New national research aims to help make rented homes warmer

Living in a warm and energy efficient home is so important to our health and wellbeing. It lowers the risk of illness, reduces the stress of high energy bills and plays a role in tackling the climate crisis.  

Yet too many homes in the private rented sector are cold, damp, expensive to heat and in need of energy saving improvements.

While advice and funding schemes are available to help landlords and tenants make their homes greener, they are very rarely used. 

These schemes could help introduce insulation, draught-proofing and more efficient heating systems to many more homes. This would make it easier and cheaper for tenants to keep their homes warm and create healthier living environments.

This is why TDS is researching the reasons behind this low uptake of energy efficiency advice and funding. Better evidence and data can help to create better schemes, which tenants and landlords are more likely to use.

How can you help?

As a tenant, your input is crucial to help us understand what’s not working and how future schemes can be improved. 

We are looking for tenants who have contacted an energy efficiency funding scheme. It doesn't matter if you did not ultimately apply for the funding.

Examples of relevant funding schemes might include (but are not limited to):

·      The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme

·      The Boiler Upgrade Scheme

·      The Warm Homes: Local Grant

·      The Great British Insulation Scheme

We would like to speak to tenants who asked about, installed or tried to install a substantial energy efficiency or renewables measure. For example, insulation, solar panels, a biomass boiler, a heat pump or other significant property changes.

Your views and experience could help the Government and other bodies design more user-friendly and popular advice and funding schemes that tenants can benefit from.  

What’s involved?

You’re invited to take part in an interview of no more than 45 minutes.

We’ll ask you about your experience – for example, what motivated you to inquire about an energy efficiency funding scheme.

If you went ahead with installing an energy efficiency measure, we’ll ask you about your experience and how it’s affected your life and home.

If you didn’t go ahead with the scheme, we’ll ask you about your reasons and whether you made other changes to your home instead.

We’ll also show you brief descriptions of existing funding schemes and ask what you like or don’t like about them.

It’s really simple to take part and rest assured all answers will remain anonymous.

There will be a £30 Amazon voucher as a thank-you for each participant who is chosen for interview.

Check your eligibility to take part in an interview HERE.

Further details

This project is managed by the TDS Policy and Research Team with data collection and analysis done by an external research company called Insight Advantage.

The TDS Charitable Foundation is on a mission to raise standards within the private rented sector.

We deliver this by funding education, research and practical support to thousands of landlords, tenants and communities across the UK.