A new ruling has came into force allowing tenants to make energy-saving improvement requests for properties they rent from landlords.

Under the new initiative, which was implemented on 01 April, landlords will not be able to refuse requests 'without good reason'.

However, tenants will need to ensure they have a method of funding the improvements without no cost to the landlord, unless otherwise agreed.

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A recent survey by the National Landlords Association (NLA) revealed 35% of tenants considered the energy efficiency of a property to be an important factor when choosing a place to live.

Richard Lambert, CEO of the NLA, said: "We encourage all landlords to think about how they may benefit from making energy efficiency improvements, as many can be made with little or no upfront cost, and can have a positive impact on the lives of tenants, their lettings businesses, and the environment in general.

"Lower fuel bills and more comfort mean that tenants may be inclined to stay for longer, thus reducing void periods."

(LM)