by Brianna Crandall — May 16, 2011—The U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced on May 10 plans to introduce regulations to ensure that all landlords would face minimum energy efficiency standards under the Green Deal.
Under the proposals, announced at the Second Reading of the Energy Bill:
- From April 2016 landlords will not be able to refuse reasonable requests from tenants, or local authorities acting on behalf of tenants, to improve their property; and
- From April 2018 the government will make it unlawful to rent out a house or business premise which has less than an “E” energy efficiency rating, ensuring at least 682,000 properties will have to be improved.
The Green Deal is the coalition’s national plan of improvements to make houses, community spaces and businesses cheaper to run through better energy efficiency. From 2012, financing will be available to pay for the upfront cost of work, which will be paid back through savings on lower fuel bills.
ECC says the Green Deal is a “win-win opportunity” for landlords, and promises to get tough on landlords who don’t follow it, so that by 2018 the poorest performing buildings are brought up to “a decent standard.”
