Government will bring in a law to force landlords to split £400 energy rebate

So is the money for covering electricity/utilities or just to general ease any cost-of-living burden...?

No problem at all ; we’ll just increase the rent by more than the rebate in the 1st place taking into account Gas has risen in excess of 450% and electricity by some 270% even with the new ‘capped’ rates ; then gladly give our HMO tenants back £11 a month for 6 months! The admin cost will outweigh the refund
What ‘benefit’ has the all inclusive landlord really had ?

I'm now immune to the absurdities of this Government's stoked-up political, opportunistic and blinkered red mist against landlord survival. If they legislated that the landlord is required to dance around naked in the property's back garden on Hallowee'n for the tenants' entertainment and ridicule, I'd just add it to the to-do list.

Let me get this right. The tenant pays rent based on the previously lower cost energy and can therefore use as much energy as they want, because they don't need to worry about the increases. The landlord is now paying for that energy use based on the massive increases, and was hoping for a little help from the government, but must now hand the rebate to the tenant who does not deserve it.

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 14/10/2022 - 10:40
Fully agree with your sentiment. We are not allowed to increase rent in HMO's with all inclusive bills, have to pay higher costs and now have to give a rebate. The insanity is never ending.

Reply to the comment left by Carol at 14/10/2022 - 10:55
Really? how did I miss this, I think things change so thick and fast I need to just pack up and leave this business. I had an inspection for my HMO yesterday, his concentration was on keyholes - I've removed key locks and replaced with thumb locks, no key and mechanism disabled but I have to cover the keyhole - it is part of the door handle. Likewise front door - key hole still showing and must be covered 'incase someone tried to lock themselves in' - with no key and no mechanism, hardly. Also have to supply 4 double sockets in each bedroom - really? but then I always knew that I had to provide for and treat my tenants better than my children.

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 14/10/2022 - 10:40
Surely the rebate goes to pay the bill - not physically handed back to the tenant - who hasn't paid gas or electricity?

The above sentiments seem to reflect the uncertainty of the situation, once the regulations have clarified the position no doubt how fair things really are will be apparent.

If we are to act fairly one must remember that fairness means being fair to both sides. So all those tenants that are paying based on historic costs might like to pay based on present costs or even the amount of the extortionate direct debts the energy companies charge.

Fearing something like this and the huge costs of inclusive services I changed all my ASTs to separate rent from utility costs, the latter being charged by way of a utility charge that is reviewed twice a year on 1st April and 1st October. but is paid at the same time as the rent per week or month. And I updated electricity metering to new electronic meters that are charged at the contemporary rate.

I despair of this government but more so, the idiot civil servants that seemingly don't have the wit or intelligence to come with any advice on policy that is sensible and workable.

So my understanding of this is as follows; if a landlord put up the all-inclusive rent on 1 April 2022 to cover the hike in energy costs, he then can't put it up again in October to cover the further increase in energy costs.
The tenant's rent is based on the energy costs existing from April to the end of September but even though the energy costs have increased by an additional 25% from 1 October and the landlord can't recover those costs from the tenant, the government says that the £400 rebate should go to the tenant.
That is totally unjust and yet another example of ministers and civil servants listening to the bleatings from Generation Rent and Shelter and not considering what happens in the real world.
It is so clear that if the landlord can show that his costs have increased by at least £400 and not been covered by an increase in rent, then the £400 rebate should be given to the bill payer, ie the landlord.

We live in an age of 'simply' *willing* your ideals into existence. Even if they won't work/have been proven not to work, you just have to *believe* a little bit harder and it'll all work out... 😒