Fuel poverty is higher in the private rented sector than other tenures, with 21% of privately rented households in England estimated to be fuel poor. CAG has been awarded funding by Ebico Trust* to carry out research into how minimum standards can improve energy efficiency in the private rented sector.
Working alongside the Association for the Conservation of Energy, we’ll be looking at how local authorities have engaged with the private rented sector on energy efficiency and what action they’ve taken in relation to relevant hazards (particularly excess cold) under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). We’ll also be finding out what their plans are for implementing the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).
The aim of the project is to support the effective and proactive enforcement of minimum standards using both HHSRS and MEES in the private rented sector.
The project involves desk research, interviews with stakeholders and local authority practitioners and the development of a series of case studies. The outputs from the project will be published summer 2018.
The project is being overseen by a steering group that involves:
- The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- The Local Government Association
- The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
- The Association of Local Authority Energy Officers
- Residential Landlords Association
If you’d like to find out more, or would like to get involved in the research, please contact CAG Partner Emma Jones – ej@cagconsult.co.uk
* Ebico is an energy provider whose mission is to help those affected by fuel poverty. Any financial surpluses that Ebico makes go into the Ebico Trust, a registered charity set up in 2009 to support projects in fuel-poor communities.