Chartered Institute of Housing joins calls for the government to tackle poor energy efficiency in the private rented sector

Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) has joined a coalition of charities and consumer groups, Warm this Winter, to ask that new legislation going through Parliament tackles poor energy efficiency in the private rented sector.

The Energy Bill is currently being scrutinised by the Public Bill Committee ahead of its third reading in the House of Commons, and when brought into law will redefine several aspects of regulation in the energy market.

CIH is supporting calls for the bill to commit to enhancing energy efficiency in the private rented sector, and have joined a coalition of charities and consumer groups to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Rt. Hon Michael Gove MP, to encourage the government to move forward with necessary regulations without delay.

The government consulted on improving minimum energy efficiency standards in private rented homes in 2020, but has yet to legislate for a new target of getting all privately rented homes to EPC Band C by 2028.

This delay in legislating has intensified the negative impacts of cold, damp homes for private renters. Those in the least efficient homes live in the deepest fuel poverty of any tenure, and calculations by Citizens Advice show that failing to raise energy efficiency standards has collectively cost renters £2.3 billion since the government’s initial consultation closed in January 2021.

The lack of progress continues to hold back the government’s Net Zero and Levelling Up agendas. To reach Net Zero by 2050, the government’s Climate Change Committee advises that all rented homes need to achieve a good level of energy efficiency by 2028. In 2022, over 2.5 million private rented homes did not meet this standard.

Analysis by CIH also shows that over half of the top 50 deprived local authorities in England have worse than average energy efficiency in their private rental homes. This means that the negative health impacts of these homes, including costs to the NHS, more sick days, and decreased productivity, are likely to be more marked in those areas that are central to the government’s Levelling Up agenda.

Rachael Williamson, head of policy and external affairs at CIH, 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.

“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.”

CIH have submitted evidence to the Public Bill Committee and are continuing to work with partners to ensure that this crucial amendment is included in the Energy Bill in its final form. We also look forward to seeing the Decent Homes Standard, which includes thermal comfort, applied to the private rented sector through the Renters (Reform) Bill.