Originally published 18 April 2024. Substantially reviewed on 3 November 2026.
Information checked: 3 November 2026. Advice for rented flats; tenancy and energy arrangements vary across the UK.
Lowering a flat’s energy bills starts with understanding its heating and who pays for the supply. A tenant with an individual gas boiler has different options from someone on communal heating. Concentrate on affordable changes you can control, and ask the landlord to address repairs or larger improvements.
Start with the bill and heating controls
Check whether readings are actual or estimated, and compare energy use in kWh rather than only the direct debit. The payment can change because of an account balance as well as consumption. Keep your own move-in and move-out readings and photographs.
Ask for instructions for unfamiliar storage heaters, programmers or thermostats. A smart meter display can help identify patterns, but installing one does not itself reduce consumption. Avoid changing unfamiliar communal or hot-water controls without advice.
Understand your tariff before moving tasks
Electricity is not automatically cheaper at night. Economy 7 and other time-of-use tariffs have specified cheaper periods and higher rates at other times. Check your own hours and prices; an unsuitable two-rate tariff can cost more. Do not leave washing machines or tumble dryers running while asleep or away just to chase a cheaper rate.
If you pay the supplier directly, investigate switching using your actual annual consumption, standing charges and exit fees. If energy is paid to the landlord or supplied through communal heating, check the arrangement first. Citizens Advice explains switching. A green tariff is not a guarantee of lower or more stable prices.
Keep warmth in without blocking ventilation
Close curtains after dark and keep furniture clear of radiators. Ask permission before installing permanent draught-proofing. Do not seal air bricks, trickle vents or ventilation required by a fuel-burning appliance. Ventilation remains necessary to manage moisture and indoor air quality.
Report persistent damp, mould, broken windows and heating faults in writing. Keep dated photographs. Saving energy should not mean living in an inadequately heated home; health, age and the building’s condition affect what is suitable.
Use appliances sensibly
Run suitable full loads, use the manufacturer’s efficient programmes and switch off unnecessary lights. When a bulb needs replacement, choose a compatible LED with the brightness you need. For a replacement appliance, compare its energy label and stated consumption, size and purchase price. Replacing a working appliance solely to save electricity may not repay its cost.
A microwave can suit a small portion; an oven may make sense for several dishes together. There is no universal saving for every appliance or cooking method. Match the equipment to the job.
Treat hot-water settings separately
A shorter shower uses less hot water, but cylinder safety settings are not the same as room-heating controls. The Centre for Sustainable Energy gives a usual domestic cylinder setting of 60–65°C. Do not lower storage temperatures indiscriminately: ask the landlord or a qualified professional about your system.
Escalate problems early
Keep a short list of changes, costs and readings so you can see what helps. If bills remain unaffordable, contact the supplier before arrears grow and ask about support. For insulation, replacement heating or solar panels, the landlord, freeholder and building arrangements matter; these are not straightforward tenant DIY purchases.