Tenants urged to take control of their energy bills

Tenants are urged to take charge of their energy bills and save on heating and electricity as a part of Ofgem's latest update to the "Be an Energy Shopper" campaign.

The energy market regulation body's 2014 Consumer Engagement survey showed that three quarters of bill paying tenants have never switched energy or gas supplier in order to try and save money, a news report on the matter was able to reveal.

Plus, one in five (20%) admitted that they weren't aware they could switch to a different supplier and save up to 200 pounds on their bills as part of this process.

Further data from the survey also revealed that renters are only half as likely to switch compared to homeowners: 26% of renters said they had ever switched gas supplier compared to 47% of homeowners, with similar figures for switching electricity supplier (23% compared to 45%).

In order to support and encourage tenants who wish to switch their suppliers in order to get a better deal, Ofgem has updated its Be an Energy Shopper website to include the key facts, along with top tips for breaking down the barriers which prevent tenants applying their savvy shopping habits to their energy bills.

Switching suppliers should not be the only energy-saving measure tenants can resort to. In fact, installing a boiler management system can help save even more (30%+ on average, in the case of HeatingSave) and home owners are likely agree to the whole process of putting in such a system, as it adds extra value to the house.

Additionally, retrofitting a BEMS within a house can be fully covered by accessing the funds made available by the Government under the Green Deal Home Improvement Fund, making it a win-win situation for all parties involved (tenants and landlords alike).