društvo za sonaraven razvoj Association for Sustainable Development Good Practices for Tackling Energy Poverty in Rental Housing focus.si Title: Good Practices for Tackling Energy Poverty in Rental Housing Commissioner and publisher: Focus, Association for Sustainable Development Author: Quentin Drouet, Focus Contributors: Katja Huš, Focus & Lidija Živčič, Focus Proofreading: Tadej Turnšek Design: Luka Pajntar, kaloop.si This publication is funded by the European Climate Foundation. Publication is free of charge. Ljubljana, October 2025 Kataložni zapis o publikaciji (CIP) pripravili v Narodni in univerzitetni knjižnici v Ljubljani COBISS.SI-ID 249510147 ISBN 978-961-96933-3-9 (PDF) 2 / Content 1 Introduction /5 2 The Rental Sector Is the Most Exposed to Energy Poverty /6 3 Various Approaches to Address Energy Poverty in Rental Housing /8 3.1 Legal support /10 3.2 3.2 Financial support /13 3.3 3.3 Awareness raising /16 3.4 Technical support /19 4 Conclusion /22 References /24 4 1 Introduction A recent study (Snell et al., 2025) shows that households in the private rental sector have been particularly affected by the energy crisis. This is due to high energy prices and rents, limited regulations and lack of enforce- ment powers within the sector. Poor energy conditions can have severe social, financial and psychological impacts. They may lead to drastically reduced energy use, which in turn affects family dynamics, personal relationships and even housing stability. Some tenants report delaying decisions such as having children or, in the case of couples, postponing separation or moving out in order to save money by continuing to share a household. These decisions are often influenced by the market-driven un-affordability of housing and energy. The imbalance of power in the landlord-ten-ant relationship is a common obstacle, with landlords often being perceived as neglecting renovation needs or being reluctant to address repair requests (Snell et al., 2025). Tenants often find themselves in vulnerable situations due to structural issues such as housing shortages, high rental and living costs, limited personal re- sources and a lack of possible alternatives to improve their circumstances (CAN Europe, 2024). Vulnerable groups often end up in substandard housing, which is typically the most affordable in terms of rent, and frequently endure poor hous-ing conditions, such as black mould and damp conditions due to a lack of al- ternative options (Snell et al., 2025). Unmarketable flats with high energy costs remain rentable, particularly in areas where public authorities subsidise heating bills for tenants receiving social support. Tenants may also experience discrimi-nation in such situations, as they are often blamed for high energy consumption and pressured to save energy. This report explores existing and potential measures aimed at mitigating en-ergy poverty among tenants. Drawing on institutional documents, public com-munications, media reports on housing policies and stakeholder feedback from countries with long-standing housing policy traditions, such as France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland, we have identified key practices and policy instruments for alleviating energy poverty among tenants. To assess the relevance of these practices, we ensured that they had been implemented over a significant period of time and had produced tangible outcomes in terms of the adoption of ener-gy-saving and energy cost reduction practices. We also assessed the relevance and replicability of our findings within the Slovenian context, taking into account existing stakeholders and legal frameworks. The report also integrates academic literature to provide a comprehensive framework for assessing the relevance, effectiveness and scalability of these measures, focusing on long-term imple-mentation and concrete outcomes. 5 2 The Rental Sector Is the Most Exposed to Energy Poverty Energy poverty is a growing concern across Europe, exacerbated by rising energy prices, inadequate housing conditions and socio-economic in- equalities. It is not solely a ques- tion of income, but is also closely linked to housing quality, energy efficiency, the affordability of energy supply and climate con- ditions. According to the Energy Efficiency Directive, energy pov- erty is defined as “a household’s lack of access to essential ener- gy services, where such services provide basic levels and decent standards of living and health, in- cluding adequate heating, hot water, cooling, lighting, and energy to power appliances, in the relevant national con- text, existing national social policy and other relevant national policies, caused by a combi- nation of factors, including at least non-affordability, insufficient disposable income, high energy expenditure and poor energy efficiency of homes” (Energy Poverty Advisory Hub). While there is no uni-fied definition of energy poverty across European Union member states, nation-al legislations and policies offer complementary perspectives that underline its complex and multifaceted nature. In Slovenia, energy