Over half of landlords have no intention of improving property's energy efficiency

Some 60% of landlords have no intention of investing in their property to make it more efficient, despite new energy efficiency legislation set to come into force from 2016.

Flat-sharing website Easyroommate reports the figure after surveying almost 500 landlords. 

The firm's chief executive, Karim Goudiaby, has criticised the government for scrapping the Green Deal, which was confirmed last month.   

“It would have been more appropriate to scrap the Green Deal with a clear replacement scheme in place. The industry big players and the government should work hand in hand to promptly implement an accessible scheme to help promote energy efficient homes,” he says. 

Goudiaby believes that the ill-fated Green Deal scheme faced an array problems from the start. He says that many borrowers were hit with high interest rates on repayments and high numbers of landlords were left frustrated with the fact that loans could take up to 30 days to be granted. 

Easyroommate is urging the government to encourage landlords to value the importance of energy efficiency with a replacement scheme. 

“Conversations need to take place with leaders in the Private Rented Sector and energy efficiency industry to understand where things went wrong. The government should then swiftly implement a new scheme which is not over regulated and incentivises landlords to invest in energy efficient property improvements offering tax benefits and low interest rates on loans taken to complete such work,” says Goudiaby.

He adds that if there is no replacement scheme for the Green Deal it will be 'impossible' for some landlords to meet incoming government legislation which falls under the Energy Act 2011. 

From April 2016, tenants will be given the right to ask for energy efficiency improvements if their property does not carry an Energy Performance Certificate rated band E- or higher.

Two years later, all landlords will be required to ensure that their rental property holds an EPC with a rating of band E- or higher. 

In February we reported that the changes could cost the lettings sector up to £3.4 billion, as Spark Energy claims there are currently approximately 380,000 privately rented properties that will need to be upgraded to the minimum standard of an 'E' rating.