5 ways to save on bills in your rental this January 💰

5 ways you could save on bills in your rental this January 💰

The decorations are down, the festive leftovers are finally gone, and we are all settling into the new year. For many of us, January also brings the dreaded "financial hangover" of the holiday season.

With the temperature dropping and energy prices still a concern, balancing the need for a warm, cosy home with a tight budget is a priority.

The good news? You don’t need to freeze to save money.

Here are 5 smart, renter-friendly ways to reset your budget and keep your utility bills in check this month.

1. Master your thermostat (don't just crank it up!)

It is a common myth that turning your thermostat up to 30°C will heat your home faster. It won’t, it will just make your boiler work overtime and keep running until your house is sweltering, wasting a huge amount of energy.

The fix:

Use the timer: Set your heating to come on 30 minutes before you wake up and go off 30 minutes before you leave for work.
Find the sweet spot: Aim for a temperature between 18°C and 21°C. Lowering your thermostat by just one degree can save around 10% on your energy bill.
Check the mode: Ensure your boiler isn't set to "constant" unless absolutely necessary.

2. Hunt down the draughts

You might be paying to heat your home, but if there are drafts, that expensive warm air is escaping straight outside - there are plenty of non-permanent DIY fixes you can use.

The fix:

Draught excluders: Use fabric draught stoppers or cushions at the bottom of doors to stop hallway heat from escaping.
Keyhole covers: It sounds small, but a surprising amount of cold air comes through older keyholes. A simple magnetic cover costs pennies.
Thick curtains: If you have them, use them! They act as an extra layer of insulation for your windows.

3. Make friends with your smart meter!

If your rental property has a smart meter (the small digital display usually sitting in the kitchen or hallway), don't ignore it. It is one of the best tools you have for budgeting.

The Fix:

Identify the problems: Watch the display when you turn on high energy appliances like tumble dryers or electric heaters. Seeing the "pence per hour" shoot up is a great motivator to use them sparingly.
Set a daily budget: Many meters allow you to set a visual target, turning the lights from green to amber/red if you go over your daily spend limit.

4. Let the sunshine in (literally)

Even in January, the sun provides free heat. It is vital to manage your curtains and blinds correctly to maximise this natural resource.

The Fix:

Day time: Keep curtains and blinds open during the day to let sunlight naturally warm up your rooms.
Night time: As soon as the sun goes down, close everything up tight to trap that heat inside for the evening.

5. Give your radiators room to breathe

A common reason tenants feel their heating "isn't working" is actually due to furniture placement. If your sofa is pushed right up against the radiator, the radiator is heating the back of your sofa, not the room.

The Fix:

Rearrange slightly: Pull furniture a few inches away from radiators to allow warm air to circulate freely.
Don't block with drying clothes: Covering a radiator with wet clothes blocks the heat and forces the boiler to work harder. It also creates excess moisture in the air.

A note on heating issues:

We want you to be safe and warm this winter. If you have tried the tips above (checked the timer, the thermostat, and the boiler pressure) and your heating still isn't working, please let us know immediately via our maintenance portal - https://ultra-lets.fixflo.com/issuereport/CreateIssue

Posted By

Sophie Ombler