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Is your relationship with your landlord anything but heavenly?

03.23.2009

Submitted by tmeronek on Sun, 03/22/2009 - 11:00pm.
The Bite:
Help her or him see the energy-efficient light. Give 'em a few eco-tips that speak to their bottom line, and you'll be one step closer to domestic harmony. Amen to that.
The Benefits: 
  • Hallelujah: a greener home-sweet-home. Improvements like updating appliances benefit both you and your landlord. Example: Replacing an old clothes washer with an Energy Star one can save 7,000 gallons of H2O per year.
  • A 'lord that smiles down upon ya. Higher property values and lower bills (35%-plus savings with energy efficiency alterations) will win you brownie points.
Personally Speaking: 
When Jen lived in NYC, her landlord kept the heat cranked up so high during the winter that everyone kept their windows open. When the heat went out one weekend while she was away, Jen came home to find her fish, Frankie, frozen in his fishbowl.
Wanna Try: 
Go to the blog for a sample letter to your landlord. Or forward these tips their way:
  • Install updated A/C - new air conditioning and even shade trees can lower energy bills.
  • Replace regular incandescent lightbulbs in common areas with CFLs or LEDs to reduce lighting bills and require fewer changes.
  • Install efficient windows and proper caulking to improve A/C and heating efficiency.
  • Add a programmable thermostat into the mix, allowing for proper temp adjustment.
  • Opt for Energy Star appliances to save big on energy and water.
  • Put in new toilets like those with a dual-flush system (with a low-flow flush for number one and a regular-size flush for number two).

  • CA Sustainability Alliance - new renters (and not just for Californians): Use its green lease tool kit to set up a green agreement with your landlord from the start.
  • HUD - find your local tenants' rights org - it may be able to help you negotiate with your landlord.

Cocktail Fact

In 2008, 15% of U.S. housing was vacant.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 landlords of high-rise apartment buildings make Energy Star-suggested changes, the energy saved each month could power 1,235 elementary schools for a year.

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Ivy First  on March 23, 2009 at 04:44 AM 1
I am a landlord and I find this tip a bit hard to stomach. Although I only have 4 units, I do what I can to have less of a carbon footprint. Suggesting that landlords replace windows, toilets, thermostats, lightbulbs, appliances etc. is a bit extreme. It makes more sense economically and environmentally to only replace items as they fail. If all landlords were to replace all of these items, most would end up in landfills creating more of a problem. Please also keep in mind that not all landlords are out to make a buck by being landlords (many, yes but not all). We strive to keep rents low just so they cover payments while keeping our units in good condition. If I were to replace these items in even one unit, I would have to raise rent by quite a bit. In this economy, I am trying to do what I can to help my tenants. For those of us landlords that are doing what we can to be not only green but economical minded for ourselves and our tenants, please take care in your overbroad suggestions. Many tenants would take your suggestions as all in their rights and demand these improvements without thought of how it effects the landlord.
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