Industry News
Chartered Institute of Housing joins calls for the Government to tackle poor energy efficiency in the private rented sector
T
he Chartered Institute of Housing 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. Te Energy Bill 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 has joined a coalition of charities and consumer groups to write to Housing Secretary Michael Gove, to encourage the Government to move forward with necessary regulations without delay. Te Government consulted on improving
minimum energy efficiency standards in private rented homes back in 2020, but has yet to legislate for a new target of getting all privately rented homes to EPC Band C by 2028. Tis delay has intensified the negative impacts
of cold, damp homes for private renters. Tose 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. Te 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
“It is time for the Government to follow through on its promise to legislate for minimum energy efficiency
standards in the sector” Rachael Williamson, head of policy and external affairs at CIH
top 50 deprived local authorities in England have worse than average energy efficiency in their private rental homes. Tis 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 oſten live in the most inefficient properties and suffer the daily consequences of not being able to keep warm and safe at home. Te sector has the highest prevalence of damp of any tenure, and the evidence is clear that poor
energy efficiency is oſten 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. It also wants to see the Decent Homes Standard, which includes thermal comfort, applied to the private rented sector through the Renters (Reform) Bill.
Deadline for registering high rise buildings with new regulator looms
Tousands of high-rise buildings have to be registered with the new building safety regulator by the end of September, as the stricter regime to protect residents begins. Te process for registering high-rise buildings
with the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR) opened in April. All high-rise residential buildings must be registered with BSR by law and failure to register could result in prosecution. Up to 12,500 buildings in England are covered by the new regulator, set up in response to the Grenfell
Fire tragedy and officially launched earlier this year. BSR is an independent body set-up by the
Building Safety Act 2022 and part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its launch is the biggest change in building safety for a generation. HSE’s Director of Building Safety, Philip White,
said: “We were pleased with the early response from industry but I urge owners and managers to act now and register their buildings if they haven’t already done so.” “Registration is a crucial part of the new regime
10 | HMMAugust/September 2023 |
www.housingmmonline.co.uk
and our efforts to ensure residents of high-rise buildings feel protected and safe in their homes.” High-rise residential buildings that are at least
18 metres in height or have seven or more floors containing at least two residential units must be registered with BSR. Building owners or managers must provide the
number of floors at or above ground level, height in metres, the number of residential units, and the year of construction. Guidance on the key building information (KBI)
that will also need to be recorded under the new building safety laws has been published. Tis KBI registration element was added to the HRB online registration portal this summer, allowing sufficient time for owners and managers of buildings to submit their KBI by the end of September.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
