UK “strongly encourages” landlords to pass on energy discounts to tenants

Energy Minister Greg Hands has urged landlords to do so amid concerns some tenants on all-inclusive rent agreement might miss out on the government support

The government has strongly encouraged landlords renting their homes on all-inclusive rent arrangements to offer the energy bill discount to their tenants.

A few months ago, the government unveiled a cost-of-living bailout which included £400 towards energy bills for all households in the country.

Citizens Advice had previously warned that more than half a million private renters could miss out on the government’s support for rising energy bills.

In a written question for BEIS, Scottish National Party MP Owen Thomson asked if the department plans to make its policy to require landlords who include tenants’ energy costs in their rental charges to pass on the Energy Bills Support Scheme credit to their tenants.

Mr Thomson also asked whether ministers consider creating a redress fund for those tenants who will miss this credit.

Energy Minister Greg Hands said: “Landlords with a domestic electricity connection who charge ‘all inclusive’ rent, where a fixed cost for energy costs are included in their rental charges, are strongly encouraged to pass on the discount to their tenants.”

Mr Hands continued to say that the government also expects landlords who are on a domestic electricity contract with a supplier and resell the electricity to their tenants based on their energy consumption to pass on the discount received through tenants.

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