Draught can be a major source of discomfort, increasing your heating costs by up to 25% in the winter. It is said that if all the sources of draughts in a typical home were added together, it would be equivalent to having a 1.5 metre by 1.0 metre hole in the wall!

This HomeServe video here will give you a few ideas on how you can fix the drafty windows and doors. But make sure you notify your landlord before you do any insulation by yourself, as the materials you use could be damaging to the property.

Sealing out draughts

It is not mandatory for the landlord or agent to put the scores or graphs in the online advertisements of residential rentals but thankfully the bigger estate agents have already started doing it.

Property agent Knight Frank adds a “View EPC Graph” button in the rental listings on their website.

Missing EPC scores will lead tenants thinking that:

a) there is no certificate – without which the tenancy agreement cannot be signed;
b) the agent or landlord doesn’t care – which probably means they are not so good at managing the property either;
c) the score is very low – running costs very high.

Many prospective tenants will put those non-transparent offers aside until they have seen everything else available.

Suggested reading: Energy performance certificates for dwellings in the social and private rented sectors, A guide for landlords (*pdf)

Estate agents are being blamed for not knowing enough about the energy efficiency performance.

Do the same survey among professional landlords, please!

Well, I’m sure they are all studying the subject as we speak. The deadline is October the 1st, when tenants are entitled to ask to see the Energy Performance Certificate.

Until then – don’t forget to ask the landlord or agent for the latest Summer and Winter utility bills before renting a new place. Otherwise you might me unpleasantly surprised!

Letting agent turns down landlords with nice rentals because they are inside a Congestion Charge zone:

Lana Kova, lettings manager at Shepherd’s Bush estate agents Tauntons, said: “Our office is based outside the congestion charge zone and unfortunately we have had to give up some of our properties inside the zone in places such as Holland Park and Bayswater. “We are a small independent estate agent and can’t afford to pay the £8 congestion charge just to show properties to customers. “It is such a shame because we have had to give up nice properties in areas that we would have liked to expand into.”

We suggest investing in alternative fuel vehicles that are exempt from paying the charge, like Toyota Prius, mopeds or others in THIS list. Also, London has a good transport system, and if you’re a small agency – by all means, use it.

The Congestion Charge seems like a menace but do you know of any other clever methods how to make Londoners think green?

Quote from ThisIsLondon.co.uk
See all other CC exempt cars

Have something at home that you don’t need? Need something but don’t have money to pay for it? Want to SAVE THE WORLD???!!!

An organization called Freecycle brings together people who are willing to give away stuff that they don’t need, for FREE. HERE is a link for all the London Freecycler’s message groups on Yahoo. Just click on the area that is closest to you, join and post your wanted or offered ad.

For example, in Kensington and Chelsea group, there are 7597 active members at the moment. I see 202 wanted and offered messages posted in May only, which means the system must work pretty well. I’ll post The ads from today, the 10th of May, to give you a better idea:

Wanted: Blinds and freeview box
Offered: Collection of classical music on cassette tapes (SW3)
Offered: various inc dat tape, printer ink etc (SW6)
Wanted: Hob and Oven, W14
Offered: Double divan bed and mattress with drawers
Wanted: Fridge Freezer
Wanted: Mens Racing Bike
Wanted: Desk Fan
Offered: Rubble / hardcore – build your own Silbury Hill

Full descriptions and locations are there, too, of course. I do like the fact that you can even communicate via Yahoo online instant messenger.

Do sign up, dear tenant!

Active Freecycle.org groups in London region

Actor Colin Firth is opening up the first eco shop today in Chiswick, called Eco Age. You might be interested in checking out their working example of an eco kitchen and a “grey-water” loo. Among many other things, the shop sells designer textiles, wallpaper, and crafted furniture.

ECO AGE
213 Chiswick High Road
Chiswick London W4 2DW
www.eco-age.com

Via Homes&Property Photo Homes&Property 30.01.2008 (pdf)

Do you feel green to the bone? Here’s a place you could rent a house at – the BedZED community in Wallington, London Borough of Surrey. The Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) is the UK-s largest carbon-neutral eco-community that was built in 2000-2002. There are 82 houses, 17 apartments, and 1,405 m² of workspace.  There is a strong emphasis on roof gardens, sunlight, solar energy, reduction of energy consumption, and waste water recycling. The development is built from natural, recycled, and reclaimed materials.

If you are interested – Green Moves has a listing for a 4-bedroom terraced house to let for £1350 per month.

Via & Image: Inhabitat