Tenants across the United Kingdom are on track to pay as much as £1 billion more for energy than they should, according to campaigners. The culprit, they say, isn’t a lack of policy but a gap within it: a landlord exemption that risks blunting new rules meant to tackle poorly insulated homes.
A Step Forward—with a Catch
Starting next April, regulations are intended to stop landlords from ignoring inadequate insulation in their properties. The aim is twofold: protect low-income renters from punishing energy costs and cut carbon emissions from inefficient housing stock. On paper, it’s a win.
But advocates warn that a loophole lets many landlords sidestep upgrades by applying for exemptions. The improvements needed to properly insulate many homes aren’t typically exorbitant—especially when weighed against the long-term savings on energy bills—yet the exemption pathway could allow owners to avoid doing them altogether.
The Cost of Inaction
Climate charity 10:10 estimates that if exemptions are granted across the roughly 300,000 affected homes, renters could collectively face more than £1 billion in extra energy costs over the next five years. The organization has described the rules as “toothless” so long as the exemption remains so easy to use. As campaigner Emma Kemp puts it, rather than letting landlords off the hook, government should close the loophole and, if necessary, cap upgrade costs for landlords to keep the system fair.
What the Rules Require
Under minimum energy standards for the private rented sector, any property currently rated F or G must be improved to at least an E by April. However, landlords can seek an exemption if the work would result in a net cost to them and if they cannot access government support to offset expenses.
That last point is key: several energy-efficiency funding schemes have largely wound down. With fewer support options available, landlords may claim they’re unable to get help—giving them a ready-made justification to avoid upgrades.
Why It Matters
As media and policymakers reassess how far to go with market interventions in energy, renters are left to do the math on their monthly bills. Without tightening the rules—or offering reliable, accessible funding—the government risks undermining its own goals. Closing the exemption gap and providing clear, affordable pathways for improvements would better protect tenants and deliver the emissions cuts these standards were designed to achieve.
Read more from The Guardian here.