Encouraging tenants to fit a smart meter should be a top priority for landlords as a way to help them stay debt-free, according to one energy expert.

Archie Lasseter, the Head of Sustainability for Utilita, says many tenants mistakenly believe they need to ask their landlord for a smart meter, however, landlords themselves could be more proactive when getting the tech is in both their interests.

Ahead of joining the panel for LandlordZONE’s exclusive webinar: ‘What's next for efficiency in rental properties?', Lasseter says being able to budget is key for its customers who are mainly private renters and 92% of whom have smart meters – double the industry average.

Decarbonise

He tells LandlordZONE that Utilita wants to help landlords decarbonise the PRS and improve their properties' energy efficiency, particular after the government’s U-turn on introducing tougher EPC targets, and suggests new thinking is needed “Perhaps there could be tax breaks for investing in energy efficiency measures or on rental income or better benchmarking that goes beyond EPCs, looking at a building’s heat transfer,” Lasseter suggests.

The energy retailer and home tech brand is the UK’s leading smart pay-as-you-go energy supplier and the only energy company created to help households use less energy - about 11% less than the average bill-paying home. Used by 800,000 homes, it aims to educate everyone that making small changes can have a big impact.

Topical issues

Lasseter will join James Tanner, developer of efficient energy homes for 14 years, and LandlordZONE’s head of content, Nigel Lewis, on Tuesday 7th November to explore topical issues including what the new Boiler Upgrade Scheme means for landlords, how much it costs to upgrade a property to a minimum band C and if a Labour government would recommit to the minimum EPC scheme.

You can register for the webinar below.