18th
Apr 2013
An Association has called for the Government’s Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) ,to consider changing the recently issued conditions as it directly affects landlords in how they can receive the energy grant for their rental properties.
One of the conditions imposed means that in many cases landlords will have to move into their own rented properties to receive the grant.
- They say that the guidance offered by Ofgem for the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) which is the grant awarded to properly insulate solid wall properties and states that it is only applicable if a bill payer is present in the property whilst the work is carried out.
Harry Cotterell, President of the Association, said “This is an own goal by Ofgem. Bringing traditional properties up to an energy efficiency rating of ‘E’ is very difficultt because they are without cavity walls. Therefore it is likely landlords will install solid wall insulation in properties that are between tenants and empty”
- "However, part of Ofgem's guidance says invasive upgrading work can only occur while a bill payer is in residence, which is impractical and unfair. This potentially means a landlord would have to move into the property in question while work is carried out."
Cotterell added: "We are urging DECC to liaise with Ofgem so that the ECO grant can be properly implemented without causing unnecessary disruption to landlords and their tenants."
The guidance issued to large energy suppliers about the requirements of the ECO was sent to them by Ofgem in the middle of March of this year.
The Government has invested up to £760 million per year with the sole intention for difficult to treat homes and works alongside the Green Deal and other monies available to cut down UK greenhouse emissions. The target is to reduce the emissions by 34% and has to be reached by 2020. This means that by 2018 all non-domestic and domestic properties must achieve an energy efficiency rating of E.
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