The Midlands Energy Hub (MEH) is working in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to provide a funding opportunity of up to £100,000 per local authority application within England and Wales to either initiate or enhance their enforcement procedures in association with the minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) regulations.
Background
The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 introduced a minimum energy efficiency standard of EPC E for the private rented sector (PRS). From 1 April 2018, domestic private rented properties in scope of the Regulations had to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard (EPC E) before they can be let on a new tenancy, unless a valid exemption has been registered. The Regulations applied to all domestic properties in scope from 1 April 2020 and will apply to all non-domestic properties in scope from 1 April 2023 (and to new non-domestic tenancies from 1 April 2018).
To support authorities to enforce the Regulations and to increase an understanding of PRS enforcement, BEIS launched a pilot study in November 2018. The findings informed the design of the proposed domestic and non-domestic minimum standard trajectories and were used to develop a draft best practice enforcement toolkit, containing case studies, templates and off the shelf tools to help streamline the enforcement process and make it less resource intensive for authorities. The toolkit is not available for general consumption at this stage but is intended to be made accessible for use to all successful bids as part of the competition below.
PRS Enforcement and Compliance Competition now open
Following the success of the PRS enforcement pilot study, BEIS is partnering with the Midlands Energy Hub to administer a compliance and enforcement competition, which is expected to distribute over c.£2 million of grants to a range of LAs in England and Wales with viable proposals to develop or expand effective compliance and enforcement activity in relation to the domestic Regulations. The funding will therefore support local authorities to boost their compliance and enforcement capacity and capability. Local authorities will have some time for mobilisation before delivering a minimum of six months enforcing MEES activities within the private rental sector, providing clear evidence of the funding’s impact and replicability. The successful authorities will need to complete their proposal by 31st March 2022.
Applications now closed.
If you need to contact us about the competition, please use this email address: PRSenforcement@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
Successful submissions will be announced from 26th July 2021.
