We strongly support minimum energy efficiency standards in all rental properties, recognising the detriment to people’s physical, mental and financial wellbeing of living in a home that is impossible to keep warm in winter, cool in summer or is mouldy.
Stronger efficiency requirements are the first and best policy to bring down energy bills and setting these standards should be a priority to give people relief from energy hardship and ensure that Australian homes are resilient to climate change.
Our submission to the ACT Government outlines the following recommendations in greater detail:
- Adopt a timeline and staged pathway that provides clear guidance to landlords and prevents them from renting out poorly performing homes until they’re upgraded to a certain star band based on NatHERS and the Whole of Home Performance. Pending a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) conducted by the ACT Government, our initial suggestion is that landlords shouldn’t be able to rent homes with ratings lower than 4 stars by 2027, 6 stars and fully electric by 2030, and 7 stars and fully electric after 2033.
- Consider financial incentives to encourage landlords to retrofit their rental properties to higher standards scheduled for future years to future proof homes and prevent the need for ongoing upgrades.
- Require the replacement of any gas-powered cooking appliances or heating (space and water) systems at end of life with efficient electric ones.
- Provide clear definitions for and examples of what constitutes justifiable and reasonable exemptions in ways that prevent currently exempt cases from being locked into less-than-optimal arrangements in the medium to long-term.
- Commit to reviewing and updating the minimum energy efficiency standards at least every five years and to provide regular and public reports on progress of the implementation of the standards including data on savings and multiple benefits.
- Ensure there are sufficient enforcement and compliance measures to monitor how the minimum energy efficiency standards are implemented, how exemption cases are justified, and how renters are being communicated to about the changes in minimum standards, from listing and advertising to end of lease.