Are renters losing out on insulation?

According to a recent report by the Citizens Advice Bureau, tenants of some of the chilliest properties in the UK, which lose heat from poorly insulated windows, walls and doors, are trapped into paying higher energy bills because they are reliant on their landlords to ensure that the property performs well in terms of energy efficiency.

Although many older properties do suffer from a high degree of heat loss, it’s a measure that’s relatively easy to combat by adding loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, double glazed windows and well-made doors to a property. At the moment there are no rules against renting poorly insulated properties, although this is set to change in 2018.

A piece of legislation will come into effect which prohibits landlords from marketing property which scores less than an ‘E’ on its Energy Performance Certificate, forcing landlords’ hands into upgrading the most substandard of the properties currently available. At the present time, around 10% of the rented accommodation in England and Wales currently falls below that threshold.

It’s leading to rental tenants forking up an average of more than £500 each year in wasted energy – energy which they would not need to pay for if their property was correctly insulated.

As of 1st April this year, tenants currently living in a property with a ‘F’ or ‘G’ rating on the Energy Performance Certificate will be entitled to request improvements to bring the rating up to an ‘E’ and in turn, landlords will be compelled to ensure that it meets that standard at the very least.

In addition to the positive impact that the measures will have on tenants’ finances, they will also impact positively on the environment, reducing the amount of energy wasted and the quantity of fossil fuels and energy needed to heat homes.

If you’re a landlord looking to improve the energy rating of one of your properties, get in touch with us today. We can discuss options to bring your property up to scratch, in line with the new legislation.