The term
‘infrastructure’ in relation to planning Herefordshire’s
sustainable future is generally confined to matters such as transport
and telecoms communications with reference to housing and workforce
amid Climate Emergency and employment opportunities.
What about issues of
socio-economic justice and enforcement of rights and
responsibilities, along with poorer people’s access to information,
advice, guidance and advocacy? As an example, my Freedom
of Information request regarding Council Tax debt revealed that
Herefordshire Council summonsed nearly 7,500 people for Council Tax
debt in 2017/2018. The Council seemed more keen on punishing poor
folk than advising them of their rights.[1]
Now, property
developers cream off ‘Help
to Buy’ Government moneys to attract purchasers of new housing,[2]
including purchases for ‘buy to rent’ market while [really
unaffordable] ‘affordable rent’ is defined as 85% of market rent.
And what about heating
costs while the Met Office anticipates the coldest winter for 30
years?[3]
Potentially
ameliorating news there is that “a new regulation [states] thatlandlords cannot lawfully let a home with an Energy Efficiency Ratingof F or G… the law says that landlords and agents who advertise
homes to let must show the energy rating in the ad, and landlords
must also give new tenants an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
The Certificate informs you about the Rating, and also provides
information about the steps the landlord could take to make your home
warmer and cheaper to heat….
As with Council Tax payments related to a property, tenants' fuel bills are currently of little concern to greedy landlords. (Where tenants have absconded without paying Council Tax, however, unpaid Council Tax becomes the landlord's responsibility, as in the case of 'Peter'.[5])
How will the new
Council help enforce this Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard E for
tenants and planet?
Notes for printing out:
- https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/17273040.revealed-thousands-summonsed-over-council-tax-debt/
- https://moneyweek.com/509813/help-to-buy-a-crazy-subsidy-for-housebuilders/
- https://uk.news.yahoo.com/this-winter-could-be-coldest-for-30-years-bringing-snow-event-after-snow-event-104832843.html
- http://advice4renters.org.uk/wp/2019/09/03/how-tenants-can-be-warm-and-help-to-save-the-planet/
- https://www.bigissue.com/latest/council-tax-scandal-part-ii-human-cost/
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