Decision Maker: Corporate Director (Operations and Delivery)
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Local authorities
in England and Wales can bid for financial support through the
Private Rental Sector MEES Compliance and Enforcement
Competition.
The competition makes over £2 million of funding available.
Each local authority can bid for up to £100,000 of revenue
funding to help build their capacity and capability to enforce the
MEES Regulations in the domestic sector in their region. This
financial assistance will help drive upgrades in the
worst-performing private rented homes.
The competition will:
•support local authorities with the introduction of a
formulated approach for enforcing requirements under The Energy
Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales)
Regulations 2015
•assist local authorities with clear financial needs to build
compliance and enforcement capacity and capability
•reduce fuel poverty and the carbon emissions produced by the
housing (and commercial) sector
The Midlands Energy Hub is managing this scheme on behalf of
BEIS.
Enforcement of the MEES Regulations is not something that the
Council has yet fully engaged with, a trend that is replicated
across the country. The proposal is to bid for the full
£100,000 funding towards bringing in some temporary staff to
commence a compliance and enforcement programme aimed at improving
compliance with the MEES regulations across the district. Data
suggests that 458 rented properties in the District fail to meet
the minimum standard. The project will be managed through the
Private Sector Housing team with the aim that as many sub-standard
properties are improved as possible along with increased publicity
aimed at ensuring greater awareness. The funding will cover the
cost of employing two temporary or agency members of staff and
include an allowance for legal costs where cases of non-compliance
with enforcement need to be followed up.
Overall the project will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
across the District, improve poor housing conditions and alleviate
fuel poverty whilst ensuring the council complies with its
enforcement obligations in respect of the regulations.
To submit a bid for funding of £100,000
from the Private Rental Sector MEES Compliance and Enforcement
Competition.
Not to submit a Bid.
Publication date: 30/06/2021
Date of decision: 30/06/2021