How to help tenants conserve electricity at a time when electricity costs are skyrocketing?

Among many residents there is strong concern at the moment about runaway electricity prices and rising fixed costs. Some of these costs, such as both heating and water, also affect the landlord's finances. So what can be done as a housing player to land in the most sustainable situation possible for both parties?

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Maria Karlsson Godvik, Customer Success Manager at Avy comments; “There are several ways for housing actors to support residents to change their habits and use electricity and reduce their climate footprint. Clear communication with tips and concrete information about what consumes the most electricity in the home has been a popular way. Offering secure, selected contracts as well as visualising consumption for a higher degree of individual control is another. And then there's a lot to do in nudging to further simplify for residents to make smarter choices in their everyday lives that our customers have started to take an interest in.”

Viktor Mandel, CEO at Sveafastigheter comments on their initiative to offer tenants electricity contracts with price guarantee directly in their accommodation app with the possibility of visualizing consumed electricity;

“It is a natural service for us to offer quality reviewed services linked to the accommodation for our tenants, especially now in troubled times.”

“Through our accommodation app, we launched the ability for tenants to evaluate the cost of, and easily exchange and sign up for an electricity contract with a price guarantee in the app. After that, residents can visualize and monitor their electricity consumption. It is a natural service for us to offer quality reviewed services linked to the accommodation for our tenants, especially now in troubled times. We see a high level of interest in the service with 47% of all new tenants choosing to go ahead with this electricity contract, and a marked increase in the use of the function to visualize and monitor their electricity consumption.”

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And for Magnus Jägre, Sustainability and Innovation Manager at Studentbostäder i n the Nordics, it is clear and effective communication that applies;

“It feels important for us to be able to educate residents about what they can do to reduce their electricity consumption to avoid skyrocketing costs. We will be going out with articles and clarifying how our tenants can save on energy for both wallet and the future of our planet in tough times. We've already started the work of sending out tips on not taking too long hot showers and making sure to misreport a dripping faucet, running toilet or unsealed windows quickly so as not to waste resources unnecessarily. We do all this mainly through our accommodation app where we have a high engagement rate that allows us to quickly reach out with our messages to the majority of all tenants”.

“It feels important for us to be able to educate residents about what they can do to reduce their electricity consumption to avoid skyrocketing costs”

Both Sveafastigheter and Studentbostäder in the Nordics are customers of Avy and use one or more of the following modules for the aforementioned statements; Communication, accommodation services and visualization of electricity consumption. On average, just over 30% of new renters change their electricity contract, reducing their average cost by 10%. Being able to monitor and visualize their electricity consumption has become increasingly important for residents in these times with an increase in the use of the function of 102% in October compared to the month of July.