Renting. It’s practically another word for “having terrible energy efficiency”.
Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating slightly. After all, nearly half of all private rental homes in England do currently have an EPC rating of D or lower (according to this UK government report) but of the landlords who own these inefficient homes, just 35% have plans to improve them (UK government report).
The point is that there’s no ignoring the issue: rental properties simply aren’t great for energy efficiency. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to live sustainably or minimise your carbon footprint renting.
Sure, you’re not going to be able to install solar panels or improve your boiler. You’ll probably need permission to paint the walls and may want to avoid anything that risks your deposit. But you don’t need permission to use your washing machine responsibly, and there are plenty of other ways to live greener in your rental that’ll shave off carbon emissions and save you money on bills without risking your deposit.
To make things easy for you, we’ve put together this ultimate guide to renting sustainably, covering:
* The energy efficiency facts for renters;
* What you can do anyway;
* Areas you might need permission for;
* Where you’ll need to save up before you make an impact.
Renting doesn’t have to be the opposite of sustainable living – keep reading to learn how to make it work.
## Energy Efficiency for Renters
Before we get started on how to rent responsibly let’s look at where renters stand with energy efficiency.
**EPC ratings: ** As we touched on above, the median EPC score of homes in England and Wales was band 67-68 (ONS) in 2023. To break that down slightly further: 45% of homes were band C or higher and 45% of homes were band D or lower (UK government report), putting the ‘middle’ property right in that C range.
That sounds a lot better than “half of rental properties have an EPC of D or worse” but it isn’t great either: band D homes are significantly less efficient than band C homes.
Renters are concentrated in the lower end of that scale though. 45% of private rental properties were band C (English Housing Survey), compared to 58% of all homes.
What this means for your bills: Between £200-400 more per year to heat a band D property compared to a band C one. £500-800 more per year for band E versus band C.
Privately rented homes also tend to be older. That means that while there’s less you can do to improve energy efficiency without structural changes than in a newer build home, there are plenty of changes you can make within your rental constraints.
How homes lose heat: Through single glazing, gaps around windows and doors, an uninsulated loft that you can’t access, radiator that don’t heat evenly and a heating system you didn’t choose.
There’s not much you can do about the building itself, but everything you can about how you heat your home.
The heating system you’re stuck with: A dated boiler with an aging radiator network. Maybe evenStorage heaters you don’t know how to use properly.
Knowing what you’re working with is the first step to optimising it.
## Temperature Setting & Heating Controls
Adjust your thermostat
The single biggest thing you can do to reduce bills and live sustainably in a rental is lower your thermostat by 1°C. You’ll save up to 10% on heating bills(Energy Saving Trust) for minimal discomfort. That’s roughly £100-150 annually for the average rental property.
* Install a smart thermostat: lots of rental properties come with either broken thermostats or dumb mechanical ones mounted in the worst spot possible. You might be able to swap your old thermostat for a programmable or smart one without making structural changes. Systems like Nest or Hive often work with existing thermostat wiring. Your landlord may need to approve this, but it’s honestly quite rare for them to object if you’re improving the property at your own expense. Keep the old thermostat so you can swap it back when you move out.
* Optimise your radiators: bleeding your radiators costs literally nothing and could improve heating efficiency by up to 15-20% if it’s not been done recently. Radiator reflector panels fit behind your radiators and bounce heat back into the room rather than transferring it to the external wall. They cost £3-5 per radiator and stick on without damaging paintwork or removing when you move. Thermal curtains/blockout blinds are similar: they reduce heat loss through your windows by 10-15% and come down at the end of winter.
* Heat your rooms, not your whole house: if you pay for gas/electricity directly this can make a massive difference. Shut doors between heated and unheated rooms, use draught excluders on doors you do leave open and set bedroom radiators to lowest setting or off entirely if you don’t use them. You can save 20-30% on heating bills by only heating the rooms you use. It works better in some rental layouts than others, but I’ve yet to move into a place where at least one room could be left unheated without impacting comfort.
