Turning the dial:
How improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector can benefit older people in financial hardship
Action to improve energy efficiency in the private rented sector (PRS) could transform the lives of older people who are too often living in the coldest, least energy efficient homes. For older tenants, the struggle to keep their homes warm can be both financially crippling and dangerous to their physical and mental health.
Independent Age has carried out research with both older tenants and landlords. We heard about the difficult experiences of tenants living in cold homes. We have explored how the UK Government can work to support landlords and tenants and invest in energy efficiency in the PRS to improve, and save, lives.
Older renters need warmer homes and higher energy efficiency standards
Older people in the private rented sector (PRS) are more likely to experience poverty and live in older, less energy-efficient homes.
Living in a home that’s hard to keep warm can affect health and wellbeing at any age, but older people often feel the impact more severely. Beyond directly causing health problems, high heating costs can also force older renters to cut back on essentials.
Presently, over half of PRS homes have an energy performance rating below EPC C. Research shows that upgrading a home from EPC E to EPC C could cut the average energy bill for a typical flat in half. Our polling found that two-thirds of older renters support raising minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES), while only one in ten oppose the idea.
Engaging landlords to create warmer homes
Strong regulations must be accompanied by the right support to enable landlords to invest in improvements. Our polling found that only 38% of landlords were aware of existing grant schemes, suggesting there is much to be done to promote awareness and uptake. Among those who had engaged with grant schemes, there were reports of challenges in accessing them.
It is therefore crucial that both existing and new schemes prioritise greater proactive promotion of available financial support and have capacity to process applications swiftly to foster trust and boost their uptake. The benefits of retrofitting should also be more widely advertised with older tenants and landlords.
Managing the costs of improving homes
We found that there were barriers to landlords investing in energy efficiency, cost being the most significant, though finding suitable tradespeople was also raised as an issue. We found that incentives for landlords are important, but this must come hand in hand with an active regime of enforcement of new standards.
Eligibility for grants can be confusing: this is why Independent Age recommends that eligibility criteria across grant schemes should be simplified and aligned.
In addition to reviewing grant eligibility criteria, the UK government should consider tax incentives and low interest loans to provide financial incentives to landlords to improve energy efficiency.
Our polling demonstrated that finding the right tradespeople can be a big challenge for landlords in England. The UK Government should create a workforce strategy to deliver retrofitting, and explore the idea of Good Homes Hubs to support the delivery of energy efficiency improvements in England.
Incentives must be accompanied by strong enforcement: local authorities should be given the powers and resources needed to enforce new rights and standards.
Keeping older renters at the heart of improving homes
Tenants must be at the heart of any efforts to improve energy efficiency in the PRS, both to support them to access and benefit from improvements, and to protect them from the risk of negative consequences.
Currently, tenants in the PRS have little recourse for improving the energy efficiency of their home if their landlord does not take steps to make improvements. Some resort to making their own improvements to their home – work that should be the landlord’s responsibility. We have spoken to older tenants who made DIY improvements to their home just to try to keep it warm and dry.
Landlords often upgrade their homes between tenancies, but new MEES requirements will make it more likely that they will need to conduct works with tenants in-situ. This is particularly true for older renters who typically stay in tenancies longer. The prospect of living through retrofitting works may be daunting for older renters and they may need support to make effective use of new features and systems.
Independent Age recommends the UK Government provide additional protections for tenants. Alongside the greater security that will be afforded by the Renters’ Rights Act, tenants should have protection from eviction or rent increases after grant-funded energy efficiency improvements. Landlords should be given information and advice to help them support tenants, particularly older tenants, through improvements, and grants should be able to fund essential support for tenants through retrofit works, such as temporary accommodation.
Key statistics
66% of older renters in England supported increasing the minimum EPC rating for privately rented properties, with only 10% disagreeing.
Only 38% of landlords in England were aware of existing grants and programmes available to them to improve the EPC rating of their properties. Only 8% had used grants.
58% of landlords in England said that cost was a barrier to fixing issues in their properties.
What is Independent Age calling for?
We want the Government to recognise this serious, long-term issue and take action. Independent Age is calling on the Government to:
Want to know more?
Read our full report, which explores how improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector can benefit older people in financial hardship.
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