Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether she has plans to bring all houses in multiple occupation within the scope of the minimum energy efficiency standard for the domestic private rented sector.

The Private Rented Sector (PRS) Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard regulations require rented properties that are legally required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to meet a minimum standard of EPC band E, except where an exemption applies. There are no blanket exemptions in the PRS regulations for Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) however, where rooms are let individually, there is currently no requirement for an EPC to be issued. Government launched a Call for Evidence on EPCs in July last year where we outlined suggestions for improvement. We welcomed views on whether a HMO without an EPC should be legally required to have one when a room in that property is marketed for rent. We are currently analysing EPC Call for Evidence responses and intend to publish a summary of responses to the Call for Evidence in due course.