In a recent survey by Citizens Advice, more than 40% of private renters in England and Wales are cutting back on their energy consumption. They are making this extreme move just to be able to afford their increasing bills. The results of our survey revealed that as many as 4.5 million people faced this reality last winter. Many of them lamented how they could barely afford to keep their homes cool or warm enough.
Back in February, Citizens Advice surveyed more than 2,400 private renters. They discovered that nearly a third of these renters—or 3.5 million renters—had difficulty heating their homes in the winter. Emily Wise, an energy adviser at the North East Lancashire branch of Citizens Advice, highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by renters.
“Sadly, this is an all-too-familiar story. Many of the renters we help day-to-day say their landlords are hesitant to fix the substandard conditions they live in.” – Emily Wise
It’s just one of the alarming statistics that came out in our survey about rented properties and their energy efficiency. Almost 57% of rental households surveyed said their homes scored an energy-efficiency rating of EPC D or worse. This rating indicates that these homes perform well below average in energy efficiency. Beyond this broad issue is an even deeper concern for the health and safety of thousands of tenants.
Citizens Advice has called on the government to make good on its promise and introduce tougher rules for landlords. Under the new legislation, landlords are required to retrofit their properties to at least a C EPC rating. This new initiative will hold them accountable to implement these improvements by 2030. As we have previously noted, this change would be enough to directly pull over half a million of these homes out of fuel poverty.
Clare Moriarty, chief executive of Citizens Advice, warned that this is a major risk. She highlighted the need for all tenants to live in dignified housing regardless of their circumstances.
“By 2030, the government must ensure no renter lives in a home that is excessively difficult and expensive to heat. And renters must urgently be given the security they deserve so they can ask landlords to fix substandard housing without fear of retaliation.” – Clare Moriarty
What our research found was a really disturbing pattern. Almost a third of renters were discouraged from pursuing energy efficiency improvements because they were worried about damaging their relationship with their landlord or resulting in increased rent. This reluctance deepens the energy crisis that many tenants are experiencing.
As winter arrives, Citizens Advice said it expected to receive more calls from renters who’ve become stuck in cold, drafty and badly insulated homes. Those advisers from the organization, which is funded primarily by the U.S. Countless others are being squeezed by growing cost burdens and worsening housing quality.
“Our advisers are bracing for more calls this winter from renters trapped in cold, leaky homes.” – Clare Moriarty
If landlords upgraded their properties to meet the EPC C standard, renters could save hundreds of pounds on their energy bills, with potential savings reaching up to £440 for those living in the least efficient homes.