How to make your holiday cottage eco-friendly

We’re all making the effort to lead greener lives and lessen our impact on the environment, in fact our holiday home owners often tell us it’s one of the most important issues for them right now.

Encouragingly, it only takes a few small steps to improve the eco-friendliness of a holiday let and it can often save you money, increase your profits and even boost your future bookings. By setting a great example, you might persuade your guests to be more environmentally conscious in the future too!

Here are our top ten tips for enhancing the eco-friendliness of your holiday let, some of these suggestions may take a little time and investment but others you can do today!

Fit LED Lights

There really is a lot to love about LED lights. They consume around 80% less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs and can last you over 10 years, so while there’s a larger upfront cost you’ll save money over time. As a bonus, they don’t get hot like traditional bulbs either.

Lower your Thermostat

Your guests need to be warm and cosy, but by adjusting your thermostat by just one degree you can save up to 10% off your annual heating bill, so it’s worth taking the time to tweak the baseline temperature on your thermostat until you’ve found the right balance.

Install Insulation

Homes that lack roof insulation lose 25% of their heat according to the Energy Saving Trust. While insulation is an investment, it lasts for over 40 years, so you could make substantial savings over time. Other savings may come from installing cavity wall insulation, draught proofing and double or triple glazed-windows.

Promote Recycling

Not everyone will think to recycle when they’re on holiday and out of their home environment, so make your recycling instructions clear and place bags and boxes in an easily visible spot to encourage guests to do their part.

Buy Local

Support the small businesses near your holiday let and lower your guests’ carbon footprint by encouraging them to shop locally. Simply add a list of your favourite local shops to your welcome pack and loan them some canvas bags so they don’t need to use the plastic kind.

Go Paperless

Choose paperless statements for all your holiday let’s utilities and banking to reduce your consumption. It’ll make managing your property’s admin easier too!

Buy Energy-efficient

From washing machines and ovens to vacuum cleaners, lamps and TVs, when you’re shopping for new appliances for your holiday let, check the energy rating. If it’s A+ or even A++,  it could save you hundreds of pounds each year.

Consider Fitting a Water Meter

A water meter lets you pay for your actual water usage rather than an “unmetered” charge which is based on your property’s location and rateable value.

You could save between £50-£100 each year and cut your usage with a water meter, but it depends upon the size of your holiday home and the number of guests who stay there. It could also cost you more, so it’s worth investigating how suitable it is for you.

Upgrade your Boiler

Heating accounts for 55% of the average energy bill according to the Energy Saving Trust, so having an efficient boiler is an important way to reduce your consumption and the amount you spend. If your boiler is over 15 years old it’s probably time for a change.

Install an Electric Car Charging Point

The UK is the sixth largest market for electric cars in the world and the government have said they want all new car sales to be effectively zero emission by 2040.

While the number of electric and hybrid cars is relatively small right now, sales are expected to grow rapidly. As a result, we anticipate that holidaymakers will increasingly seek car charging points at holiday homes, so it’s worth looking into as part of your future plans.

These are just some of the ways you can make your holiday let more eco-friendly, if you’d like to discuss other methods then get in touch with our experts on 0345 268 1846 or visit www.cottages.com/let-your-property.