The Government welcomes the announcement that Hays Travel Limited has acquired Thomas Cook’s entire UK retail estate of 555 outlets. It is a matter for Hays Travel Limited to negotiate contractual arrangements with landlords for the ongoing occupation of the sites.

A detailed assessment of this report has not been made. This Government commissioned an independent review into selective licensing which was published on 25 June 2019 and the recommendations are currently being reviewed.

This Government has no current plans to introduce a national landlord register, which could place an additional regulatory burden on landlords. This Government is committed to improving the private rented sector by driving out criminal landlords and landlords who consistently neglect their responsibilities to provide safe and decent accommodation.

Local authorities currently have a wide range of powers available to them including banning orders for the worst offenders, civil penalties of up to £30,000 and a database of rogue landlords and property agents targeted at the worst persistent and criminal offenders.

Universal Credit payments are deliberately designed to mirror the world of work, where people take responsibility for budgeting their own income in order to be financially independent. In turn, this helps those not already working to prepare for moving back into employment. For claimants needing additional advice and support with personal budgeting, help is available from work coaches and case managers.

Alternative Payment Arrangements (APAs), such as a managed payment to landlord (MPTL), are available to enable the housing costs element to be paid directly to the landlord if the tenant is likely to have difficulty in managing their rent payments, or is in rent arrears. They can be requested by a claimant at any point during their claim. APAs will only be considered where a lack of financial capability poses a risk to the claimant, or their family, and the decision to implement one is assessed on a case by case basis.

Staff work closely with claimants and are trained to gauge a claimant’s financial needs at their initial interview, and throughout their claim, based on their personal circumstances.

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 require that, since April 2018, domestic and non-domestic private landlords ensure their properties have an energy efficiency rating of at least an E at the point at which they issue a new tenancy, or renew or extend an existing one.

While landlords are free to explore third-party funding options, such as local authority grants, no specific funding is available to help them meet their legal obligations, and landlords are expected to draw on their own funds to finance improvements, subject to a number of cost-effectiveness tests. The regulations set separate cost-effectiveness test for landlords of domestic and non-domestic property.

The regulations give enforcement powers to local authorities in respect of the domestic provisions, and to local weights and measures authorities in respect of the non-domestic provisions. Enforcement authorities have a range of penalty options for tacking non-compliance, up to and including the issuing of financial penalties. For domestic property, financial penalties are capped at £5,000 per breach; for non-domestic property, financial penalties are capped at £150,000 per breach.

Landlords of properties rated EPC F or G are required to organise their own finance to meet the costs bringing their property up to EPC E, subject to cost-effectiveness tests, or filing an exemption if one applies. Therefore, no specific discussions have been held with building societies or banks in relation to these landlord requirements.

However, the Green Finance Strategy, published in July this year, recognised the role of the financial sector in delivering our climate, environmental and energy efficiency objectives. The Strategy announced a package of measures to mobilise green finance for home energy efficiency, and officials have been in discussion with a range of finance institutions about these actions.

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 require that, since April 2018, domestic and non-domestic private landlords ensure their properties have an energy efficiency rating of at least an E at the point of issuing a new tenancy or renewing or extending an existing one.

Landlords are expected to self-fund improvements to bring their property up to standard, subject to cost-effectiveness tests, or file an exemption if one applies. The regulations set separate cost-effectiveness test for landlords of domestic and non-domestic property. Landlords of properties below EPC Band E are free to explore third-party funding options, such as local authority grant funding, Green Deal finance and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme for low-income, vulnerable and fuel poor households.

The Clean Growth Strategy sets out the Government’s intention to look at a long-term trajectory for energy performance standards across the private rented sector. We aim to get as many private rented homes as possible upgraded to EPC Band C by 2030, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. We are currently considering policy options to achieve this and are planning to consult over the winter. On 15 October 2019, the Government published a consultation on a future target of EPC B by 2030 for minimum energy efficiency standards in non-domestic rented buildings.