With sustainability and awareness of global warming high on the agenda, isn’t it about time your tenants started looking at a greener energy provider?
Why is it important to save energy?
Wind and solar farms feed the electricity they produce into the UK’s electricity grid, just like coal and gas-power stations. The less electricity you use, the less that comes from gas and coal, which means less carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.
This ultimately means that these limited resources will last longer, and it is less likely to impact the earth by having to source them.
Reducing energy usage also means power plants will create fewer greenhouse gas emissions, which absorb the sun’s heat, trapping it in the atmosphere.
This is also the case if tenants are making a conscious effort in their home to save electricity. For example, if they run their washing machine at a lower temperature, they will save just as much carbon dioxide whether they choose a green tariff or not.
Where does green energy come from?
Renewable sources used to make green energy include:
Wind power – Harnessed by wind turbines
Solar power – Produced when sunlight is absorbed by solar panels and converted into power
Hydroelectric power – Large volumes of water turn a turbine, producing energy
Wave power – Captured from ocean waves, rivers, lakes and canals. These waves are usually caused by the wind.
Tidal power – Made by the energy produced as the tide changes. This happens because of the moon’s gravitational pull.
Biofuels – When biological matter such as plant matter are used as a fuel source
Suppliers should make sure tenants are aware of what sources are included in their tariff, along with what proportion of their energy supply is renewable. Something to be aware of should of is that not all tariffs are 100% renewable, but many will offer a percentage of the total. In some cases green energy can be more expensive, but it isn’t the case with all providers. It is worth your tenants’ checking the available tariffs if they are interested in a green supplier.
Why don’t people switch to green energy tariffs?
According to consumer research carried out for MoneySuperMarket in 2018, these were the reasons why people haven’t switched to a greener energy tariff.
It wasn’t the cheapest tariff – 40%
Don’t know enough about green suppliers – 26%
Didn’t know it was possible – 21%
Don’t want to leave current supplier – 16%
Findings from a sample comprised of 2,005 nationally representative UK adults, aged 18 and above.
What can tenants do to make their home greener?
- Put the heating on a timer
- Keep windows closed during the winter
- Don’t forget to turn lights off
- Don’t waste water
How can Tenant Shop help?
We work with Scottish Power to deliver a simpler way for letting agents to manage the energy in the properties they’re responsible for.
The Tenant Shop void solution means that landlords benefit from their bespoke Energy for Landlords tariff, which is designed to help minimise costs when the property is vacant, with no standing charge for up to 45 days. This way, landlords will only pay for the energy they use during this time.
Tenants can also focus on settling into their new home knowing that we will work with their letting agent to set up a Scottish Power energy account. Then we’ll get in touch to match them with a tariff that best suits their needs.
Text References
Energy Saving Trust. (2019). Buying green electricity. Accessible: https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/home-energy-efficiency/switching-utilities/buying-green-electricity. Last Accessed: 14 August 2019.
Npower. (2019). Energy efficiency. Accessible: https://www.npower.com/help-and-support/guides/energy-efficiency/#energy-efficiency-important. Last Accessed: 14 August 2019.
MoneySuperMarket. (2019). What is ‘green’ energy? Accessible: https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/green-energy/. Last Accessed: 10 June 2019.