Energy rebate: will landlords pass it on to tenants?
The government has announced support to help households with rising energy bills, but will landlords pass it on to tenants? This support, worth £9.1 billion in 2022-23, includes a £400 grant for energy bills this Autumn for domestic electricity customers in the UK. And what’s more, the money doesn’t even have to be repaid.
Am I eligible for the energy rebate scheme?
All households with a domestic electricity connection will be automatically eligible for the £400 grant. However, if your bills are included in your rent then contacting your landlord could be your first step to retrieving the money. Essentially, the £400 energy rebate is being applied to every gas and electricity account – not per household. So, if your landlord is in charge of dealing with your energy bill, this means the rebate would technically go to them. Ideally, the landlord would pass this grant down to the tenants but sadly there are no laws stating this has to be done.
Tenants could fall through the cracks
Whilst this grant scheme is a welcomed bail out for many UK households, the rebate might not reach the intended.
This is because low-income households such as HMO’s might not get the grant, leaving them further in debt. Sadly, whilst the government doesn’t have any terms surrounding the rebate, tenants are urged to make contact with their landlord. The government has repeated its demand that landlords pass on energy rebates to tenants. And a written parliamentary question on this issue was submitted by Scottish National Party MP Owen Thompson.
If you’re looking for advice regarding bills or finances, then contact the citizens advice. They can listen to your situation and give you the relevant advice to help.