* Run your heating for less time: Counterintuitively, running your heating for a shorter period at a slightly higher temperature can be more efficient than leaving it on constantly at a low temperature. Particularly if your home is very poorly insulated. Programme your heating to turn on 30 minutes before you wake up and switch off 30 minutes before you go to bed. Your body temperature naturally decreases while you sleep anyway.
## Draught Proofing
As above, heat loss is one of the easiest areas to improve without landlord permission. Window film alone could save you 10-25% on heating bills if you live in an older rental with single glazing and poor seals around doors/windows.
* Door draughts: Self adhesive foam strips around your door frames cost £5-10 per door and seal out most draughts. Door bottom seals/draught excluders keep cold air from blowing underneath your doors. For external doors you can also get letterbox brush and keyhole covers to stop draughts there too. You can remove everything listed here when you move out.
* Window treatments: Secondary glazing film kits create a double glazed effect on single glazed windows. A clear plastic film applied to your window frames then shrunk tight with a hair dryer creates an insulating air gap. Another £3-8 per window that you can remove at the end of winter. Sash window clips are worth considering if your windows are old and don’t seal closed properly: they fit between the two windows sashes and eliminate most draughts without stopping your windows from opening and closing.
* Plugging gaps: Expanding foam/decorator’s caulk can fill gaps around pipes, cables, and other fixtures where they penetrate external walls. Putting holes in walls is technically changing the property, but these are maintenance level jobs most landlords appreciate you doing. Newspaper stuffed into gaps and removable foam strips are poor mans alternatives.
* Floorboards: While rugs will help keep heat in, serious gaps in your floorboards can be problematic. Decorative beading kits exist that cover the gap between floor and skirting without nails, and if nothing else you can position furniture to block drafts coming through gaps in floors.
| Task | Impact on Heating Bill | Challenge Level | Personalise for Rental? | One Time Cost | Reversible? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draught proof doors | Up to 10% | Very easy | Yes | £5-10 | Yes |
| Window treatments | 5-15% | Easy | Yes | £3-8 per window | Yes |
| Plug gaps | 2-5% | Medium | Sort of | Free – £20 | No (sort of) |
| Insulate floors | 1-3% | Medium | No | £20-50 | No |
## Showering & Cleaning
Reduce shower time
Shower instead of bathing. Then drastically reduce your shower time. You use around 35 litres of water with an average shower and a standard shower head (WRAP). A low-flow shower head can reduce this to 20-25 litres without impacting shower pressure. Low-flow shower heads screw onto your existing shower head and come off when you move. That’s £50-80 saving on your annual water bill.
You can actually buy shower timers too, but honestly showering with a timer on your phone works perfectly well.
You should also look into how efficiently your washing machine and dishwasher use resources too. Wash at 30 degrees where possible – it uses 40% less energy and doesn’t impact cleaning ability for most loads.
If you’re responsible for paying to heat your water you can also optimise your hot water system. Only heating your hot water when you need it (rather than leaving the heating on constantly) can save you another 15-25%. Works better with combi boilers than hot water tanks but you can still time hot water heater timers to heat overnight on cheap/off-peak tariffs if you’re connected to the right electricity plan.
Turn stuff off!
Any electrical items left on standby consume around 5-10% of their full power continuously. Use smart plugs to cut standby power across whole sections of your apartment, or just flip off any extension leads. You’ll save another £30-50/year and nothing needs to come off when you move out.
## Reduce Food Waste
Buy plastic bottles of water.
Just kidding. You should always filter tap water or buy a big reusable bottle. But you can significantly cut down on food waste with little effort. Meal plan around what you know you’ll actually eat rather than buying groceries based on what looks nice at the supermarket. Batch cooking improves ingredient usage and reduces packaging waste from ready meals. Store food properly to use things up before they spoil.
Much of your ability to recycle packaging will be out of your control depending on the recycling facilities provided with your rental. But food waste and general waste is 100% in your control.
Did You Know?
Recycling rates in the UK reached 64.1% in 2024 (UK government waste statistics), but only 44% of household waste was recycled (UK government waste statistics). Household waste recycling rates are lower because many people don’t have access to recycling facilities that can deal with all the packaging they throw away.
