How to approach your real estate agent or landlord
So you’ve identified some changes you’d like made to your home and you need your landlord’s permission. You might even want to try to convince your landlord to invest money. There is nothing in the law to help you compel them to do this. So it is up to your own powers of persuasion and diplomacy!
The first thing you might like to tell them is that investing in the energy efficiency of a property tends to increase its value, by way more than the cost of the investment. And they can even get tax breaks.
Build your case - ‘what’s in it for them?’
There are landlords out there who are keen to reduce their environmental impact and turn their property into an environmentally friendly investment. We know they exist because we’ve spoken to them! However, let’s assume not all landlords will be swayed by the environmental benefits alone. So here’s some advice on how to appeal to their hip pockets!
Give them our Why be a Green Landlord? fact sheet. Here are the basic points:
- Soon landlords will be obliged to disclose the water, greenhouse and energy efficiency of their property when they lease or sell it.
- A study in the ACT found that increasing the energy performance of a home by one star increased its value by 3%. Which means that spending $1200 on insulation could make a $400,000 house worth $412,000 – now that’s a tidy profit.
- Lots of improvements and repairs are tax deductible.
If you’re requesting a change that there’s a rebate for, tell your landlord this as well. We’ve usually mentioned when a rebate is available for the changes we’ve suggested in these pages, but if you want all the details in one place, head to www.livinggreener.gov.au.
Get it in writing
If you're approaching your real estate agent or landlord with ideas about what you'd like changed in your rental property, by all means call them first to have a chat. However it is best to also put your request in writing be it letter or email. We've included a sample letter, to make this easier. Be prepared to be patient. Many real estate agents seem to be too busy to return calls or emails, so the squeaky wheel will get the oil in this situation. If you get no reply, follow it up, and if you still get no reply, follow it up again!
Make sure you get any agreement from your landlord in writing and that it is signed before you do anything. Keep your copy in a safe place.
You’re legally obliged to restore the property back to the condition it was when you moved in. So even if you have permission to make changes, ask the landlord to include in your written agreement that you will not be expected to undo the changes when you move out.
Can the landlord then up my rent?
The downside with getting your landlord to green the property is that if the changes make the place more valuable or more attractive to future tenants, they might take the opportunity to increase your rent. However if you have a fixed term lease, they can't increase the rent before the end date, unless it says they can in the lease. They also can’t increase your rent more than once every six months, and they must give you 60 days notice. If you think any rent increases are too high, you can get an inspector from Consumer Affairs Victoria to assess if the increase is reasonable, and you can use their report to appeal your landlord’s decision. For more information, contact the Tenants Union.
Sustainability information for landlords
Other landlord resources
Things you can do right now - no need to talk to your landlord first
Super cheap (and not quite so cheap) things to buy
Things to ask your landlord to do
