Housing in Multiple Occupancy - energy issues and policy

Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) have been marginalised in energy efficiency and fuel poverty policy making. This is despite the vulnerability of many people living in shared housing and the poor condition of the HMO stock. Standard definitions of fuel poverty, based on income and required energy spend, do not apply where multiple households use common facilities and bills are included in rent or shared. This study gathers evidence to document energy vulnerability in HMOs and then assesses how these properties can be brought more fully into the reach of the energy and fuel poverty policy framework.