The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (Scotland) regulations 2020: EQIA
Equalities impact assessment (EQIA) for The Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) regulations 2020 and draft associated guidance
Stage 4: Decision making and monitoring
Identifying and establishing any required mitigating action
| Have positive or negative impacts been identified for any of the equality groups? |
No negative impacts have been identified for any of the equality groups We have outlined positive and negative impacts of the policy across all regulated properties below. |
| Is the policy directly or indirectly discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010? |
There is no evidence that the policy is directly or indirectly discriminatory under the Equality Act 2010. |
| If the policy is indirectly discriminatory, how is it justified under the relevant legislation? |
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| If not justified, what mitigating action will be undertaken? |
Describing how Equality Impact analysis has shaped the policy making process
24. The equality analysis has helped to highlight areas where we do not have enough evidence on people with protected characteristics to make an informed decision on the effect of the policy on them.
25. There have been no implications for costs or resources arising from the EQIA analysis.
26. Positive impacts identified from the introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards are:
- The measures installed to meet minimum standards are likely to make homes warmer and more comfortable and to reduce fuel bills and contribute to reducing fuel poverty. Warmer, easier to heat homes are likely to have a positive effect on the health of the occupiers of these houses.
- The regulations will make a positive contribution to achieving the Scottish Government's target to reduce CO2 emissions by 42% by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
- There may be more jobs created to carry out the necessary work.
- It is likely to increase awareness of energy efficiency among landlords and tenants.
- It may contribute to making energy efficient homes more desirable.
27. Negative impacts from the introduction of minimum standards:
- Tenants may experience some temporary disturbance while work is carried out. We would encourage landlords to carry out work while the property is void to minimise this.
- Landlords may increase rents to recoup costs of improvements.
28. In our view, the regulations for minimum standards will help to improve the energy efficiency of the poorest performing housing in the private rented sector. From the evidence collected through the EQIA process and from the consultation responses, we do not consider that any households with people that have protected characteristics will be disproportionately affected by the proposed energy efficiency standards compared to households as a whole.
Monitoring and Review
29. We are proposing to monitor the impact of the introduction of these Regulations at the point of first backstop (2022).
30. We will also use existing channels where possible, for example the Scottish House Condition Survey and EPC register as well as feedback from local authorities. This will enable us to track the effect the minimum standard is having on the housing stock.
31. The Scottish Government will also monitor the contribution of minimum standards to the Climate Change Plan as part of the Energy Efficient Scotland Programme (EES).
32. We will use this information to review the implementation of the standard. Future changes to energy efficiency standards beyond those implemented would be taken in the context of this monitoring and review process, and within of the wider contribution of standards to the Climate Change Plan and the development of a new long term strategy for tackling fuel poverty.
33. Future changes to energy efficiency standards would be subject to a new EQIA.
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