Landlords overseeing residential properties should consider measures to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, according to Jill Elkington, Midlands spokesperson for the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) and residential property manager for Hodgson Elkington, the Lincoln-based chartered surveyors.

She believes the Government's 'Green Deal' will encourage landlords to take advantage of up-front financing to make their properties more energy efficient, where tenants request improvements be made.

For those landlords who don't comply however, the Government has stated that it may introduce regulations to force landlords to improve their properties by 2015.

The Government's aim is for all properties with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of F or G to be improved beyond that grading, which may be a significant challenge for older properties.

"ARLA has come up with these simple tips to make landlords properties more efficient, thereby saving money and further financial outlays in the future," said Jill Elkington. They are:

- Cavity wall and floor insulation: This can often be a disruptive process, but effective insulation will represent a significant step towards improving the energy efficiency of the property.

- Ensure you have effective loft insulation: Although many properties now have loft insulation installed, check the depth and quality. The recommended thickness is between 250-300mm for optimum energy efficiency.

- Insulate your water fittings: ARLA recommends that lagging should be installed around water pipes and boilers to minimise heat loss. As many will have experienced this winter, water pipes are also prone to freezing, so insulation should help to prevent this.

- Prevent draughts: Landlords should seek to block draughts in various parts of their properties, through draught proofing doors and windows, as well as reducing heat loss through floorboards.

- Install a thermostat on your boiler: Thermostats ensure that when a room reaches its optimum temperature of around 19°C, the heating is automatically switched off, thus reducing heating bills.

- Communicating with tenants:  Effective communication between landlords and tenants can ensure that tenants are aware of the importance of energy efficiency, and take their own simple steps to reducing heating costs.

"Landlords can already take advantage of a tax allowance of up to £1,500 for these energy efficiency improvements through the Landlord's Energy Saving Allowance (LESA).

"It makes sense therefore for landlords to carry out these improvements straight away, as considerable cost savings can be made," said Jill Elkington.