A charity is sharply criticising private landlords for allowing homes to be too cold in winter.
Citizens Advice claims that 41% of private renters – which it says is equivalent to 4.5m people in England and Wales – rationed gas and electricity to afford their energy bills last winter. Meanwhile a third (32%, equivalent to 3.5 million) struggled to heat their home to a comfortable temperature.
The charity says this forced people to take drastic measures like skip hot meals, wear gloves inside, and limit heating to just one room.
It claims energy bills are now 50% higher than before 2021’s energy crisis.
It continues by suggesting 57% of private tenants live in properties with an energy efficiency rating below EPC C, and that [eople in homes with the current minimum E rating spent an extra £317 on energy bills last winter – a cost they would have avoided if their homes had been upgraded to C.
A statement blasts landlords, saying they are to blame: “Renters are currently at the mercy of landlords for essential maintenance like installing effective insulation or fixing draughty windows and doors. But concerningly, nearly a third (29%) of renters avoid asking for repairs or renovations because they fear rent hikes or creating tension with their landlord. Of the 30% who have asked, 13% said their landlord imposed conditions, like higher rent, while 7% said their landlord outright refused.”
The charity is calling for strong enforcement of the Renters Rights Bill – when not becomes law in the coming weeks – so that tenants have the security they need to ask for upgrades and repairs. It adds that landlords must have access to appropriate financial support to ensure this vital work gets done.
A charity spokesperson says: “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.
“Leaky, cold and damp housing is a huge problem in our local area, as many homes are particularly deteriorated due to salty sea air and high winds.
“Too often, this is forcing renters to spend disproportionately on gas and electricity in an attempt to achieve basic levels of comfort, as well as having to regularly choose between eating and heating their homes. Despite this, many of those we help are reluctant to raise these issues with their landlords because they fear putting their tenancy at risk.
“Our advisers are bracing for more calls this winter from renters trapped in cold, leaky homes.
“It’s unacceptable that so many tenants are afraid to ask for the very basics – like fixing draughty doors, or replacing poor quality single-glazed windows.
“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.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today