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Rental Sector

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022

Tuesday, 26 April 2022

Questions (223)

Ivana Bacik

Question:

223. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the steps his Department intends to take to promote energy efficiency in rented homes; if his attention has been drawn to situations in which tenants in the private rented sector who wish to insulate their home or install solar panels but are blocked by their landlord; and if he has examined policies to incentivise such renovations. [21223/22]

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Written answers

In line with commitments in the National Retrofit Plan, the Government recently launched a package of significantly enhanced supports to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners, non-corporate landlords and Approved Housing Bodies to undertake home energy upgrades. Examples of key measures include:

- The establishment of the new National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme, offering increased grant levels of up to 50% of the cost of a typical B2 home energy upgrade with a heat pump (up from the current level of 30-35%).

- Establishment of a network of registered One Stop Shops to offer a hassle-free, start-to-finish project management service, including access to financing, for home energy upgrades.

- A special enhanced grant rate, equivalent to 80% of the typical cost, for attic and cavity wall insulation for all households, to urgently reduce energy use as part of the Government’s response to current exceptionally high energy prices.

I recognise that rental properties can present a specific challenge for energy efficiency improvements. This is an issue found in most countries where the incentives to invest in energy upgrades can be misaligned between landlords and tenants. Therefore, homes, built and occupied pre-2011, and owned by non-corporate landlords are eligible for these new measures. This will mean that the national housing stock is upgraded, emissions will reduce and tenants get lower energy bills and a healthier, more comfortable place to live. 

It is also intended that non-corporate landlords will be able to avail of the planned low-cost loan scheme for retrofit when it is launched later this year.

Furthermore, the Housing for All Strategy which is being led by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage includes a commitment to introduce minimum energy standards for rental properties from 2025.

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