Make your rental property more energy efficient

Everyone wants to live in a warm, dry house - without the alarming monthly power bill. By making a few small adjustments, you can make your rental property warmer, drier and more energy efficient - all on a budget that might just surprise you.

Help with insulating your property

We've all heard about the importance of insulation, and for good reason. Well-fitted, quality insulation makes your property easier to heat and healthier, which is a big draw card for tenants.

Did you know that some low-income households are eligible for free ceiling and underfloor insulation? Tenants may be eligible if they have a Community Services Card and the house is occupied by someone under 17 years or over 65 years.*

Even if your tenants don’t qualify, there are several payment options with local councils and banks that can help with the cost.

Auckland Council for example, runs the Retrofit Your Home scheme, which allows you to apply for up to $5000 worth of financial assistance to insulate or heat your home - if it was built before the year 2000, and you’re an Auckland Council ratepayer with a good payment history. You repay this assistance over nine years through a targeted rate included on your rates bill.

If you'd like to discuss your options for insulating your rental property, talk to one of our property managers.

*Landlords of the eligible tenants may be asked to make a contribution.

Save on hot water

Did you know that heating water accounts for around one third of our energy bills?

One of the simplest things you can do for your tenants is to have a shower flow restrictor fitted. This can reduce the water flow rate to 9L/minute or less, saving them heaps on their electricity bill.

You can test the efficiency of your existing showerhead by seeing how long it takes to fill a 10 litre bucket. If it takes less than a minute, you’re wasting water.

For just a little bit extra, you might instead choose to have the showerhead replaced with a low flow model, which is still a very cost-effective option.

Your property manager can quickly and easily organise either of these upgrades for you.

Heat pump or air conditioner — A well chosen heat pump heats rooms more efficiently and can be a draw card for tenants.

Wrap up your hot water cylinder

It may sound old-fashioned, but insulating your hot water cylinder and pipes is still a very effective way to reduce your energy consumption.

It pays to also check that the hot water cylinder is set to 60oC at the cylinder and no more than 55oC at the tap.

Your property manager can arrange insulation for your hot water cylinder and check the temperature is set correctly.

Using the right type of heater

While a heat pump might seem like a big initial outlay of money, your tenants will love you for it.

You’re more likely to attract good tenants and you may even keep your tenants for longer.

Running electric heaters can be expensive for tenants and are not that effective at heating larger areas, not to mention the fire and health risks posed by some types of heaters.

A well chosen heat pump heats rooms more efficiently, while keeping the running costs to a minimum.

Our property managers are here to help

Our property management services include property maintenance, so we can arrange repairs and provide advice and assistance with your property, including helping you make some of the improvements mentioned above. Contact a property manager

Want us to manage your property?

We manage over 12,000 rental properties across Auckland, with dedicated property managers in over 60 branches. Talk to our property management team today.