Over half of tenants “refused” energy efficiency upgrades

The study, conducted by letting agency website PropertyLetByUs, shows that 7 out of 10 tenants have made requests to their landlord to make improvements to the property, while more than three quarters of tenants argue that the property they rent has an old, unreliable gas boiler, with 48 per cent stating that their property does not have double glazing.

The claims come after a new law requiring landlords to bring their properties up to a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E, with tenants living in F and G rated homes having been able to request improvements, such as more insulation, from April this year.

Under the new legislation, if a tenant requests a more efficient home and the landlord fails to comply, the landlord could ultimately be forced to pay a penalty notice.

Jane Morris, Managing Director of PropertyLetByUs.com is very disappointed to see that so many tenants have been refused when they have requested their landlords make improvements to the property.

“Landlords that are trying to rent cold, draughty and damp accommodation should immediately start improving their properties.  Otherwise, they could be falling foul of the legislation that requires them to bring their properties up to an E rating,” she said.

“It is estimated that around one million tenants are paying as much as £1,000 a year more for heating than the average annual bill of £1,265.  These excessive costs are mainly down to poorly insulated homes, many of which are thought to be the oldest and leakiest rental properties in Europe.

“Landlords that are currently renting out F and G rated properties should be looking at the improvements they can make and researching costs and available help, through the Energy Saving Advice Service (ESAS) or Home Energy Scotland.”

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