Councils will be awarded government funding to target landlords with properties failing energy efficiency standards.

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Around 59 councils will be eligible for a grant and already one authority has promised to purchase a drone to check that rental properties’ have the correct energy standard.

From April 2020 all landlord rented properties must meet the current minimum efficiency rating of EPC Band E with those ‘rented homes’ becoming illegal to be let out, unless landlords properties are excluded.

Those BTL investors whose properties fall under the obligation can expect to face fines for each ‘home’ and for continued breaching of the directive.

The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy’s £4.3m cash injections for applicable councils across England plans to help them reach a further 100,000 ‘engagements’ with the hardest of landlords to get into contact who have underperforming properties.

The grants will pay towards the costs of campaigns with local workshops, roadshows and radio advertisements to ‘educate’ landlords about the strict rules. Councils can also arrange with BTL investors to carry out free property surveys. Some authorities may even undertake concerted landlord email campaigns and even translation services to drive up compliancy.

The council that has promised the use of a drone with thermal imaging capabilities to help their ‘ground team’.

Business and Energy Minister, Lord Callanan, says: “This funding will help councils to support landlords with these important energy efficiency changes, but also enforce these standards, helping tackle fuel poverty and ensuring everyone can live in a warm home with fair energy bills.

“Heating our homes and buildings makes up almost a third of all carbon emissions, meaning raising the energy efficiency of our properties is something we all have to contribute to help us build back greener and reach our world leading climate ambitions."

Deputy leader of Darlington Council, Jonathan Dulston, welcomes the news and says: “We know that the vast majority of private landlords stick to the rules and provide good accommodation, but we are determined to crack down on rogue landlords who do not care about their tenants or the standard of their properties.

“These new powers will improve the energy efficiency standards of private rented homes both here in Darlington and across the country, which will in turn improve residents’ health, ensuring people do not live in homes that are cold and damp.”

The government has also stated a further £10m funding for home owners as well as landlords “to develop world-class energy efficiency products and green finance services.”

The government  further backs up its initiative called the Green Home Finance programme by stating it will “equip homeowners with new options to decarbonise their homes in a more cost-effective way.”