Households are set to get a £400 discount on their energy bills later this year, in much-needed support to help cope with the rising cost of living - but one charity is concerned that some renters could miss out on the payment.
Leading tenant rights charity Shelter has warned tenants whose energy bills are included in their rent or service charge that they will not be able to claim the energy discount directly, and will instead “be at the mercy of their landlord” when it comes to receiving it.
Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, explained: “There’s no specific legal obligation for landlords to pass on this support, but they aren’t allowed to overcharge tenants for the energy they’ve used or make a profit on it. This could be the case if they pocket the Government support and continue to charge the same rate for utilities.”
