How To Be An Eco-Friendly Landlord

*Collaborative Post

Investing in a rental property can be the perfect strategy to build a second stream of income. However, as a landlord or a landlady, you need to be aware of your responsibilities, not only for your tenants but also for the planet. If you’re a landlord looking to go green, you’re in the right place! 

Becoming an eco-friendly landlord means making conscious decisions to reduce the environmental impact of your rental property. It is important to note that the environmentally conscious decisions you make for your rental may not be the same as those you make for your own home. The reason being, you can’t dictate a new lifestyle to your tenants. But you can ensure your property is designed to minimise its impact on the planet. Here are some tips to get started. 

Inspect and test your property regularly

It is important to make sure that your rental property is up-to-date and that you are keeping up with regular maintenance to reduce your environmental impact. 

Proper insulation is important for reducing energy costs and your environmental impact. If you do not have proper insulation, your tenants will be spending more money on heating and cooling the property. Additionally, not having proper insulation can lead to increased carbon dioxide emissions and air pollution. Make sure that you check the insulation regularly, as this will help to reduce your environmental impact.

As a rule of thumb, you want to review both the insulation and air movement in the property as frequently as you need to run PIT electrical testing and boiler inspections. These mandatory inspections should occur annually, and the same goes for energy efficiency audits. 

Use a sustainable decor

When it comes to being an eco-friendly landlord, one of the most important steps is to use sustainable decor in your rental property. Not only is sustainable decor better for the environment, but it can also add a touch of style to any rental property.

Using sustainable decor with natural materials is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Natural materials such as bamboo, jute, and wood are renewable resources and don’t require the use of energy-intensive manufacturing processes. They are also much more durable than synthetic materials, so they can last longer and reduce waste over time.

In addition to being more environmentally friendly, natural materials in your rental property can help you save money. Natural materials tend to be more cost-effective than synthetic materials, so you can save money by choosing them for your decor.

Use environmentally safe materials for maintenance

As an eco-friendly landlord, choosing environmentally safe and non-toxic materials for repairs and maintenance is essential. This includes paint, cleaning products between tenants, and any other materials that come in contact with your tenants. 

Non-toxic paints and stains will not emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that may be harmful to the environment and to the people living in your property. Use water-based, low-VOC or zero-VOC paints, which come in a variety of colours to suit any space. 

It’s also important to use biodegradable cleaning products between tenants, as they do not contain any harsh chemicals that can harm both people and the environment. 

Hopefully, these few ideas can help you build a green track as a landlord or a landlady. Creating an eco-friendly rental is difficult because you can’t dictate your tenants’ lifestyles. But you can take measures to reduce harmful emissions from the property. 

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.