Under new legislation, which sailed through its third reading in the Commons this week, homeowners and landlords whose properties don't meet Net Zero targets could be fined £15,000 and jailed for up to a year. Yep, you could end up behind bars if you fail to fit a heat pump.
Anyone selling or letting a property must obtain an energy performance certificate. Inspectors will be given the power to order 'improvements' and prevent the property being sold or let if they are not carried out to the letter.
Such improvements will include fitting heat pumps, loft insulation, double glazing and so-called 'smart appliances'.
Compulsory installation of smart meters, fridges, washing machines, immersion heaters and so on, all connected to the internet, will allow the Government and the energy companies to monitor electricity consumption and switch off your supply if they think you're using too much.
I'm not making this stuff up. It's all there in Hansard, Parliament's official record.
Really? Shall I check?
So if I were to search for the word "landlord", the word "fridge", the words "washing machine" and the words "smart meter" in the bill itself or this week's energy bill debates "it's all there"?
https://bills.parliament.uk/publication ... ments/3912
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2 ... ill(Lords)
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/202 ... gyBill(HL)
Landlords need an EPC and may need to improve the EPC rating. Nothing in the legislation about how.
Giving Richard the benefit of the doubt, I've dug deeper.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-pr ... d-guidance
As I understand it, a landlord must bring a property up to EPC Rating E. This should cost the landlord no more than £3.5k and recommended measures include
Room-in-roof insulation
Internal or external wall insulation
Solid floor insulation
Increase hot water cylinder insulation
Draught proofing
Low energy lighting
High heat retention storage heaters / dual immersion cylinder
Solar water heating
Replace single glazed windows with low-E double glazed windows
Solar photovoltaic panels
Insulation and swapping out the GU10s for LED lamps looks like it will do the trick.
Unless Richard has done considerably more research than I have, and it is reasonable to assume he has done none based on past experience, there is no mention of being forced to have Internet of Things (IoT)-connected smart devices anywhere in or around the legislation.
To summarise, Littlejohn is indeed "making this stuff up". Or as I prefer to say, he is a liar.