Greens criticise Government shelving of BER ratings for private rental sector

The Green Party has strongly criticised the stalling of plans to introduce a minimum BER for the private rental sector saying any further delay will push more and more people and families into fuel poverty and let the rental sector off the hook in meeting basic requirements for letting properties.

Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman TD said that the commitment in Housing for All needs to be fast-tracked and not shelved.

'With rents at a record high in the State, the very least that renters should expect is to rent a place that is warm and relatively cheap to heat. 

Renters should not be in fuel poverty as well as paying high rents. The Minister for Housing must as a priority move to publish a plan to introduce BER standards for properties for letting. In tandem with this, a scheme could be introduced with SEAI to assist landlords in retrofitting properties to bring them to a minimum standard.'

Green Party Senator Malcolm Noonan said that shelving such a proposal is a false economy and that missing energy reduction targets for private rental will ultimately be passed on to the exchequer and by default taxpayers in fines. 

'The recent report from the Climate Change Advisory Council and Irish Fiscal Advisory Council outlined eye-watering costs to the Irish taxpayer in failing to meet climate targets from buildings. Kicking the can down the road is not an option. Moreover, we are all aware of people and families renting properties that are damp, mouldy and cold in winter and who are paying a significant portion of their income on space heating that very often literally goes up the chimney. It is as much a social justice issue as it is an environmental one.'

The Greens are calling on Government to not shelve the plan and to put in place supports for landlords to retrofit properties. 

'Once again we are seeing examples of progressive environmental policies and measures introduced during our time in government being shelved by this Government. It's a false economy and it's regressive. Every delay is costing us more and in this case costing people dearly,' concluded Deputy O'Gorman.