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Energy Bill [HL]

My Lords, I will address the point that the Government are very keen for there to be no barrier to the entry of new landlords into the market. It is improbable that people will enter at the level of the worst properties in the worst conditions. The buy-to-let market has become an extraordinary phenomenon. More than 1 million properties have been acquired on a buy-to-let basis. The typical profile of these properties is that they cost around £100,000 to £110,000, are brand new and are in a block of flats built by a housebuilder. The energy rating for these properties is pretty good. One would not be setting a big barrier if one prevented the entry into the market of landlords who buy the most rubbishy properties on the market. It might be a good idea if they were required, before they let them, to bring them up at least to band E as a basic level. With those provisos, we live to debate this another day.