INSULATION

October 11, 2012 at 4:07 PM

INSULATION -  THE NEW BUZZ WORD AMONGST TENANTS  !!!

Not a day would go by without a tenant asking me "Is the house insulated?"
Gone are the days of tenants just wanting a dishwasher, now they are wanting a fully insulated house and a heatpump!   If the answer is no, then often they will not bother looking at the property or they will ask if the owner will consider installing insulation.

Insulation and heating will attract tenants and it can increase the rent and cut down on the maintenance as there will be no damage caused by mould or condensation.   It can help prevent mould on curtains, ceilings and walls, and condensation running down windows then sitting on the sills and eventually causing the wood to rot and paint to peel.

It may not be as expensive as you think, there is a $1,300 government subsidy available to everyone, if you insulate under the floor and in the ceiling.  I have recently had several quotes for 3 bedroom houses, they range from $2,600 to $2,800 after the subsidy.

If one of your tenants has a Community Services Card you could be eligible for Energywise funding of 60% off the cost of insulating your property, and up to $500 of the cost of a heatpump.

Proper insulation and heating is well worth the investment.  It will increase the value of your property,
increase the rent and attract tenants that will be happy to stay longer.

Think about making the investment !

Phillipa Gordon