2nd
Oct 2024
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health has expressed support for the new regulation banning landlords from letting properties with Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) below a C rating starting in 2030.
However, they emphasize that the government must allocate more resources to ensure effective enforcement.
This EPC rule change, announced by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband at the Labour conference, is seen by environmental health officers as a crucial step in tackling the root causes of fuel poverty in the UK.
The officers highlight that homes with poor energy efficiency often suffer from cold temperatures, dampness, and mould, which pose significant health risks to occupants.
Without proper insulation and energy upgrades, residents are at risk of respiratory diseases and other conditions worsened by cold environments.
Mark Elliott, president of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, stated:
"This announcement is welcome but needs to be accompanied by the provision of resources for local government to enforce the relevant legislation effectively.
Poor energy inefficiency in housing contributes to cold homes and damp and mould growth. Cold homes exacerbate illness, contribute to NHS costs, and are closely related to excess winter deaths.
Analysis of English Housing Survey data by the Building Research Establishment found that excessively cold homes in England could be costing the NHS £540 million a year in preventable costs.
“Cold homes are one of the leading public health threats of our times. Environmental health professionals are on the front line of protecting the public from this and other hazards caused by poor housing, thereby reducing ill health and saving lives."
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