As winter settles in and temperatures plummet, it’s more important than ever for tenants of rented homes to know how to make their homes more comfortable and cost-effective.
Currently, playing in reception at Mount Alexander Shire Council and at the Castlemaine Library is a video (made by My Home Network Tenants Rights Working Group and the West End Resilience Energy Group) featuring familiar faces and providing great tips on keeping heating and cooling costs low.
“Everyone deserves an affordable, comfortable home; however, this is often not the case for many residents, particularly tenants,” My Home Network (MHN) spokesperson Frankie Nugent said. “This video offers tips on how to lower electricity and gas usage, which energy providers are best value, how to lower your bills and how to connect with renting rights and supports.”
Housing and homelessness expert Carolyn Nelson from MHN features in the short film, stating that the average Victorian energy rating is “pretty miserable. If we improve the energy rating of homes in Australia from two to six or seven, we will reduce heat and cold-related deaths by 90 per cent,” she said. “Tenants have rights, and there are things you can do to improve the energy efficiency of your home that then save you money, improve your comfort and improve your health and well-being.”
Energy Auditor and MHN member Barry Murfett gives some great practical tips on the film, most notably, ‘heating people, not houses’. “You don’t want to heat the whole house, you just want to warm the people in it. Warming someone up is cheap and easy, while heating a house can be expensive,” he said. He suggests taking simple steps like wearing a beanie, using a rug to stay warm, or putting yourself to bed with a hot water bottle. “All of these things are simple technology, which I’ve heard called ‘Granny Technology ‘; they’re simple and cheap.”
Barry also gives a range of suggestions on simple and cost-effective ways to warm your house, such as plugging draughts, and cheap insulation options. The video also outlines ways to access resources for tenants experiencing hardship and the benefits of speaking with a free financial counsellor. New energy efficiency standards for residential rental properties have come into effect in phases from March 2027. The new standards cover six areas: heating, cooling, hot water, shower heads, insulation and draught proofing.
For more information see: www.consumer.vic.gov.au/resources-and-tools/legislation/public-consultations-and-reviews/new-minimum-energy-efficiency-standards
The Rental Energy Efficiency video can be accessed on Dhelkaya Health’s website at dhelkayahealth.org.au/my-home-network/ and has been well received across the region and state.
