Gove calls for delay to rented housing energy efficiency plans - NRLA responds
The NRLA has responded to comments by Housing Secretary Michael Gove MP suggesting that energy efficiency proposals for landlords should be delayed in light of the significant financial pressures they now face across the market.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Gove argues that the Government should "relax the pace" of proposed reforms which would prevent landlords from renting out their homes if they fail to meet a new minimum energy efficiency threshold by 2028.
Responding to the Secretary of State's remarks, Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said:
"It is over two years since the Government completed its consultation on energy efficiency standards in rented homes. As a result of the delay in responding to this, there was never any hope of meeting the originally proposed deadlines, as we told the Minister earlier this month.
"The NRLA wants to see properties as energy efficient as possible, but the sector needs certainty about how and when this will happen. Ministers need to develop a proper plan that includes a fair financial package to support improvements in the private rented sector. We will continue to work with all parties to develop pragmatic and workable proposals.”
Update
The Housing Secretary reiterated plans to delay the timetable of implementation for energy efficiency plans in rented homes, during a speech on housing in London on Monday.
NRLA CEO Ben Beadle was invited to attend the speech, and took the opportunity to ask several questions, one of which was regarding an update on MEES following recent newspaper reports.
In response, the Housing Secretary acknowledged that there is currently a "specific timetable" in place which he believes "needs relaxing".
You can watch Ben’s questions and the answers to them via this video, around the 38-minute mark.
The NRLA was also named-checked by the Housing Secretary as he responded to a journalist's question on rental controls, which you can see around the 48-minute mark of the video.