The Residential Landlords Association (RLA) has criticised the BEIS Committee’s call for an increase in the amount that private landlords of the most energy inefficient properties should contribute to meet required standards. In a Friday 12 July statement, RLA Policy Director David Smith said the call to increase the amount landlords must contribute from £3,500 to £5,000 “disappointing”. He added that whilst landlords are in favour of the move in principle, he stressed the need for “a tax system that supports and encourages investment in energy efficiency resources,” and criticised the government’s decision in solely “raising costs for landlords,” in contrast to the £3.8bn the committee recommended the government makes available to the social sector to deliver improvements. Government data showed that between 2007 and 2017, the proportion of private rented homes with an energy performance rating of F or G fell from 22% to 6%.
