Chris Norris, policy director for the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has called on the Government to outline a clear plan for increasing energy efficiency in the rented sector.
This comes amid reports that the Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary, Ed Miliband MP, will announce the Government’s strategy to improve the energy efficiency of rented housing in his Labour Party Conference speech.
According to Norris, while the NRLA is keen to see all rented homes become as energy effiicient as possible, the Government’s approach must invlove a “clear and comprehensive plan.”
He said: “The sector needs a clear trajectory setting out what will be expected of it and by when.
“This plan must also ensure sufficient numbers of tradespeople are in place to undertake the work that will be required.”
In addition, he urged for further economic support when it comes to implementing said efficiency measures.
He also highlighted warnings from the Committee on Fuel Poverty that landlords across the country will need a financial package in order to support these energy investments in their homes.
According to official data, in 2022, almost 45% of private rented properties in England had an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least a C, more than double the rate compared to 2012.
However, a third of private rented sector homes were built before 1919, a higher proportion than any other tenure.
These are among some of the hardest to improve properties of the entire housing stock.
Research also suggests the UK is set to see a shortfall in the number of tradespeople grow to 250,000 by 2030 whilst the Committee on Fuel Poverty has argued that landlords could best be supported to improve the energy efficiency of rented housing, “through tax offsets for improvements, loans or potentially grants for landlords with a low profit margin in areas of low rental value.”
