Generation Rent slams government for scrapping EPC targets

A tenant activist group is raging at the shelving of EPC targets calling the move “appalling”.

Generation Rent told the London Assembly that scrapping EPC rules for landlords “is a terrible move from the government” and they would like to see a reversal of the targets as soon as possible.

The legislation would have required landlords to ensure their rental properties had a minimum EPC rating of C.

The mooted deadline was 2025 for new tenancies, and by 2028 for all tenancies.

No stick for landlords

Connor O’Shea, policy and public affairs manager at Generation Rent, said: “The decision to shelve minimum energy efficiency standards is appalling.

“It’s a terrible move from the government and we would like to see that reversed as soon as possible.”

Despite the availability of government-funded grants for property improvement, Generation Rent feels landlords are not being sufficiently pressured to use them.

Mr O’Shea said: “One of the key reasons for the terrible state of the private rented sector when it comes to energy efficiency, damp and mould, is that there’s no incentive for landlords to bring up the level of energy efficiency in the homes.

“Firstly, landlords don’t live in these homes, and they don’t pay the bills broadly. That’s a natural reason why landlords might not want to improve energy efficiency standards.

“Without this regulation, there’s no stick for landlords to bring it up to standard.”

Protections for tenants

Generation Rent argues that tenants are more likely to face eviction if they want energy efficiency improvements done to the property.

Mr O’Shea said: “There are plenty of government-funded grants that are available for tenants and landlords to help bring the position of their private rented property up to a decent energy efficiency standard and they’re not being used.

“The key reason why they’re not being used is that tenants know that they’re particularly vulnerable to eviction or a rent increase after that happens.”

The tenant activist group says there is no protection for tenants in this situation.

“There’s no protection for a tenant if a property is improved under government money. For a landlord who then goes, this property is now of a higher standard than it was before, therefore, I’m going to increase your rent, or therefore, I’m going to evict you and put someone else in.

“This is something that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Protections for tenants who can then take up these eco grants and use their own status to improve the quality of their home and ultimately reduce damp and mould.”

Watch the video below

As our Policy and Public Affairs Manager @Conor__OShea explained today at @LondonAssembly the government needs to give renters greater protection from being evicted from their homes if they are upgraded to a higher energy efficiency standard. pic.twitter.com/0gvwYMQCMQ

— Generation Rent (@genrentuk) December 7, 2023

Share This Article