E3G, an independent climate change think tank, published a report on 25 March 2025 on the enforcement of energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector in England and Wales. The report, written by James Dyson, is based on interviews with 30 stakeholders working on enforcement at national and local level1.
E3G states that enforcement is undermined by underfunding, weak legislation and inaccurate data that councils cannot fully access, to the detriment of tenants in energy inefficient homes who deal with damp and cold and pay high energy bills1. The report says new safety and energy efficiency standards could make the indoor environment healthier for around 7 million renters and reduce average energy bills in the sector by £240 a year, but only if they are fully implemented1.
"For this report, we interviewed 30 stakeholders working on the front line of enforcing standards in the private rented sector at national and local levels."
The report sets out five policies to improve enforcement. It recommends a mandatory English national landlord register and clarification of the role of Rent Smart Wales; funding for local standards enforcement through a flat fee levied when a new property is listed on the national landlord register; reform of legislation to simplify and tighten local enforcement options for noncompliant homes; a five-year strategy for grant support for landlords with low-income tenants and for retrofitting apartment blocks; and measures to empower tenants to take action and close loopholes that leave them vulnerable when landlords make property improvements1. E3G also says decency and energy efficiency standards should be considered jointly to make implementation simpler for landlords, tenants and councils1.
The report does not set out a timetable for any of the five policies, and no government response to the report has been reported1.
| Recommended policy | Detail given by E3G |
|---|---|
| Landlord register | Mandatory English national landlord register; clarify role of Rent Smart Wales |
| Enforcement funding | Flat fee levied when a new property is listed on the national landlord register |
| Legislation | Simplify and tighten options for local enforcement of noncompliant homes |
| Grant support | Five-year strategy for landlords with low-income tenants and retrofitting apartment blocks |
| Tenant action | Empower tenants and close loopholes when landlords make property improvements |
Why it matters for households
The report concerns the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for Rented Homes in England and Wales, which set the rules landlords must meet on the energy performance of the properties they let. E3G's finding is that the rules on paper are not matched by enforcement on the ground, so a tenant in a cold, damp or expensive-to-heat home may hold rights that are not being applied1. For a household, the practical effect of weak enforcement is that the condition of the home, and the size of its energy bills, can depend on whether the local council has the funding and data to act. The report's estimate of £240 a year in average bill savings across the sector is a sector-wide figure, not a promise for any individual home1. The UK Private Rented Sector covers a large share of homes, and the Renters' Rights Act and Home Energy in England sets out separate rights that interact with these standards. E3G frames enforcement as the link between stronger renters' rights and new energy efficiency standards, without which, it says, renters will not feel the benefit of either1.
What happens next
The report contains no dated next steps. E3G has published the full report, a policy briefing and a one-page summary alongside the announcement1.