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Buy to let landlords should be doing all they can to make their investment greener in an attempt to save money, make money and build a better business in the future.

Landlords are all forced to have Energy Performance Certificates under EU law, but those who want to really make the most of their property are investing to go green. In fact, Pivotal Performance’s environmental expert Simon de Grey says all UK businesses should focus a significant amount of management time “going green” – as it will give them a competitive advantage.

He says only one in five are planning to invest in making their business more environmentally friendly in the next 12 months. But for those landlords who do plan ahead, big profits are on the horizon – a green house will be a cheaper house and will be able to attract much better rent.

De Grey says: “A properly planned and executed environmental management programme will benefit virtually any business in a number of ways. It’s got very little to do with being seen to do the right thing, and has a lot to do with improving the bottom line. Businesses that make a significant commitment to going green tend to see costs drop as they review working practices and cut back on packaging and waste."

He says business will gain a powerful marketing tool that competitors cannot quickly copy as well – there is a lot of attention on protecting the environment at the moment, and if you can make a significant difference with your business, it’s a great PR opportunity. A landlord who can boast a green property can attract more renters who want to reduce their own carbon footprint and want to pay less utility bills.

Talk to your mortgage adviser about moving some of your capital around so as to be able to afford to make your properties greener. It might not mean building a wind farm on your roof, it might just be double glazing or improved insulation – but anything that makes your property greener will increase it's worth, increase it's potential and make it a better investment overall.

SOURCE: Pivotal Performance, 08/09/09

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