Dec

Guess who’s footing £100bn bill to decarbonise homes? Yes, landlords!

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The Government’s new Energy White Paper has emphasised that landlords must help foot the £100 billion bill for decarbonising domestic and commercial properties.

Along with householders and businesses, it names landlords as part of the solution when setting steps to cut emissions from industry, transport, and buildings by 230 million metric tonnes over the next decade. This includes changing the way the country heats its homes.

Building on Boris Johnson’s 10-point plan for a ‘green industrial revolution’, the White Paper states: “Meeting our commitments to decarbonise and improve the energy performance in buildings will require the mobilisation of around £100 billion of capital across homes, businesses and the public sector over the 2020s alone.

“It is investment that must come principally from businesses and homeowners, and from landlords of domestic and commercial premises.”

It confirms that it will take action to improve the energy efficiency of homes in the private rental sector and is currently consulting on proposals for 2.8 million privately rented homes to meet a minimum energy performance standard of EPC Band C by 2028, “where practical, cost-effective and affordable”.

Urgency

During the debate in the Commons, Ed Miliband (pictured), shadow secretary for business, energy and industrial strategy, challenged Business Secretary Alok Sharma over the paper’s timing and a lack of urgency in the private rented sector.

He said: “For existing homes, the Government have known for years about the challenge of insulation and conversion of the way they are heated, but frankly we still have one-off announcements of resources with no proper plan.

“For homes owned by private landlords, the targets are still too weak and too far off. Does the Secretary of State recognise that the only answer to meet the transition and fairness is a proper long-term, street-by-street house-by-house plan?”

Sharma replied: “Of course we need to go further, but the Government are putting their best foot forward in delivering on a green industrial revolution.”

Read the White Paper in full.
Read more about green rental properties.

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