UKGBC responds to BEIS Consultation – Domestic Private Rented Sector Minimum Level of Energy Efficiency

Jenny Holland, Public Affairs and Policy Specialist at UKGBC responds to the BEIS consultation on Minimum Energy Efficiency in the private rented sector.

14 Mar, 2018

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Jenny Holland, Public Affairs and Policy Specialist, said:

We have long been concerned about the poor standards of energy efficiency (and high concentrations of fuel poor and vulnerable households) in the private rented sector. We were therefore pleased that in the 2011 Energy Act the Government placed a duty on the Secretary of State to introduce a minimum standard for private rented housing from April 2018 at the latest. We were, however, always opposed to the minimum standard being based on the principle of ‘no net or upfront costs’ to landlords. Our concerns were redoubled after the Government announced in 2015 that it was withdrawing all future funding to the Green Deal Finance Company. From that point on it became clear to us that introducing an absolute requirement on landlords to improve their properties was the only way to ensure the effective functioning of the MEES regulations.
We therefore welcome this consultation, but, for the many reasons, we believe that the proposed cost cap of £2,500 per property is woefully inadequate, as it will mean that the vast majority of F & G rated properties will not even need to meet the minimum standard of EPC Band E.