Industry News


Tenants offered training on how to challenge landlords over poor housing conditions


A new training scheme is being launched this Spring, to help social housing tenants hold their landlords to account and ensure their voices are heard. Residents will learn how to take an “active


role” in how their homes are managed through workshops, forums and online resources to run over the next two-and-a- half years, according to DLUHC. Tey will also receive advice on how to set


up a residents’ panel or challenge a landlord if it fails to meet required service standards.


Training will be provided by the Confederation of Co-operative Housing (CCH) and Public Participation, Consultation and Research who have jointly been awarded a £500,000 grant. Details of how tenants can take part in the training will be provided by CCH before the scheme launches.


Previously a new 250-strong social


housing residents’ panel was launched in November, with a remit to advise the Government on improving standards in the sector. Baroness Scott, minister for social


housing, said: “We want to make sure every resident is heard and has the opportunity to be actively involved in how their home is managed.” “Tis Government-backed (training)


scheme will help to do just that; empowering residents to challenge their landlord where needed and contribute to positive change in their homes and communities.”


Ministers told to end the uncertainty on private rentals energy efficiency policy


T


he Government is being urged to clarify its plans for improving the energy efficiency of privately rented accommodation, more


than two years aſter it consulted the sector on a set of proposals. Back in 2020 the Government proposed changing


the law forcing private landlords to bring their properties upto the EPC C standard from 2025 for new lettings and from 2028 for existing tenancies. It also proposed landlords should be responsible for paying upto £10,000 for the work on each rental. But since the consultation exercise ended,


Ministers have failed to announce whether they intend to proceed or not and have been accused of dragging their feet on the issue, even though roughly one in four private tenants are living in fuel poverty. Approximately two-thirds of private rentals


are below the proposed minimum C rating, from the current minimum standard of F. It is estimated that the tenants of these properties would save around £570 a year in heating bills, if their homes met the standard. Typically many lettings need improvements in


their insulation, draught-proofing, double glazing and more efficient heating systems. Te National Residential Landlords Association


says that even if the Government took action now, it will be too late to introduce the new requirements from 2025. Te NRLA claimed the proposals were now in effect “dead in the water”. Instead the NRLA are suggesting the new standard should apply to all lettings with effect


10 | HMMFebruary/March 2023 | www.housingmmonline.co.uk


from 2028. Tey also want a more sophisticated system for determining the landlord’s responsibility for improvement payments, linked to the average market rents in any given area, with a taper applying between £5,000 and £10,000. Te NRLA is calling on Ministers to support


landlord investment with a new tax allowance for those landlords who are undertaking works towards reaching Net Zero. Ben Beadle, chief executive of the NRLA,


said: “We all want to see properties as energy efficient as possible. However, the Government’s delay in responding to its own consultation on energy standards in the private rented sector means its plans are dead in the water. Te lack of clarity is playing a major part in holding back investment in the homes to rent tenants desperately need.” He added that the plans relied on a misguided


assumption that landlords have unlimited sums of money and the sector actually contains some of the most difficult to retrofit properties. “Ministers need a smarter approach with a proper financial package if we want to ensure improvements to the rental housing stock.” In his recent review of the Government’s


progress towards the UK meeting its legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050, the former Energy Minister Chris Skidmore warned about a failure to improve the energy efficiency of the UK’s housing stock. About 14% of the UK’s carbon emissions are associated with heating residential homes.


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