Energy saving light bulbs may make rental property more attractive
In an increasingly difficult rental and housing climate, residential landlords are encouraged to take extra steps to make their property more appealing to prospective tenants, who now have a much greater choice of flats and houses to choose from than ever before. Perhaps the best way to make rental properties more attractive is to ensure that they are as energy efficient as possible. Changing old incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones can be a step in the right direction. But landlords should be careful when selecting these compact fluorescent bulbs and make sure that the ones they purchase for indoor use are the “soft light” variant, which closely resembles the warmer light that regular incandescent bulbs would give. Regular compact fluorescents, however, tend to give off an unnatural, cold light, and this could make your rental property unappealing to some.
In addition to changing the light bulbs, purchasing a new boiler and improving on the rental property’s insulation could all pay off in the long-run. There are also funds available which can provide landlords with some financial assistance in partially covering the costs associated with these improvements. For example, £1,500 is available through the Landlords Energy Saving Allowance. This amount can be claimed back, so long as the landlord can provide evidence that he/she made improvements to the given property in excess of this amount.
In addition to making one’s rental property more energy efficient, it is crucial to always keep abreast of market developments and not overprice a flat or home, thus turning tenants away.