While the new Labour government has talked about making rented homes more energy efficient, one company has shone a light on how much it is likely to cost landlords.

Vibrant, which claims to be the leading energy solutions company in the UK, has looked at an ‘average’ home – a three bedroom semi-detached house in Chandler’s Ford in Hampshire – and estimated the costs of making it more energy efficient.

The property is typical of homes across the UK, featuring no cavity wall insulation or loft insulation, doubler-glazed windows and a condensing combi boiler. The property costs approximately £4,100 a year in gas and electricity costs to run.

Vibrant assessed the property and considered the least and most amount of cash that needed including Government grants to make it greener.

To only put loft insulation in and fill the cavity walls, the net cost would be £1,380 after taking into account the £3,071 grant available via the Great British Insulation Scheme which is administered by Ofgem. It is claimed that this would result in annual energy bill savings of £1,391, meaning the money would be recouped within a year.

Solar

Vibrant says to add a solar energy capability to the property would push the overall upgrade costs to £15,376 but create savings each year of £2,621, so payback within five years.

To then fit a heat pump too would add £12,689 to the total cost taking it to £27,689 but, because more grants then kick in, the cost to the landlord or home owner would be £17,118, which would take four years to recoup in lower energy costs.

This final approach, which is offered by Vibrant as its ‘gold’ package while the others are ‘bronze’ and ‘silver’, makes a home ‘off grid’ or ‘net zero’ because the property would not longer rely on utility providers for gas or electricity because it would generate its own hot water and electricity.

different

“These packages are open to both homeowners and landlords although the latter will obviously have a slightly different journey as it will more than likely involve a third party - the tenants,” Ben Heng (pictured), the company’s Energy Efficiency Solutions Manager, tells LandlordZONE.

“We understand that every property is unique in design, orientation and elevation, and not all spaces are suitable for a large array of solar panels or a heat pump.”

The company provides homeowners and landlords with ‘energy savings audits’ to assess the specific options that are available and provide the potential benefits such as cost savings, carbon reduction, and payback periods.