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Landlord Advice

4 ways landlords can make their properties more sustainable

Written by Maddy Tickner

Although sustainability is a buzzword across many industries, it unfortunately doesn’t always come at the top of every landlord’s list of priorities. When this is the case, landlords are missing out on an opportunity to attract and retain good tenants who care about reducing their carbon footprint.

In the same way that the world is shifting towards sustainable products, tenants who value sustainability will be looking for eco-friendly features within their rented properties. We have compiled a list of some ways in which you can make your property more sustainable and attract tenants who are passionate about looking after the environment.

Electric boilers

Generating enough heat to warm our homes contributes to roughly 15% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions; this is such a serious issue that the UK government has said that gas boilers will not be allowed in new properties from 2025. While the traditional gas boiler can be typically cheaper to run than its electric counterpart, electric boilers usually have cheaper installation costs and waste little energy, so can be more energy efficient. 

There are, of course, many pros and cons to both gas and electric boilers but it may be a good time to consider making the switch to an electric boiler to do your bit for the planet.

LED light bulbs

Although you may get drawn in by the lower purchase cost of traditional light bulbs, LED light bulbs tend to last much longer than traditional bulbs, meaning you end up saving money in the long run. Smart lights also come with additional advantages, such as motion sensors, and further lend themselves to advancing the strive to become more eco-friendly. Read more about smart devices on our blog ‘The top 4 problems that technology could solve for landlords’.

Furniture

One avenue into making a property sustainable that might be overlooked is furnishing the property in eco-friendly furnishings. Sustainable furniture earns its name by being manufactured in a method that produces the least amount of negative impact on the environment as possible.

Popular image-focused social media site Pinterest found in its Pinterest 100 trends report in 2020 that searches for ‘low-waste lifestyle’ increased by 446% from the previous year, showing that tenants are thinking about different ways in which a property can be greener. Consider pieces that are made from wood or other materials derived from renewable sources, as well as items that contain minimal chemicals that could damage the environment.

Eco-friendly products

Landlords should make an effort to stock up on products and amenities that do not contain harsh chemicals, as well as moving towards zero waste by adopting initiatives such as not using any single use plastic and using cleaning products that aren’t harmful to the environment.

City Relay is on a mission to become carbon neutral and has invested in sustainability initiatives to achieve this. We have introduced eco-friendly products and amenities into our landlords’ properties. Our initiatives include: 

  • Using 100% vegan and cruelty-free bamboo toilet paper
  • Providing tenants with cartons of water from One Water, who fund clean water projects around the globe
  • Adopting a zero waste policy by collaborating with First Mile, a zero-to-landfill recycling company
  • Supplying guests with organically grown coffee pods, with packaging that is 100% compostable and recyclable

Find out more about what property management services City Relay can offer you by contacting us today.

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