independent energy suppliers came to be so cheap in this article.

Dress warmer at home

We feel a bit like your parents when we make this suggestion, but it’s totally logical. The warmer you are, the less likely you are to turn the heating on, thus saving energy. Dropping the average yearly temperature in your home by 2C will save £180 on your energy bill!

Turn the lights off when you leave a room

Why do we find it so much harder to turn a light off than on? It could be one of the great human mysteries of our time, but if we become willing to tackle it and change it, it could be a great energy saving triumph. For renters, especially those who pay their own energy bills, you will see a noticeable difference when you start turning the lights off. This behaviour transcends beyond lights too, and sets a precedent of responsible energy management in your home.

Unplug appliances

There is no benefit to your TV being sat on standby while you’re not at home. This small surge of electricity can be cut out and the energy saved; the same goes for your stereo, desktop computer, laptop, DVD player, WiFi box, TV satellite box, wireless home phone, digital radio, coffee machine, lamp, toaster and any mobile device that is sat on charge with a full battery. Around 10% of your personal energy consumption comes from things that are plugged in and not being used. As far as energy saving tips for renters goes, this one is golden.

Track your meter readings

One of the most effective ways to get the best energy prices for your home is by making a note of your meter reading every time you receive your energy bill. This isn’t about the price though, this is about your consumption, so if you begin tracking your meter readings, you can challenge yourself to use less energy month on month.

Request a smart meter

Your meter might be in some dusty cupboard full of spiders, and the thought of opening it up to make notes on your energy consumption probably doesn’t sound too appealing. If that’s the case, it’s time for you get a smart meter. They’re often free from your supplier (or cheap online), they’re cool, they have loads of information on and measure your energy consumption far more accurately. Your energy provider prefers if you have one, and you can even look at it and see where your water, gas and electricity is being distributed throughout the property.

Shower instead of bath

On average a shower uses just 10 to 20 litres of water, almost nothing compared to baths, which often take around 75 litres to fill! That’s a big difference not just for your water consumption, but for your boiler, which works hard to provide hot water, using either gas or electricity in the process. Advanced shower-heads can even divide the water spray in such a way that it uses even less water than before!

Digital Detox

Definition: A period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers, regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world. Why have we included this in our list of energy saving tips for renters? Because turning off gadgets and devices, unplugging appliances on standby and doing something other than watching television to relax, are all going to cut your energy usage. You could play board games, read a book or just have a great chat with friends. What did cavemen do for fun?
Need some more energy saving tips for renters and homeowners? This article has everything you need.

Insulate Your Loft Space

When it comes to cutting your costs, you need to know where heat normally escapes from. Although it can easily leak out through the walls or floor, the majority of it leaves through the roof.  Think your loft is adequately insulated? Think again. Quantity doesn’t mean quality, especially when it comes to insulation.  If you’re currently making do with cellulose and fibreglass, then it’s definitely time to upgrade it. Over time, traditional insulation materials lose their efficacy, becoming separated from the rafters, and thereby encouraging cool currents inside.

In contrast, modern methods, such as spray foam, provide a superior, airtight seal, keeping warm aim locked in, and cold air firmly locked. The result? Less of your hard-earned cash allocated to heating your home!

Cook Your Meals in Batches

Think your the next Jamie Oliver? Invite us round for dinner! Seriously speaking though, your approach to cooking can be make or break for your energy bills. If you live alone, you’re probably used to cooking a meal for one. In our cold and drizzly climate, occasions for salad are a rarity, making stews and casseroles our main ports of call for dinner.  The average cooking time for some recipes can be one to two hours, which, as you can imagine, uses a great deal of energy. To reduce cooking time (and your bills), consider cooking meals in batches.

But what about food waste? Well, the good news is you can easily freeze batches of leftovers, for use on another day. Follow this procedure and you’ll save time, money, and have a tasty meal to look forward to. Sorted!

Have we given enough expert advice? If you’ve got any great tips, please connect with us on Facebook and Twitter and add your suggestions!