Welsh government raises hopes of new energy cash for landlords

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Landlords in Wales could be in line for financial help to upgrade their properties after the Welsh government acknowledged that meeting new energy standards could be prohibitively expensive.

Responding to the Senedd’s Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee’s report on decarbonisation of the private rented sector, it accepted that the introduction of revised Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards by the UK government might necessitate providing financial assistance for Welsh landlords. It explained: “If the UK government introduces a requirement to meet EPC C and does not provide financial support, there could be a need to look at funding grants and/or loans to support improvements.”

Ageing stock

The Welsh government agreed that the country’s ageing private rented housing stock means that landlords may be forced to take drastic action to meet energy efficiency targets. As a result, many will be forced to sell their rental properties, commission cheaper retrofits which may not be as effective over the long term or pass the costs of work on to tenants.

NRLA chief executive Ben Beadle says he’s pleased that the government understands the predicament of Welsh landlords when it comes to retrofitting rental properties, following extensive campaigning by the body.

Financial support

“The cost implications of undertaking remedial work on ageing housing stock are extremely prohibitive, with many landlords currently unable to access any kind of financial support for retrofits,” adds Beadle.

The NRLA has also called for the UK government’s “unrealistic” proposals for energy efficiency improvements in PRS homes to be pushed back. The proposed new rules mean landlords would have to reach an EPC C rating in 2025 for new tenancies and 2028 for all others, but the association believes it needs to go back to the drawing board to come up with sensible workable proposals, with an appropriate financial package behind them.

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