Opportunity for landlords to 'get smart on energy'

News Category: Management

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New technology could soon allow landlords to enhance their reputation with prospective tenants when it comes to cutting down on energy consumption.

Under legislation introduced in October, landlords are already legally required to produce an energy performance certificate when taking on a new tenant.

This provides prospective renters with an indication of the home's energy performance in the form of a rating.

However, a new device which the Energy Saving Trust (EST) hopes will be rolled out following government approval in the near future could enable cost-savvy tenants to go a step further and monitor their gas and electricity consumption themselves.

The EST believes smart meters could help tackle the lack of consumer awareness discovered in a recent survey, which found that eight in ten UK households admitted to being unaware of the cost of their fuel usage.

"Smart meters offer a solution to this problem helping consumers keep an eye on where they are using energy around their home," said Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the energy advice body.

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