Two in five renters ration gas and electricity to afford energy bills

New research from Citizens Advice finds more than two in five private renters (41%, equivalent to 4.5 million people) in England and Wales had to ration gas and electricity to afford their energy bills last winter.

The data also shows that a third (32%, equivalent to 3.5 million) struggled to heat their home to a comfortable temperature. The charity says this forced people to take drastic measures like skipping hot meals, wearing gloves inside, and limiting heating to just one room.

With winter fast approaching and bills 50% higher than they were before 2021’s energy crisis, Citizens Advice warns heat leaking from shoddy homes is burning a hole in renters’ pockets – something they have no power to fix. This comes weeks after the charity warned poor quality housing is also making homes unbearably hot to live in during summer.

Most renters (57%) live in properties with an energy efficiency rating below EPC C*. The lower a home’s energy efficiency, the harder and more expensive it is to heat. People in homes with the current minimum E rating spent an extra £317 on energy bills last winter – a cost they would have avoided if their homes had been upgraded to C.

Citizens Advice says the government must urgently deliver promised new rules requiring landlords to upgrade properties to a minimum of EPC C by 2030. With key decisions on energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector expected soon, the charity warns delaying these reforms would unfairly trap renters in uncomfortable and unaffordable homes for longer.

Renters are currently at the mercy of landlords for essential maintenance like installing effective insulation or fixing draughty windows and doors. But concerningly, nearly a third (29%) of renters avoid asking for repairs or renovations because they fear rent hikes or creating tension with their landlord. Of the 30% who have asked, 13% said their landlord imposed conditions, like higher rent, while 7% said their landlord outright refused.

The charity is calling for strong enforcement of the Renters’ Rights Bill so that tenants have the security they need to ask for upgrades and repairs. It adds that landlords must have access to appropriate financial support to ensure this vital work gets done.

Emily Wise, Energy Adviser at Citizens Advice North Lancashire, said “Sadly, this is an all too familiar story. Many of the renters we help day-to-day say their landlords are hesitant to fix the substandard conditions they live in.

“Leaky, cold and damp housing is a huge problem in our local area, as many homes are particularly deteriorated due to salty sea air and high winds.

“Too often, this is forcing renters to spend disproportionately on gas and electricity in an attempt to achieve basic levels of comfort, as well as having to regularly choose between eating and heating their homes. Despite this, many of those we help are reluctant to raise these issues with their landlords because they fear putting their tenancy at risk.”

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice said “Our advisers are bracing for more calls this winter from renters trapped in cold, leaky homes.

“It’s unacceptable that so many tenants are afraid to ask for the very basics – like fixing draughty doors, or replacing poor quality single-glazed windows.

“By 2030, the government must ensure no renter lives in a home that is excessively difficult and expensive to heat. And renters must urgently be given the security they deserve so they can ask landlords to fix substandard housing without fear of retaliation.”