Shelter warns over landlords keeping a tenant’s £400 energy payment

Surely if the landlord is recieving a fixed rent amount which includes energy, then it's the landlord that will be having to pay the extra energy costs, so the landlord is the one that needs the energy payment.

It's not like it is a monthly payment, it is a one off payment and will only offset a little of the energy charge increases, the landlord will be expected to cover the rest.

Unless tenants want to manage and pay for their own energy bills.

When my student daughter comes home she has no thought for how long she stays in the shower, because her bills are included in her rent. At home when she showers it costs 45p, mine costs 8p, so landlords who include energy in their rent are taking a huge risk these days

Indeed Shelter is completely wrong, prior to April whatever the rents were they were based on energy bills before April 2022, so when the energy bills went up, landlords were the ones who suffered the brunt of extra cost of energy, so unless Landlords raised rents to cover this extra cost, only then they may be entitled to some rebate in their rents, but I would still hold back that rebate as energy prices are going to go up more from October by another 75% as predicted by experts, so yes I would pocket that rebate and not pass it on to tenants as Landlords cannot increase rent more than once per year.

Shelter and the Press are conflating two issues. Where "energy bills are included in [the tenant's] rent or service charge " then the landlord bears the increased cost and it is only fair that the landlord keeps the £400. Polly Neate is in effect saying: "Landlords, if your costs go up by, say, £1000 this year you should give the £400 to the tenant so your increased cost is £1000 not £600. Why? Because you are all bastards and the Government should not do anything to help you!"
Where there is a legitimate complaint is if the Landlord is the bill payer but recharges to the tenant the full cost of utilities so that the landlord does not himself pay them. In that situation it would be fair and proper for the rebate to be passed to the person actually paying the bills. Shelter do not draw this distinction and simply demand all landlords take a hit.

But it's not a 'tenant's £400 energy payment'. It's a bill payers energy payment. It's just the sort of nonsense and criticism of landlords Shelter likes to indulge in.

Reply to the comment left by Yvonne Francis at 04/08/2022 - 14:29
Yet another b****y stupid not thought through comment from Shelter. If the Landlord pays the energy its his entitlement if tenant pays its the tenants. How more simple can it get. Honestly !!!!!

Yes I warned my tenants that I need to put their rents up by £50 each , they declined and agreed to pay only half that, but actually the additional burden was £50 per tenant, per month, from £425 to £475, so I am still short changed, so if I get if I am lucky, I will indeed pocket that money, and to hell with Shelter.
My energy bill went up from £90 per month to £262 per month, that is more than 54%, actual 188% up. So even £400 wont cover additional cost I have to cover up, One tenant decieded not to pay additional £25 increase so he has left, but I can now get a new tenant and charge him the going rate for a room of £500pcm.

Our energy bill has gone up by £120 per month, therefore an annual rise of £1,440 even before October and January's rises. If my home was an HMO, I would still have to increase rents even with the £400 rebate but of course the rise would be less than it would have been without it. As per usual, the landlord is perceived as being greedy when in fact, some landlords could be losing significantly due to tenancy terms not allowing them to increase rents more than once annually.

Our tenant pays her own electricity by a pay as you go method that she p[ays for. As I have no liability for her electricity, it seems to me the Government's payment belongs to her - or have I screwed that up?

I asked Warrington Borough Council about this in respect of two HMOs where tenants pay weekly rent all bills included and their (edited) reply follows:

"Unfortunately ... there is no eligibility to the payment for the two ... addresses listed below and the Council has no discretion on this part of the scheme. The advice from DHLUC can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/council-tax-rebate-factsheet
The relevant part of the factsheet states the following:
11. I live in a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) and my landlord is liable for council tax. Will I still be eligible for the rebate?
Where the owner of a property is liable for the council tax (for example in a House in Multiple Occupation or residential care home), no-one will be eligible for the rebate in relation to that property. If you are not the liable council tax payer but are impacted by rising energy costs, you may be able to access support from your council’s discretionary fund."

To which my response was:
"Can’t say I am surprised given all the ‘landlord bashing’ that goes on nationally. We try to look after our tenants (as do the vast majority of landlords) and it’s unfortunate there is not more recognition of this nationally, in the media and some of the more ‘aggressive’ local authorities. Tenants are on the end of the line so it’s always them that will end up paying for the errors of those who claim to be protecting their interests!"
Rents are being increased sooner/more than would otherwise be the case!

Reply to the comment left by Blodwyn at 04/08/2022 - 22:31
as it should be. the person who PAYS the bill gets the discount.