Most vegetables last longer in the fridge crisper drawer. Most fruit lasts longer at room temperature. Potatoes and onions should be stored in a dark dry cupboard.
## Travel & Transport
If your rental location limits your transport options then optimising your travel patterns can make a huge difference. Riding a train from London to Paris generates 90% less greenhouse gas than flying( Eurostar Media Centre), and domestically the principles are the same.
Walk or cycle wherever possible. Aim for journeys under 2 miles and only do so when the weather is pleasant and you can safely leave your bike unlocked. Combine multiple errands into one trip. Use public transport if it’s available. Car share for longer journeys you can’t avoid. You can often travel for less money by sharing a car than owning one in urban areas.
You can even plan most journeys to understand your options using the National Rail carbon calculator. Covering over 40,000 journeys (National Rail), it breaks down the emissions for different routes so you can pick the lowest carbon option. Trains are cheaper if you book in advance too.
| Transport | Better For | Cost | Carbon | Should I Just… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walking/Cycling | Travels under 2 miles, good weather, safe storage | Free. Except for buying a bike | None | Walk |
| Public transport | Regular journeys, towns/cities | £2-8 per journey depending on distance | Low. Per person | Run? |
| Car sharing | Occasional need, short-term rental. | £15-40 per day to rent | Moderate. Better than being outright owner | Buy a Car?? ? |
| Rail* | Medium to long distances, advance booking | £20-150 depending on how far away you book | Low. Per passenger mile | Walk? |
*\*Train travel in the UK is excellent. Availing yourself of the railways should be your default option where practical.”
Mistakes People Make When Renting “Sustainably”
Mistake #1: Putting effort into areas that don’t matter while ignoring things you can control. LED bulbs might save you £20/year. Heating optimisation can save you £100-300/year. Yet lots of people dive into changing their bulbs and habits without looking at their heating system. This is important because heating accounts for 60-70% of most household’s energy consumption. So start with the low hanging fruit:
- Heating
- Hot water
- Transport
Mistake #2: Spending lots of money on “eco swaps” that don’t work in rental properties. That expensive compost bin you bought will do you no good if you live in a flat with no outside space. And bamboo versions of household items are almost always more expensive than their plastic counterparts AND tend to perform worse. Don’t get us wrong, there’s a place for eco swaps but make sure you’re actually going to use them.
- Behaviour changes are free. If you can do it, do it.
- Conventional products often outperform “green” alternatives. If you can recycle the packaging, buy the cheaper option.
Mistake #3: Thinking you need your landlord’s permission for everything. You don’t need permission to change light bulbs, put up draught proofing or thermal curtains, install a low flow shower head, plug appliances into smart plugs, turn down your heating or optimise when you use hot water. People often put up with higher energy bills and negative environmental impact because they assume they can’t do anything about it. But they can, and should.
Mistake #4: Trying to do everything at once. There’s a lot to consider when renting sustainably. Trying to take everything on in your first month will lead to you buying things you don’t need (because they sound like they’ll help) and burning out on the entire thing. Take our advice, spread your changes out and keep your priorities straight.
Mistake #5: Expecting everything to pay for itself. If you’re moving in 6 months time then spending £200 on something that takes 2 years to save you money isn’t smart. However if an improvement costs nothing or £20 and will reduce your bills from day 1 it’s worth doing, even if you’re only in your rental for a few months. Don’t throw your money away but don’t let budget prevent you from making impactful changes either. Match your timeline to your spending.
## Sources
The entire basis for this post comes from us obsessively collecting sources. So here they all are, properly referenced:
UK Household energy use splits
* Overall Energy use by Sector (gov.uk)
* British Household Energy use breakdown (UK Heating)
Average shower times and lengths
* Consumer Focus
* Science Metrix
Shower head flowrates
Water-saving shower heads:
How much energy do washing machines use?
Washing at lower temperatures:
Insights into energy efficient behaviour
…
## Rental Property Types and How They Affect Things
Certain types of rental properties lend themselves to specific types of sustainability better than others. Because of this there are some tips that apply more to certain living situations than others.
