How can tenants make homes greener?

As the credit crunch rumbles on, Britons may find that flats to rent in Eltham or another borough of London are an affordable alternative to taking on a mortgage.

However, tenants may also be keen to further reduce their spending - something which may be achieved by becoming more energy efficient and adopting a greener lifestyle.

Guardian reader Joelle recently contacted the newspaper to ask about what she could do to make her rented Victorian property in London a little greener.

"[I] have found that the biggest impacts I could have - installing double glazing, replacing the fridge and washing machine with more energy efficient ones - are things I can't really do as a renter," she said.

Tenants in a similar position may wish to approach their landlord to see if they will fund energy efficient fixtures and fittings, such as double glazing or a new boiler.

And the Energy Saving Trust claims there are other ways to reduce bills, including by turning off electrical appliances when not in use, not leaving phones charging, washing clothes at a lower temperature and turning down the thermostat by one degree.

Written by Andy Britten

Published 1st October, 2009

© 2009 Estates IT Limited