Airbnb are pushing landlords to become more energy efficient
The leading website for holiday and apartment rentals has launched a new sustainability hub to help UK landlords retrofit their properties.
Airbnb have announced they will be adding an additional £500,000 to its £1m fund for landlords that are interested in making sustainable, energy efficient improvements to their homes. The news is in partnership with NatWest and Energy Saving Trust.
Should landlords be accepted for the funding they will be able to apply for a grant of £1,000 towards their renovation bill – Airbnb hosts can take a digital energy efficient assessment of their property and can then apply for a grant visa via the online hub.
As well as being able to access a £1,000 grant, the online hub will also provide financing options from NatWest. This includes a marketplace with government accredited installers and contractors within a local area. A dashboard will also be made available to help track the progress of works through to completion.
‘As living costs continue to rise, we look forward to collaborating with NatWest on this campaign to bolster the UK’s stock of energy-efficient homes, benefit everyday Hosts, and help to build sustainable communities across the country,’ said Amanda Cupples, Airbnb’s general manager for Northern Europe. ‘Our Sustainable Hosting Plan has already helped hundreds of hosts make energy-efficient changes to their homes and save on their bills in the process and we recognise the difference it can make to our community.’
One of the reasons for deciding to help landlords sustainably retrofit their properties was research from NatWest found that for UK homeowners, the cost of having work done was restricting people from delving into home improvements.
Against this backdrop, data from NatWest also highlighted that one in four millennials see a high EPC rating as essential when looking into properties.
Tanvi Gokhale, head of strategy for retail banking at the NatWest Group, adds: ‘By surfacing our innovative financing options in the Airbnb journey, we will empower hosts to take proactive steps to improve the sustainability of their properties. This will enable them to make their homes more comfortable whilst also saving money on bills. Through this collaboration with Airbnb and by bringing together our respective areas of expertise, we hope to have a greater impact on the communities that we serve.’
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