DARLINGTON Borough Council has been awarded £25,000 to help improve the energy efficiency of homes in the privately rented sector.

The funding forms part of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Compliance and Enforcement Competition, run by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).

It has been awarded to the council by the Midlands Energy Hub, to help support the council to enforce the requirements of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations that became law in April 2018.

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Anyone letting or looking to let a property must have an energy performance certificate (EPC) to show tenants how energy efficient the property is. Under MEES, the lowest EPC rating allowed is an E – properties with an EPC rating of F or G cannot be rented out.

Councillor Jonathan Dulston, Darlington Borough Council’s deputy leader, said: “I’m pleased to announce this funding which will enable us to take a proactive role in driving up standards in the private rented sector and improving energy efficiency is an important part of this.”

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As part of the project the council will enforce MEES compliance through inspections of privately rented housing.

It will also work to identify privately rented homes in need of energy efficiency improvements and provide information and good practice guidance to landlords.

Where upgrades are necessary, the average cost to the landlord to improve an F or G rated property to a band E is expected to be around £800-£1,200.

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Landlords have access to a variety of funding schemes, including support from the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme and Green Homes Grants to bring their properties up to the required standard.

If upgrades will cost more than £3,500, landlords are able to register for an exemption, which is a temporary extension.

Councillor Dulston added: “Tenants living in some of the coldest homes across Darlington will benefit from the installation of energy efficiency measures. Everyone should be protected against the cold in their own home and this project will bring this reality closer.

“Improving energy efficiency in privately rented homes is not just good news for tenants, it also helps the environment as domestic energy makes a considerable contribution to carbon emissions. In 2019, the council declared a climate change emergency and we are determined to take what measures we can to reduce carbon emissions.”

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On average, a private tenant who lives in F or G rated property faces significantly higher energy costs to keep warm than typical households, paying on average over £600 per year more than E-rated privately rented homes and almost £1,000 more per year than the average home.

Upgrading homes so they are more energy efficient is an effective way to tackle fuel poverty, bring down bills and reducing carbon emissions.

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