Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the benefits (a) for tenants and (b) in terms of carbon emissions of raising the minimum energy efficiency standards for privately rented homes.

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 require all landlords of domestic privately rented property in England and Wales to ensure that, from 1 April 2018, their properties reach at least an energy performance rating of E before granting a tenancy to new or existing tenants, unless a prescribed exemption applies.

Tenants would benefit from improved homes in the form of reduced energy bills. Data derived from the 2014 English Housing Survey shows that the average annual cost of heating an E rated home in the private rental sector to an adequate level is £510 cheaper than for an F rated private rented sector home, and £990 cheaper than for a G rated property. There would also be wider health and wellbeing benefits for tenants associated with increased comfort from warmer homes.

The published impact assessment for the regulations estimated that effective implementation of the domestic provisions will save 1.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent between 2013 and 2065.