Citizens Advice response to government consultation on improving the energy performance of privately rented homes
Citizens Advice welcomes the opportunity to respond to this consultation. Our research has found that 1 in 3 private renters couldn't heat their homes to a comfortable temperature over winter 2024, with millions living in damp and mouldy conditions. Raising minimum energy efficiency standards is vital to make privately rented homes more comfortable and cheaper to run - ultimately lifting private renters out of fuel poverty.
We support the proposed approach of establishing fabric performance as a primary standard, which will cut tenants' bills and improve conditions. We also support the inclusion of carefully designed secondary metrics.
We further support proposed timelines of requiring new tenancies to meet the standard by 2028, and extending this to all tenancies by 2030. The Government should act quickly to provide clarity to tenants and landlords on the new requirements.
A £15,000 cost cap will ensure that sufficient upgrades are made while protecting landlords from excessive costs. Landlords should be able to access financial support to meet costs through green finance mechanisms, while local authorities should have appropriate resources to enforce the new standards.