Higher fuel bills? Help at hand for private tenants from Hackney CAB

Hackney Citizens Advice Bureau offers advice on rocketing fuel costs. Photograph: Antonio Curcetti

Tenants living in the coldest privately-rented homes can be stuck with far higher fuel bills due to heat haemorrhaging out of poorly insulated walls, windows and doorframes. This is because such people have to rely on their landlords to make their properties energy efficient, and this doesn’t always happen.

Citizens Advice and Friends of the Earth are calling on private landlords to take action on heatless homes that are costing tenants hundreds of pounds in wasted energy bills.

We want:

1) private landlords to take responsibility for cutting tenants’ fuel bills and make their homes more energy efficient now

2)  the Government to bring forward from 2018 to 2016 the date when it will be an offence to market a property that falls below an Energy Performance Certificate rating Band E – a move which could save tenants in the worst-insulated properties up to £1000

If you’re a private tenant, it’s a good idea to check whether you’re entitled to free or cut-price insulation from your energy supplier, as this could encourage your landlord to take action.  As the bill payer, it’s the tenant who would get the free insulation.  Check with the energy supplier, and you can check if there are any government or local authority schemes that you qualify for at http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Grants-and-savings/Energy-saving-grants-and-offers or by telephone on 0800 512 012.

Landlords are required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) which rates a property’s performance from A to G and can give you an idea of how expensive heating bills will be, and ways to improve energy efficiency.

To get insulation installed, you will need written permission from your landlord, but many schemes will apply for this on your behalf.

As a tenant you have the right to have the structure of your home kept in good repair by your landlord. Heating and hot water systems must also be kept in working order.  You can usually find details about repair responsibilities in your written tenancy agreement.

The first step is to talk to your landlord and trying to negotiate amicably.  Put your request in writing and keep a copy.

If you are trying to get repairs or improvements done by your landlord, do make sure that you check your housing status before complaining, as your landlord may try to evict you if you ask for repairs to be carried out.  Don’t just stop paying your rent – you don’t have the right to withhold rent to try to force the landlord to do repairs: your landlord could take legal action against you for rent arrears and you could lose your home.

More tips on managing fuel bills and switching suppliers can be found here.

You can get advice on your housing status and ways of getting repairs carried out at:

Hackney Citizens Advice Bureau
300 Mare Street
Hackney
E8 1HE.

Tel: 020 8525 6350

For further information go to the Citizens Advice website.

Catherine Dempsey is Social Policy Coordinator at Hackney Citizens Advice Bureau.