Making your home more energy efficient
Improving your home’s energy efficiency can save you money on bills. There are government schemes that could help you or your landlord pay for improvements.
Check what improvements you could make
There are 3 main things that affect your home’s energy efficiency:
how well-insulated your home is
the type of heating system you have
how efficient your appliances are and how you use them
To find out how efficient your home is and how it could be improved:
check your home’s Energy Performance Certificate – if you rent your home, your landlord must give you this
If you rent your home
Do not make changes to the property without your landlord's permission.
If your home is very inefficient, ask your landlord if they would consider improvements such as:
sealing up gaps in the floorboards or skirting boards
installing a thermostat or timer to use heating more efficiently
installing wall, floor or roof insulation
replacing the heating system with a more efficient one
You can also make smaller energy efficiency improvements yourself. For example:
fit draught excluders on your doors and windows
replace light bulbs with energy efficient ones
check the energy label when buying electrical appliances
Help to pay for improvements
There are government schemes to help pay for energy efficiency improvements:
if you own your home, use Home Energy Scotland’s Funding Finder
if you rent privately, your landlord could get a loan through Home Energy Scotland
These schemes can be used for things like:
insulation and draught-proofing
central heating and boiler replacements
installing renewable energy technologies, such as solar panels
Last updated: 21 January 2023
Housing laws differ between Scotland and England.
This content applies to Scotland only.