We’ve done our best to call those out within each section but here’s a quick reference guide:
Flat/maisonette
You’ve probably noticed by now that storage space is a big theme throughout this guide. It heavily impacts your ability to buy in bulk, compost at home, and more. But there are plusses to flat living too: heat from neighbouring flats often makes heating efficiency far less of a problem. So focus your efforts on water heating, standby appliances, and reducing waste where you live in a flat.
If you live in a flat you might also have access to better shared recycling facilities than individual houses.
Rural Rental Homes
These often suffer from poorer insulation and more heat loss, but make up for it with more outdoor space. Bulk buying and seasonal food planning is easier. But you’ll also have higher heating costs. And likely limited access to public transport.
House Shares
You may not have control over heating in a house share, or may need to split costs with your housemates depending on your arrangement. Where possible focus on changes that are within your control – like optimising your own room – and consider negotiating improvements to shared spaces with your housemates. Bulk buying works well in houseshares if you can coordinate with everyone else.
Short Term Tenancies
Only doing things you can take with you or don’t mind spending time setting up? Heard someone mention smart plugs? This tip applies to you. If you’re only going to be in your rental for a few months focus solely on behaviour changes and improvements that require nothing more than a few hours of your time. Long term optimisation can come once you’ve moved.
Very Tight Budget
See above, but for people who can’t afford to buy LED light bulbs.
On a super tight budget your best bet is to start with changing your behaviour. Take control of the things you can and know that you can start making physical changes when money becomes less tight.
- Reduce your shower time
- Don’t leave appliances on standby
- Combine your trips
- Plan your meals
Then as budget allows add:
…the list goes on, but start with behaviour changes.
## Benefits of Renting Sustainably
Aside from lower bills and doing your bit for the planet there are numerous benefits to taking an active approach to renting sustainably.
**You learn skills that pay for themselves**:
Whether it’s optimising heating timers or cutting down shower times, learning to use less energy and water in a difficult-to-control environment means you’ll carry those habits forward when you move.
**Health benefits**:
Your mental and physical health both get a boost when you live in a warmer home with fewer drafts. And better temperature control in general means a more comfortable home.
**Even renting can be rewarding**:
As much as we want to buy into the dream of owning an efficient home someday taking positive steps in rental properties still gives you a sense of accomplishment. You’re reducing your impact and taking control, even if the property itself isn’t changing.
**Transferable**:
You might not be able to upgrade the boiler or add solar panels, but everything else you learn about optimising energy and water use in a rental property will transfer to future homes you live in, even if you do eventually buy.
## Step-by-Step Process to Rent More Sustainably
- Assess your heating system. (Week 1)
Know what you’re working with. Test your thermostat for accuracy. Heat each radiator to see if they all work. Check for major gaps around doors and windows. Spend 20 minutes and £0-20 on a thermometer while you take stock.
- Make your Quick Wins changes. (Week 2-3)
Install your draught proofing, low-flow shower head, smart plugs for appliances, and set any existing heating timers properly. Take advantage of changes that pay for themselves in a month. £20-60 depending on size of property.
- Build your new habits. (Weeks 4-8)
Form good practices around temperature settings, showering, washing clothes and dishes, meal planning, and combining trips. Takes about 4-6 weeks to become second nature. Start watching your energy bills drop.
- Add your longer term changes. (Months 3-6)
Install window film for the winter months. Purchase a smart thermostat if your landlord approves. Trade your appliances out for energy efficient models as they need replacing. £50-200 depending on how fancy you go.
| Item | Cost (£) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Draught proofing (stairs and door) | 15-30 | Foam strips, door seals etc |
| Low-flow shower head | 8-25 | Screw on instead of your existing head. Remove when you move |
| Smart plugs (x 4) | 20-40 | Cut power to everything you plug into them |
| Window film kit | 10-25 | Install for winter, remove when its warm |
| Smart thermostat | 80-200 | If landlord is cool. Huge efficiency increase |
Total: £133-320+ Depends how much of the above you do.
Like we said, the lower end will get you most of the way there. Go big if you plan on being in your rental awhile or want devices you can take with you when you move.
