Cash available to help make Burnley's homes warmer and energy bills down

Privately rented homes must meet a minimum energy performance rating of EPC Band E, making it illegal to rent out homes below that unless landlords have a registered exemption.

Landlords caught failing to fulfil their obligations can be fined up to £5,000 per property and per breach.

Badly insulated properties often leave those renting their homes struggling to keep warm and with higher energy bills. The rule change is expected to see energy efficiency upgrades such as loft insulation, double glazing and cavity wall insulation being installed by landlords - with an estimated average bill saving of £180 a year for each home.

Burnley Council is one of almost 60 local authorities across the country to receive extra funding from the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The £44,600 allocated to the borough will be used to fund an extra officer who will work closely with private landlords to ensure standards are met, and other engagement work.

Coun. John Harbour, the council’s executive member for housing, said: “The vast majority of landlords follow the rules and ensure that the homes they rent out are warm and properly insulated so that their tenants don’t face astronomical energy bills.

“This is even more important as everyone is facing bigger bills due to rising gas prices.

“However, there are some errant landlords who simply don’t care and don’t look after their properties and their tenants pay the price by having to live in cold, damp properties that cost a fortune to heat. It’s those landlords that we will be targeting and working with to ensure their tenants have a warm and energy efficient home.”

People can find the energy efficiency rating of their home by going online at https://find-energy-certificate.digital.communities.gov.uk/