I am a tenant, what energy-efficiency measures can I demand from my landlord?

The law contains a number of minimum energy-efficiency standards a rental home must meet. For example, most of the windows in a home must have double glazing and certain minimum rules apply for the insulation of the home. If the house you are renting does not meet these conditions, you can demand that the landlord make the necessary investments. Naturally, the landlord must meet these minimum criteria for letting the home even if the tenant doesn’t ask for them. However, the landlord is not required to take additional, drastic energy-efficiency measures. Tenants can carry out minor improvements – which they can take with them or remove at the end of their tenancy agreement without causing damage – on their own initiative and at their own expense.

If the landlord does not meet the minimum energy-efficiency requirements imposed by law and you, the tenant, would like major additional adjustments to be made, you cannot carry out this work yourself nor can you have it carried out by someone else. The landlord is responsible for initiating these adjustments. If you would like to bring certain measures and their importance to the landlord’s attention, give it some time and thorough thought. It’s better to first spend some time in the rental home to identify any issues and opportunities for improvement, and then discuss them with your landlord.

As the tenant, you could also propose to have certain major work carried out by a contractor at your own expense. If the landlord agrees, arrangements should be made about the impact the measures will have on future indexations, what will happen to the changes made when the lease ends, and that you will receive compensation for the residual value at the end of the tenancy agreement. If the work covers the installation of solar panels, it is advisable that you also lay down who will pay the maintenance costs.

You could also propose to carry out certain work yourself at the landlord’s expense. If the landlord agrees, you should make proper arrangements about liability in the event of damage or accidents, future indexation or compensation upon the future termination of the tenancy agreement.

If you are renting an apartment and you are making a proposal to the landlord that affects the communal parts, that could violate the rights of other co-owners or that could impact the aesthetics or harmony of the building, your landlord will have to consult with the joint owners’ association before meeting your request.