Live sustainably and save money with our renting tips

How can you do your bit as a tenant to reduce your carbon footprint?

You may think, not much. After all, you didn’t choose the heating and hot water system, nor did you make a decision about glazing or wall insulation.

However you might be surprised just how many little changes you can do, and just how much difference they can make. Helping the planet and saving on fuel bills – it all adds up!

Let’s start with the kitchen

If possible, keep fridges and freezers a little bit away from the wall – they produce heat which can be circulated. You may also be able to take a stick duster to the coils at the back – if they’re dusty, the appliance will use more electricity.

Defrost regularly (but don’t use anything sharp to remove ice). Keep the freezer full to bring down running costs. Defrost food in the fridge which will help keep it cool, and don’t put cooked leftovers in until they’re completely cooled.

Cooking and the laundry

Boil only the amount of water you need, and if you have an electric hob, boil cooking water in a kettle. Keep the lids on pans when cooking – this also avoids creating damp conditions – and match the size of the pan to the size of the ring.

Cook more than one portion at a time and freeze it – and if you have a microwave, it’s much cheaper than using the oven.

Only put the washing machine or dishwasher on when full, and try lowering the temperature. If you have a tumble dryer, clean fluff out of the filter after every use. But it’s greener to dry clothes on an airer, with a window slightly open to prevent damp.

Cool it, baby!

Turning your heating thermostat down just one degree can save a surprising 10% on your heating bills. Turning your boiler temperature down to 60C saves more again. And if you have a hot water tank with a thermostat, switch that to 60C too.

Set the hot water to heat up for a couple of hours in the morning and an hour at night – it doesn’t need to be on all day.

If you can choose your energy supplier, go for one with a green tariff using renewable energy.

Get smart with gadgets

Turning off TVs, printers and laptops instead of leaving them on standby can save between £50 and £90 a year. If you’re on Economy 7 electricity, it’s cheaper at night, so put on the washing machine and dishwasher then. You’ll wake up to clean clothes and sparkling dishes.

If your property doesn’t have modern low-energy (LED) bulbs, you can change them. As they’re much lower wattage, you can save a lot on energy.

Finally, most mobile phones only need charging for two to three hours, not all night.

Some DIY solutions

Hang thick curtains with a thermal lining if your landlord allows you to take down what’s already there.

If your radiators are under windows, when closing the curtains you could tuck them behind the radiators to avoid blocking any heat. Also try to avoid putting furniture too close to radiators to improve the flow of heat round the room.

You can also buy draught excluders for doors cheaply, or roll up any old towels or jumpers.

Water, water everywhere

See if your showerhead has a low-flow setting – if not, you could consider changing it if your landlord agrees. You could save up to five gallons of water every month and save money, too, if you have a water meter.

And if you’ve got an outside space, consider catching rainwater in a bucket to water plants.

To be greener, chemical-free cleaning can be achieved by using bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar or lemon juice – there are plenty of homemade cleaning solutions online.

So now you know that living more sustainably in rented accommodation is easy – and the best news is, it needn’t cost the earth.

Here at ludlowthompson, we are happy to find sustainable accommodation for our renters, and many of our local homes are modern and energy efficient.

Contact us here at to see how we can help with your low-carbon home aspirations.