Greg Barker, MP
Minister of State
Department of Energy and Climate Change
3, Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2HH

27 September 2011

Dear Greg,

We corresponded in the summer about the ability of leaseholders in private blocks of flats to improve the energy efficiency of their buildings via their service charge. I am pleased that the working group considering this matter has been set up, and that my suggestion for the inclusion of the National Housing Federation has been taken on board.

I would like to know what progress is being made on this issue. I am aware of blocks of flats in my own constituency where, as I write, tenants who want to improve the fabric of the building beyond its current standard are only able to use their service charge to return the building to its ‘as built' standard. This means that their flats will be locked into poor levels of energy efficiency for years to come, completely against the stated aim of your Department.

In my previous letter on this subject, I raised the need to amend the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 in order to expand remit for service charges so that this pot of money can be used to provide for reasonable insulation measures to improve the energy efficiency of flats and of the buildings of which they form part. As a matter of urgency, I would like to know what progress has been made between officials in your department and in the Department for Communities and Local Government on this matter.

I am sure you agree that action needs to be taken now, and I hope that the recent passing of the Energy Bill through the Commons means that you will be free to take the much needed concrete steps to address this issue as soon as possible.
I look forward to hearing from you, and to being kept up to date with work in this area.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion

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