RENEWABLES & SUSTAINABILITY
SPECIAL FEATURE
SIX REASONS WHY THE PRIVATE RENTAL MARKET COULD DRIVE BUSINESS FOR ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS :
• Legislation . From 1st April 2018 it will be unlawful for landlords to rent out properties with an energy performance certificate ( EPC ) rating of less than ‘ E ’. From April this year landlords will be unable to refuse a tenant ’ s request to make prescribed energy efficiency improvements to properties . Almost 10 per cent of privately rented homes in England and Wales fall below the ‘ E ’ standard .
• Stamp Duty surcharge . With landlords now forced to pay a three per cent surcharge on all buy-to-let properties , there is a common belief that they will shift their focus away from building property portfolios , and onto improving them . Energy efficiency upgrades will be critical if landlords are to retain the rental appeal of their properties .
• Inefficient housing . The government ’ s English Housing Survey 2012-13 shows that private rented properties had the lowest SAP rating of all tenures since records began . Small , inefficient homes are often fuelled by outdated , ineffective heating systems – especially flats , where gas supply is often not available .
• Heating demand . More than anywhere else , heating is the key to making energy efficiency savings . Over 60 per cent of energy in the home is used on heating and too many private rented homes are heated by outdated or incorrectly specified appliances .
• Changing demographics . A significant increase from single person households to families with dependants in the private rented sector could encourage landlords to focus on improvements to existing properties , as the wellbeing of tenants becomes an important focus .
• Demand for tailored solution . With a high proportion of private rented homes being electrically heated , there is ample opportunity for contractors . Taking into account lifestyle habits , house size and efficiency of the property , means a one-size-fits-all approach will not work . A tailored solution means maximising business potential for contractors , whilst helping tenants to save money on their bills in the long run .
Specifying the correct heating system comes from an understanding of the heating appliances and the lifestyle of the user . Electric radiators can deliver controllable heat at the touch of a button .
Specifying the correct heating system comes from an understanding of the heating appliances and the lifestyle of the user . Incorrect specification is the number one reason why tenants would find their electric heating bills disproportionately high – and is undoubtedly a contributing factor to the negative perception many people still have towards such systems .
According to the last available Census data , just 56 per cent of people living in rented accommodation live in a house , compared to 91 per cent of owner occupied residents ; the remainder live in flats or apartments – where gas supply is often not available . This goes some way to explain the high penetration of electric heating in privately rented homes , and highlights the need for investment tailored to lifestyle needs .
Electric radiators such as the Q-Rad can deliver controllable heat at the touch of a button , and are well suited to rooms where quick heat-up and cool-down times are required – such as bedrooms , hallways and conservatories . However unless a property is extremely small and well insulated , direct acting heating is only one part of a whole house solution .
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