Previous Reference: Minute 28 (2016/17)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “AI”) provides an update for Members on conditions in the Private Rented Sector in the Bradford District and the impact of legislative changes on the sector, including those in relation to energy performance certification.

Recommended –

That the report be noted and a further update on energy efficiency in the private rented sector be requested in twelve months.

(Julie Rhodes/Pete Betts – 01274 431163/432497)   

Previous Reference: Minute 28 (2016/17)

The report of the Strategic Director, Place (Document “AI”) provided an update for Members on conditions in the Private Rented Sector in the Bradford District and the impact of legislative changes on the sector, including those in relation to energy performance certification.

The Chair enquired whether the Strategic Director was confident that the requirement to meet the new EU standard on energy certification would encourage landlords to consider the Green Deal to improve their housing stock.

In response, he was informed that the new arrangements for the Green Deal may offer loans that could be targeted to landlords who needed to bring properties up to standard. It was noted that, if there was a tenancy gap in respect of a property which had benefitted from a Green Deal loan, the landlord would be liable for repayment of such a loan.

The enforcement arrangements for the new legislative requirements were as yet unknown. Current enforcement responsibility sat with West Yorkshire Trading Standards rather than the Council. The Chair of the West Yorkshire Trading Standards Committee was in attendance as a observer and advised that there was as yet no resourcing in place for enforcement.

The Principal Operations Manager, Housing Operations also noted that there was an expectation that the service would be resourced from fines levied but that this was a mismatch with the desire for compliance over non-compliance.

In response to questions about publicity undertaken with landlords and other private sector stakeholders, Members were informed that there had been a workshop held in October 2016 but that it had been poorly attended and that various on-line tools were available, the use of which was encouraged. Members were also advised that the various national landlords organisations were very well informed bodies and that landlords were encouraged to join them.

A Member queried the level of prosecutions which had taken place and was informed that the eleven which had been undertaken was a high level compared to other Local Authorities and that Bradford was a proactive Local Authority in terms of prosecution, however it was stressed that prosecution was always regarded as a measure of last resort and that most landlords responded positively to the process which preceded that final step.

A Member queried what would constitute an exemption to the requirement to do works to improve a property’s energy efficiency would constitute and was informed that it would be something that would make it not technically feasible to do the works, such as listed building status or problems arising from a property’s construction.

Members discussed the requirement for properties to have a certificate of energy efficiency and noted that not all rented properties currently held such a certificate and that landlords were only required to obtain one when a new tenant moved in but that all properties would require a certificate by 2020.

Members expressed concern that the requirement to hold a certificate may eventually mean a number of properties would no longer be available for letting and were advised that the loan scheme mentioned earlier would be a possible way of offering assistance to landlords to achieve the necessary energy band levels on their properties in order to achieve certification.

In response to a question about the Council’s working relationship with Trading Standards, Members were informed that a good relationship was already in place and that it would develop further as the legislation came through.

Resolved –

That the report be noted and a further update on energy efficiency in the private rented sector be requested in twelve months.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Place