Housing experts and charities call for EPC deadline for the PRS

Housing experts and charities call for EPC deadline for the PRS

0:05 AM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago 21

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The Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has teamed up with a group of charities and consumer organisations, dubbed ‘Warm this Winter’, to encourage the government to decide on a deadline for the implementation of EPC rules for the private rented sector (PRS).

The Public Bill Committee is currently scrutinising the Energy Bill and it is expected to undergo a third reading in the House of Commons.

Once enacted, the bill will dictate when landlords must improve the energy performance certificate (EPC) rating for a rented home to be at least a C.

The coalition members have now written Michael Gove, the Housing Secretary, urging the government to quickly implement the necessary regulations to improve energy efficiency standards.

‘Often live in the most inefficient properties’

The CIH’s head of policy and external affairs, Rachael Williamson, said: “Residents in the private rented sector often live in the most inefficient properties and suffer the daily consequences of not being able to keep warm and safe at home.

“The sector has the highest prevalence of damp of any tenure, and the evidence is clear that poor energy efficiency is often to blame.”

She added: “It is time for the government to follow through on its promise to legislate for minimum energy efficiency standards in the sector, something that will have positive ripple effects for Net Zero and Levelling Up as well as the health and wellbeing of private renters.”

The government carried out a public consultation

In 2020, the government carried out a public consultation on how to boost minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented homes.

However, they have yet to deliver the legislation to support the goal of upgrading all privately rented homes to an EPC Band C rating by – it has been rumoured – 2028.

With the backing of CIH and the Warm this Winter coalition, the push for greater energy efficiency in the private rented sector may soon gain momentum in Parliament.

Cold and damp living conditions for private renters

The delay in implementing energy efficiency legislation has, CIH says, exacerbated the detrimental effects of cold and damp living conditions for private renters.

Tenants in the least energy-efficient homes experience the most severe fuel poverty.

According to Citizens Advice, since the government’s initial consultation closed in January 2021, renters have collectively lost £2.3 billion on heating bills because energy efficiency standards have not been improved.

And CIH research reveals that more than half of the top 50 deprived local authorities in England have poor energy efficiency in their private rental properties.

CIH is also anticipating that the Decent Homes Standard, which will include thermal comfort levels, will be part of the Renters’ Reform Bill.


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Fiona Wilks

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10:14 AM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

2 words.....social houses...

Mick Roberts

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10:55 AM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Bonkers. Why would they call for something that makes rents more expensive?
They presume everyone paying top rent. We know different. We all up for ECO4 etc., but if tenant paying £550 & other rents are £850 & to get EPC C needs rent of £850-£900 to save £20 a month on gas elec bills, go & ask tenant WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE

Beaver

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10:57 AM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

This statement is nonsense:

“The sector has the highest prevalence of damp of any tenure, and the evidence is clear that poor energy efficiency is often to blame.”

The evidence isn't clear at all.

If the government brings deadlines forwards without sorting out the EPC system a lot more people will end up without any roof over their head.

GlanACC

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11:02 AM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Agreed, Having driven around a couple of the 'council' estates in Derby you wonder how the housing associations have got away with some of the condition of the buildings. Suggest the councils (IE the government) puts its own houses in order first

Robert Hearns

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12:31 PM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Whose going to pay for it? Will only backfire and make the housing situation worse.

GlanACC

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12:40 PM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Robert Hearns at 19/06/2023 - 12:31
Exactly the point, the housing association rents are very low compared to usual 'local levels' and cant possibly fund the upgrade of the housing association properties BUT they don't have the same obligations (tax, EPC etc) as us landlords who ofter have non rent payers and mortgage costs under S24. Can we afford £10,000 per property to upgrade.

NewYorkie

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13:23 PM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 19/06/2023 - 10:57
The worst sector for damp is the social housing sector.

Before implementing any new rules, the government needs to sort out the inconsistency in inspections.

Beaver

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13:25 PM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 19/06/2023 - 12:40
In its present form the EPC system is a gravy train for EPC assessors. It's just a tick-box exercise that someone introduced to try and look good at a climate conference.

Tenants will just face higher rents as landlords exit the market and rental property becomes more scarce; if the rules apply to existing tenancies tenants will be forced out in order that landlords can make required renovations; and rents will be pushed up as landlords recover the costs of making the imposed changes and make a return on the finance costs of making those investments.

The government needs to reform the EPC system before it does anything else. It also needs to change the tax system. Landlord-bashing is tenant-bashing.

LS57

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15:06 PM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

New EPC rules for the Private Rental Sector Only sounds like a bit of social engineering to me

Beaver

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18:13 PM, 19th June 2023, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by LS57 at 19/06/2023 - 15:06
It is social engineering.

If you are a big pension fund and you invest your pension money into build-to rent then you are apparently doing something socially useful. And no doubt that along with schmoozing up to MPS and other people in the city you can get all sorts of tax breaks for doing this because you've got better lawyers and you know where all the loopholes are.

https://citywire.com/wealth-manager/news/pension-giants-turn-residential-landlords-as-build-to-rent-grows/a1561484

https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2022/2/huge-build-to-rent-programme-announced-by-pension-provider

https://realassets.ipe.com/news/landg-to-inject-25bn-of-pension-money-into-uk-build-to-rent-projects/10058092.article

But if you are a small landlord you aren't allowed to deduct your pension costs. You aren't allowed to invest your SIPP in residential property, not even for a low environmental impact building. Now of course all these financial big wigs know better than you do for some reason....who knows, maybe because they and their mates snort lots of coke in all the right places:

https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/cocaine-use-bankers-city-addiction-help-20221003

I don't suppose they pay much tax on all that coke. And I doubt that what these people are doing is more socially useful than what you are doing by putting a roof over somebody's head.

Anyone for a glass of bubbly?

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