MINIMUM ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR PRIVATE RENTED HOMES

Early day motion 95, tabled 12 June 2014 by John Leech (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 66 members.

That this House notes that the private rented sector (PRS) is a rapidly growing part of the housing market, accounting for 17.5 per cent of English households; that the PRS has over five times more homes in EPC Bands F and G than the social housing sector and that nearly half the PRS households living in Band F and G properties are in fuel poverty, costing the NHS £145 million annually and that those households are home to 191,000 children, 62 per cent of whom are in fuel poverty; further notes that the Energy Act 2011 placed a duty on the Government to introduce a minimum energy efficiency standard for the PRS by April 2018, and that Ministers repeatedly indicated that they expected the standard to be EPC Band E; further notes that new research for WWF-UK and the UK Green Building Council shows that the average cost of bringing a property up to Band E is £1,421 and that 72 per cent of properties can reach this standard for less than £1,000; regrets that the regulations have been significantly delayed; therefore calls on the Government to consult on and lay the regulations without further delay, in order to give landlords adequate time to comply; and further calls on the Government to ensure that the regulations are made clear and enforceable by specifying Band E as the minimum standard in all cases, and by keeping exemptions to an absolute minimum.

Signatures by party: Labour 36, Liberal Democrat 18, Conservative 4, DUP 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Alliance 1, Green 1, Independent 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.