Landlords could see red over Green Deal letting ban

Landlords could see red over Green Deal letting ban

9:43 AM, 12th May 2011, About 13 years ago

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Landlords are warned  that around 680,000 buy to let homes could face a rental ban if they are not upgraded to meet new energy efficiency laws.

The warning was issued by Energy and Climate Secretary Chris Huhne, as part of the second reading of the Energy Bill in Parliament.

Huhne said: “The government has made it clear that renting out dangerously cold and draughty homes is unacceptable – landlords will have to improve their properties or face prosecution.”

Under the new laws, from April 2016, landlords cannot refuse any reasonable request from a tenant to make their homes more energy efficient under the proposed Green Deal.

Plus, from April 2018, landlords cannot let a property that does meet an E energy efficiency rating.  The government estimates this affects around 682,000 buy to let homes.

Huhne explained the laws would aid the poorest tenants most at risk from fuel poverty.

“The Green Deal is a win-win opportunity for landlords by removing the upfront cost of work to upgrade the property, making it cheaper to run, more environmentally friendly and ultimately more attractive to rent,” he said.

“For those landlords who don’t take up the Green Deal we will get tough so that by 2018 the poorest performing rented housing stock is brought up to a decent standard.”

Responding to Huhne’s comments, Ian Fletcher, director of policy at the British Property Federation, said:

“We welcome the recognition that there simply isn’t the capacity in the energy efficiency supply sector to expect change overnight and hence why the Minister has plumped for 2018.

“It is important that landlords start to consider whether they will be caught and have their plans ready for when the Green Deal goes live next year.

“The government has binding climate change commitments and landlords are party to those. There are opportunities, however, as well as threats in improving energy efficiency and landlords who start thinking about and acting on the issues will be best placed to handle both.”


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