Energy: Private Rented Housing
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps to prevent landlords from raising rents after using grants and loans in the Warm Homes plan to fund energy efficiency measures.
Answered by Martin McCluskey
The Warm Homes Plan will lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty through public investment and new minimum energy efficiency standards for private landlords and proposed standard for social landlords. These changes do not require landlords to increase rents. Instead, they will help tenants cut their energy bills by delivering more energy efficient homes.
There is support available for landlords, financing options, as well as new protections for renters in the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 to challenge above-market rent increases. As now, landlords will still be able to increase rents to market price for their properties and an independent tribunal will make a judgement on this, if needed.
Landlords will have discretion between meeting the heating system standard and the smart readiness standard so that they can choose what is most appropriate for their property.
We estimate the new private rented sector MEES could lift approximately 415,000 households out of fuel poverty by 2030. A cost cap of £10,000, compared to £15,000, reduces the risk of cost pass through to tenants whilst still delivering substantial improvements to homes.
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