FLINTSHIRE AMs welcome Welsh Government action on warmer homes and lower bills for people who rent in Wales

Local Assembly Members Hannah Blythyn and Jack Sargeant have welcomed the news that residents of Flintshire living in rented homes are set to benefit from lower bills and higher energy standards, thanks to new rules put in place by the Welsh Labour Government.

From April 1, all landlords will need to have an energy rating of E or higher if they are renting their property.

The Welsh Labour Government is making support available to help raise the standards of homes in the private rented sector.

Hannah Blythyn AM said: “This is welcome news for tenants in communities across the area - the new standards will ensure people who rent will benefit from warmer homes at the same time as bringing down energy costs and helping our environment.”

Landlords who let out a property under a domestic short-hold, regulated or assured short-hold tenancy will need to ensure they have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of E or above. From April 2018, all tenancy agreements which started or renewed after this date were required to meet the new minimum levels immediately.

But from 1 April 2020, the new rules will extend to cover all existing tenancies. This means any domestic rental property that falls foul of the minimum requirements will be deemed unlawful and the landlord may be subject to a fine of up to £5,000.

Jack Sargeant AM added: “Not only are the Welsh Government aiming to ensure all homes in our region and across Wales are energy efficient, creating savings for tenants, they are also supporting landlords in the private sector to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.”

There are a number of resources available that can help landlords to comply, including schemes that may be able to support with the cost of making energy improvements to properties.

As part of the Welsh Government Warm Homes fund, the NEST scheme offers a range of free, impartial advice and a package of free home energy efficiency improvements for those eligible such as a new boiler, central heating or insulation.