Comments on: How Green Is Your Landlord ?

By: Bruce Ross

Bruce Ross — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:40:45 +0000

After 6 years as a commercial tenant in Auckland CBD I have little sympathy with the idea that landlords should reap benefits from energy savings. Commercial rents are presently ratcheted and one-sided in favour of landlords. Tenants, like us, pay rents that increase faster than inflation even in a so-called recession. And we pay rates, and energy costs and maintenance. Consequently the Auckland CBD is now simply luxury item shops, fashion shops, rapidly changing food-outlets and little else. It should be mandatory that large new buildings are energy efficient, provide green spaces and effective public access around, through and about. AND the accounts of all landlords should be transparent so that the landlord’s and tenant’s relationship is fair to both. Perhaps commercial rents need to be regulated like those in Bath UK.

By: Katie

Katie — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:15:14 +0000

There’s the third way, as well – just move out of premises that don’t have a landlord willing to do the kind of energy-saving upgrade that is needed – whether that is insulation of an old villa, so that tenants spend less on their consumption/living costs, or infrastructure like re-wiring in office buldings, that allows for more energy-efficient technology to be used in the office environment.

Businesses, including banks, need to understand that the tenancy market will not continue to absorb costs on behalf of negligant property owners. The free ride is over.

Positive examples of this in action are the upgrades being undertaken of social housing stock by the Wellington City Council, the region’s biggest landlord.

It now behoves private lnadlords to come up to speed with what is being done by the Public sector, for the poorest of hte city’s citizens, so that those who pay private or business rentals are also benefitting from the new policies on infrastructure funding that are filtering down from central Government energy policymakers.

By: George

George — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 04:57:38 +0000

We need a Government with the courage to acknowledge the problem, look at the barriers to action, and then remove them – using measures both direct and indirect. These needn’t be punitive, but they will inevitably involve some intervention.

So far, any intervention has come with kicking and screaming from the reactionary sector of society. I hope that the intelligent parts of society come together to work for solutions, rather than carrying on as we always have.

By: Steph

Steph — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:33:06 +0000

I have negotiated an agreement with my ( residential) landlord that I will vacate the house over the summer holiday period when rents in this resort town go up. The extra rental income earned will cover my rent while I am away for a month and the balance will be invested back in the house , first with improved insulation, then later with solar water and an efficient wetback woodburner – all taking advantage of current government subsidies. I already have the commercial quotes for this work. The landlord gets a more energy efficient and improved asset, and the tenant gets a warmer house to live in, as well as making energy cost savings.We both see it as a win/win. Landlords as well as tenants benefit from improving energy efficiency of a property.