Publications

Scotland has set some of the most determined climate goals in the world, and home energy efficiency has a large role to play in Scotland’s transition to a low or no carbon society.

The Scottish Government has set ambitious goals for Scotland’s housing stock, which will be measured by a home’s energy efficiency rating as described in an energy performance certificate (EPC). However, consumer knowledge of EPCs is low, and even though they contain recommendations on how to make a home more energy efficient, they seem to be a poor motivational tool.

CAS commissioned Changeworks to gather feedback about how EPCs are viewed, understood, and interacted with by consumers, and how they could be improved to be better understood and more motivational.

Through a combination of ISM workshops and online testing, research found that:

• Many people view energy efficiency as a luxury for those who can afford it
  

• Barriers to home energy efficiency improvements are essentially cost and hassle
  

• EPCs are not considered useful, and most homeowners just put them in a drawer
  

• People who consider themselves highly environmentally conscious are no more likely to know their home energy efficiency rating or be familiar with an EPC than someone who is disengaged with environmental issues (value-intention gap)
  

• People are mainly motivated by cost, but social desirability plays a large role as well. People may be more motivated by the cost of not acting than potential fuel bill savings, especially if this is linked to Scotland’s carbon targets or the climate emergency
  

• A 1-2-3 style EPC, designed like a home report, may be easier for consumers to understand and engage with
  

• Consumers value simplicity and colour, but for many the preferred style and layout was subjective. Energy efficiency advice accompanying an EPC is crucial to ensure consumers understand the document and are able to make the choices most suitable to their property
  

CAS is pleased to respond to the consultation on the proposed Fair Rents (Scotland) Bill. This Bill aims to protect private sector tenants by limiting rent increases and by increasing the availability of information about rent levels across Scotland.

CAS welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Scottish Government’s consultation on local connection and intentionality. In 2017/2018, CAB advised on 9,700 issues relating to homelessness. 2,189 of these issues were related to homeless assessments, processes and procedures, including the local connection and intentionality rules.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this important discussion on the future of housing in Scotland. In 2017/2018, Scottish Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) advised clients on 46,777 housing issues, making housing the fourth largest area of advice provided by the network. This response is shaped by our evidence on the many and varied housing issues that CAB clients face, as well as by our Consumer Futures statutory responsibilities. 

The social rented sector plays a fundamental role in providing genuinely affordable housing. High quality, energy efficient social housing is vital to Scotland’s communities. Scottish Government data shows that the energy efficiency of housing in the social rented sector has improved over recent years. However, while there have been some reductions in fuel poverty in this sector, the number of households in fuel poverty remains stubbornly high and greater than the national fuel poverty rate.

CAS undertook a detailed survey research of 178 households in Scotland, over two thirds of which live in a flood risk area based on SEPA analysis.

CAS respond to the Scottish Governments second consultation on a new tenancy for the private rented sector.

CAS submitted written evidence to the Committee's inquiry on how local authorities are meeting their duties to people who may be homeless or threatened with homelessness since the abolition of the priority need test at the end of 2012.

CAS have submitted evidence to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee on the Housing (Scotland) Bill.

 Citizens Advice Scotland broadly supports the Bill as introduced, but has some recommendations for areas where it could be strengthened or clarified.