'Renters will suffer' because of plans to scrap energy efficiency rules for landlords, opposition MPs claim

16 October 2023, 22:14

Energy efficiency plans would have helped renters, opposition MPs like Ed Miliband said
Energy efficiency plans would have helped renters, opposition MPs like Ed Miliband said. Picture: Alamy

By Kit Heren

Renters will be hurt by government plans to axe energy efficiency requirements for landlords, opposition MPs have claimed.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Rishi Sunak last month axed plans to make landlords adapt their homes to meet energy efficiency targets, among delays to a range of other green measures.

Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho told the Commons on Monday that the UK cannot reach its net zero targets "if we don't bring people with us".

People are worried that climate targets will be too costly, she said, as she set out ministers' change of approach to reaching net zero.

Getting rid of landlords' energy efficiency targets would mean a typical household could lose out on as much as £325 a year, according to the Climate Change Committee (CCC), going by today's prices.

Read more: Andrew Marr: Rishi Sunak has found a ‘target to attack’ in net zero 'U-turn' but risks alienating others

Read more: 'Green New Hoax': Donald Trump praises Rishi Sunak's Net Zero U-turn as he slams 'ridiculous climate mandates'

Claire Coutinho
Claire Coutinho. Picture: Alamy

Labour MP Cat Smith (Lancaster and Fleetwood) said: "Given that the rowing back on the commitments towards net zero came on the first day of the parliamentary recess, it did look an awful lot like there was an attempt to avoid democratic scrutiny."

She said families who are renting from private landlords have said their energy bills are "far higher because their roofs are leaky, they're not insulated", adding "the rowing back, particularly on the standard in the private rented sector is costing families more".

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) said the Secretary of State's statement took "Orwellian doublespeak to new levels".

Referring to those who rent their homes, she said: "How she has the gall to stand there and say this is about easing the burden on hard-working people where she knows all the evidence shows that actually what's been announced will increase costs to the ordinary people."

Shelagh Fogarty on Rishi Sunak's Net Zero U-turn

Ms Lucas also accused the Secretary of State of "ripping up the climate consensus for short-term electoral calculation and populist right-wing propaganda".

Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse (Bath) said: "It is absolutely unforgivable that the Government has cancelled the obligation for landlords to upgrade homes... a comprehensive home insulation scheme would reduce bills and carbon emissions this winter."

Shadow climate change secretary Ed Miliband said: "We profoundly disagree with her and the Prime Minister when they suggest that the answer to the cost-of-living crisis in our country is dither and delay on building a clean energy future for Britain. It won't work, and their approach will make it worse."

But Ms Coutinho said: "I do think it is some gall when the Labour Party left the number of energy efficient homes in this country at 14%, and we have taken it to 50%."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Breaking
Breaking News

One dead and four injured as man stabs five passers-by in Austria, with suspect believed to be Syrian

Julie Buckley, 54, from the village of Christchurch in Cambridgeshire, has not been seen since late January.

Missing woman at centre of Cambridgeshire murder investigation named

Police at the scene after the car crashed into protesters.

Mother and her two-year-old daughter die after Munich attack where man ploughed car into crowd

Thousands attend the Pro-Palestinian demonstration held in London

Thousands march to protest Trump's 'Riviera of the Middle East' Gaza plan

Partial lunar eclipse rising over Stonehenge, UK, on July 16th 2019

Rare 'blood moon' lunar eclipse is coming to the UK - here's how to see it

Ukraine war is the ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for European army

Ukraine war is ‘front line’ for Europe and UK will up defence spending, Lammy says as Zelensky calls for 'army of Europe'

Flag of the United Kingdom with surveillance camera and barbed wire

UK spending millions on ad campaign painting gloomy picture of Britain to deter Albanian immigrants

Flack, who was also known for presenting ITV's Love Island, took her own life on February 15 2020 at the age of 40.

Laura Whitmore shares heartbreaking final messages from Caroline Flack five years on from star's death

Exclusive
The former Deputy Foreign Secretary said: “Many countries in Europe are simply not spending anywhere near, in percentage terms, what America is spending.

UK needs to ‘spend less on welfare and more on defence’ to support Ukraine, former Shadow Foreign Secretary tells LBC

Craig and Lindsay Foreman

British couple on motorbike adventure held in Iran pictured for the first time as family break silence

The Jet2 plane was forced to divert.

Jet2 plane bound for UK makes emergency landing after passenger dies on board

he Philadelphia Eagles celebrate in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Championship Parade on February 14, 2025

Two women shot and injured during Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl victory parade, police say

Social media footage showed a man being kicked on the ground by his knife-wielding attacker.

Two charged by police after shock footage shows man kicked and spat at by knifeman after ‘burning Koran’ in London

Jannik Sinner

World tennis number one Jannik Sinner handed three-month ban for doping

Keith Edun, 47, used the messaging app “Kik” to spread vile images of children

Predator who encouraged man to rape a baby after sharing vile images of children online is jailed for 21 years

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky speaks during the 61st Munich Security Conference on February 15, 2025 in Munich, Germany.

Zelenskyy calls for creation of ‘European army’ as he warns Russia 'will pull Europe apart' if not defeated