Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many exemptions have been registered under the minimum energy efficiency standards regulations; and how many officials are responsible for assessing and approving these exemptions.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As of the end of January 2026, there were a total of 22,774 exemptions registered on the service, of which 10,519 were still active. Local authorities are the enforcement authority for the regulations, the Department has no role in assessing exemptions.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero collects and records data on minimum energy efficiency standards exemptions relating to leaseholder or third-party consent.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero collects and records data on all minimum energy efficiency standards exemptions through the Exemptions Register service.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what preparations they are making to manage any increase in applications for leaseholder and third-party consent exemptions ahead of the proposed changes to the minimum energy efficiency standards; and what assessment they have made of the prevalence of freeholder refusal of consent for energy efficiency improvements.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provides an Exemptions Register to enable landlords to register exemptions. The Exemptions Register has sufficient capacity to handle an increase in exemption registrations.
The impact assessment published alongside the government response to the ‘Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes’ consultation contains information on expected prevalence of exemptions, and information on treatment of exemptions in the modelling can be found in the attached table.
Table - Treatment of exemptions in the PRS MEES modelling
Exemption | Treatment in modelling |
High-Cost exemption | Modelled: If the cost of making even the cheapest improvement exceeds the cost cap, we do not upgrade a property. |
All Relevant Improvements Made exemption | Modelled: If no relevant improvements can be made then no improvements are made in the modelling. |
Cost Cap exemption | Modelled: Where landlords install measures and hit the cost cap before reaching MEES, the model stops upgrading the property. |
Property Value Adjustment exemption (affordability exemption) | Not modelled: This exemption allows landlords of properties valued below £100,000 to work to a cost cap that is 10% of the property’s value. The NBM does not contain property prices to allow robust modelling of the exemption. |
Solid Wall Insulation (SWI) exemption | Modelled: For simplicity, we assume all landlords who can take advantage of this exemption do so (there may in reality be a small number of landlords who still wish to install SWI). Thus, our modelling results do not include SWI. |
Negative Impacts exemption | Not modelled: We do not account for specific cases where a measure is recommended on an EPC, but determined to negatively impact a property or its value through some other assessment. |
Third-Party Consent exemption | Partially modelled: We do account for in-situ tenants not consenting to improvements at a rate of 10%. However, we do not account for refused consent from other third parties, including superior landlords (freeholders) and local authorities through planning permission processes. |
New landlord exemption | Not modelled: We do not account for property transfers, but given new landlords exemptions only last for 6 months this will not significantly affect modelling results |
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of minimum energy efficiency standards exemptions relating to leaseholder or third-party consent on progress towards improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The impact assessment published alongside the government response to the improving the energy performance of privately rented homes consultation contains information on the expected impact of third party consent exemptions on improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector. The treatment of exemptions in the PRS MEES modelling is found in the attached table.
Table - Treatment of exemptions in the PRS MEES modelling
Exemption | Treatment in modelling |
High-Cost exemption | Modelled: If the cost of making even the cheapest improvement exceeds the cost cap, we do not upgrade a property. |
All Relevant Improvements Made exemption | Modelled: If no relevant improvements can be made then no improvements are made in the modelling. |
Cost Cap exemption | Modelled: Where landlords install measures and hit the cost cap before reaching MEES, the model stops upgrading the property. |
Property Value Adjustment exemption (affordability exemption) | Not modelled: This exemption allows landlords of properties valued below £100,000 to work to a cost cap that is 10% of the property’s value. The NBM does not contain property prices to allow robust modelling of the exemption. |
Solid Wall Insulation (SWI) exemption | Modelled: For simplicity, we assume all landlords who can take advantage of this exemption do so (there may in reality be a small number of landlords who still wish to install SWI). Thus, our modelling results do not include SWI. |
Negative Impacts exemption | Not modelled: We do not account for specific cases where a measure is recommended on an EPC, but determined to negatively impact a property or its value through some other assessment. |
Third-Party Consent exemption | Partially modelled: We do account for in-situ tenants not consenting to improvements at a rate of 10%. However, we do not account for refused consent from other third parties, including superior landlords (freeholders) and local authorities through planning permission processes. |
New landlord exemption | Not modelled: We do not account for property transfers, but given new landlords exemptions only last for 6 months this will not significantly affect modelling results |
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they do not plan to achieve the targets set out in the Clean Energy Jobs Plan before the proposed dates for meeting the minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Clean Energy Jobs Plan sets out the workforce needed to deliver our clean energy ambitions and how the government will work in partnership with industry and trade unions to deliver it. As outlined in the plan, the Government will shortly be bringing forward the Warm Homes Plan. This plan will detail initiatives specifically designed to facilitate growth of the retrofit supply chain.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they will take to ensure that all properties affected by defects under the Great British Insulation Scheme and the Energy Company Obligation scheme are remediated promptly and safely.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Due to the level of non-compliance in EWI, the Government is offering audits to all households where External Wall Insulation (EWI) was installed under ECO4 or GBIS.
If non-compliance is found, the original installer is responsible for the cost of putting the work right. Should the installer have ceased to trade, the protections under the 25-year guarantee can be invoked.
Checks across all measures under ECO4 and GBIS, will continue to be carried out by TrustMark and certification bodies as part of routine surveillance.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to strengthen oversight and governance in future energy efficiency programmes.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has taken decisive action to protect consumers, strengthen oversight and standards, including:
Further improvements will be outlined in the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the National Audit Office report Energy efficiency installations under the Energy Company Obligation, published on 14 October (HC 1334), what steps they will take to ensure that lessons are learned from existing government energy efficiency schemes before extending similar measures to the rented housing sectors.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Lessons learned from ECO and related schemes will be utilised in the design of any future schemes to ensure high-quality delivery and clear accountability, with focus on streamlining processes and improving consumer outcomes.
The upcoming Warm Homes Plan will outline reforms to simplify the consumer protection landscape, strengthen installation standards, and ensure swift remediation and redress for consumers.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are introducing to improve accountability, transparency and consumer protection in publicly funded energy efficiency schemes, in the light of the National Audit Office report Energy efficiency installations under the Energy Company Obligation, published on 14 October (HC 1334).
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has taken decisive action to protect consumers, including:
The Department will also be offering an on-site audit to all households that received external wall insulation under ECO4 and GBIS. Where issues are found, remediation will be at no cost to the consumer, with installers responsible for repairs.
The Department is conducting a comprehensive overhaul of the consumer protection system, with reforms to be outlined in the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Lord Carrington (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of qualified tradespeople to meet proposals for the energy efficiency requirements of private rented housing.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation included proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030 and was accompanied by the Department’s options assessment. A government response to the consultation and further impact assessment will be published in due course. The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will also include further initiatives to facilitate the creation of high quality, well-paid, and future proofed jobs in the retrofit sector.