This week, Independent Age have launched a new report – Out of the cold: Making Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards work for older private renters – which looks into energy efficiency and in which they are calling on the UK Government to ensure energy efficiency improvements in the private rented sector work for older tenants. Here’s what they say about the report and some of their recommendations:
“The recent commitment from the Government to improve the standards of housing in the private rented sector is very welcome. Too often we hear how older tenants are living in cold homes which has a detrimental impact on their physical and mental health. But now these improvements must be done right.
Our research found that some older renters fear disruption and even eviction after improvements have been made. This is why we are calling on the Government to ensure a comprehensive approach to upgrading homes, with tenants at the centre of any upgrades and fully involved in the process from start to finish. We also call for tenants to receive guidance and support throughout the entire process. With this report and our wider work on housing, we will keep up the pressure to make sure that older renters on a low income are heard and their concerns are addressed. “
Recommendations
• Action must be taken to reduce the unit price of electricity relative to gas to make sure electrifying heating reduces bills. The UK Government should introduce a bill reduction target for all upgrade work undertaken to meet MEES. Introducing an energy social tariff is also essential to ensure that fuel-poor tenants are not penalised for the transition to low-carbon heating systems.
• The UK Government must strengthen protections against ‘renovictions’ and post-work rent increases. Where public grants and loans are used to fund upgrades, there should be enforceable guarantees that prevent rent increases or evictions for a set period, ensuring the benefit of the financial support is shared with the tenant.
• Landlords should be prevented from using grant-funded energy efficiency improvements to justify raising rents – for example, in their judgements, tribunals should consider the market rent of a property before grant-funded improvements. Capping maximum rent increases across the PRS more widely would also provide protection from excessive rent hikes following energy efficiency improvements, however they are funded.
• Local authority enforcement teams should have discretion to exempt properties from MEES based on existing planning laws and renters’ rights. The UK Government must issue clear guidance on the specific circumstances in which a lack of tenant consent constitutes a valid exemption, ensuring older renters are protected from both unreasonable disruption to their lives and landlord pressure.
• The UK Government must consider how homes exempt from MEES, including because of cost caps and affordability exemptions, can be improved so that the people living in homes in greatest need of upgrade are not left in the cold.
• Local authorities must proactively enforce MEES and the DHS, and the UK Government must ensure they have the appropriate funding to do so. The PRS Ombudsman must have the powers to intervene where tenants’ homes do not meet the required standard, or tenants’ needs aren’t met in the process of conducting energy efficiency upgrades and other improvement work.
• The UK Government must ensure the PRS Database is fully accessible to those who are digitally excluded. It should serve as a transparent record of a property’s EPC status and compliance with MEES and the DHS, including details of any exemptions allowing older renters to make informed choices about their housing