poverty is officially defined by the Regulation on Criteria for Defining and Assessing the Number of Energy Poor Households, issued under Article 34 of the Electricity Supply Act (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia, No. 172/21). According to this regulation, energy poverty is defined as a situation in which a household with an income below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold is unable to meet its basic energy needs, such as heating, cooling, cooking, lighting and hot water, due to inadequate housing conditions, unaffordable energy costs or poor energy efficiency. A second definition complements this by focusing on households whose energy expenditures represent a disproportionate share of their disposable income. The diversity of the rental sector, ranging from public social housing to private market rentals, poses specific challenges. Social housing, typically offered at 6 below-market rates and allocated based on need, varies widely across EU mem-ber states in terms of eligibility, scale and governance, with no harmonised defi- nition under Union law (OECD, 2020). In Slovenia, overall rental accommodation (both private and public) accounted for only 9% of all dwellings in 2024 (SURS, 2024a). This share has shown an upward trend in recent years, rising from 7.7% in 2018 (SURS, 2018). While 13.2% of owner-occupiers fall below the at-risk-of-pover- ty threshold based on household income (SURS, 2024c), this share rises to 26.5% among tenants (SURS, 2024d), highlighting the greater economic vulnerability of individuals in rental housing. In terms of energy poverty, tenants represent one of the most vulnerable segments of the population. Nationally, 7.3% of households experience energy poverty (SURS, 2024b). However, this figure increases to 15% among tenants compared to 5.5% among homeowners (SURS, 2024b). In Slovenia, 13,000 tenant households experience energy poverty, affecting approximately 26,000 individuals living in rented accommodation. Tenants are particularly af-fected by energy poverty because they do not own their homes and cannot therefore initiate the major renovations needed to improve their living conditions. A 2024 survey by the Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia shows that 56.2% of tenants in Slovenia cite high operating costs as their main problem, compared to 35.3% of homeowners (Hafner Fink et al., p.38). One of the central challenges in addressing energy poverty among renters is the asymmetry between ownership and occupancy rights (Dunphy et al., 2023). Since the owner bears the cost of investment in improved energy efficiency, from which tenants benefit through lower utility bills, landlords have little incentive to under-take renovations. This dynamic illustrates the “split incentive” problem between property owners and tenants, highlighting the need for a fair and objective ap-proach to sharing renovation costs, as well as robust regulation. Alternatively, owners may increase rents significantly to offset the costs, leading to phenome-non known as “renoviction”, which means “deliberate or indirect evictions due to the sudden and disproportionate increase in rents caused by housing renova- tion” (FEANTSA, 2022). Environmental factors, such as extreme weather events, also contribute to en-ergy poverty. Cold spells and heat waves can place additional strain on vulnera-ble households, particularly those in poorly insulated or inadequately ventilated homes, which is more often the case for rented properties. These climatic stress-ors underline the urgent need for resilient housing policies that include energy efficiency measures and tenant protections. 7 3 Various Approaches to Address Energy Poverty in Rental Housing Undertaking energy renovations in rental housing can yield economic, environ-mental, health and social benefits for public authorities, tenants and landlords, as illustrated in Figure 1 below: Figure 1: Aggregated benefits of energy efficiency upgrades in rented residential buildings The effects of inadequate housing conditions are not always immediately appar-ent to all households, especially when they are preoccupied with other pressing challenges. In such cases, the environmental, health and financial consequenc-es of poor living conditions may go unnoticed. To meaningfully improve housing conditions for tenants facing energy poverty, a coordinated holistic approach is necessary. Measures to tackle energy poverty in rental dwellings should there-fore include different aspects: • Legal: Major improvements often depend on the cooperation of landlords; their engagement is critical. In more serious or contested cases, legal support may be necessary – whether to enforce existing tenant rights, strengthen the legal framework, or empower tenants to advocate for better living conditions. • Financial: These measures can take various forms, including grants, subsidies and low-interest loans. These can help tenants to manage their energy bills, purchase energy-efficient appliances, or assist landlords in making upgrades that benefit tenants. 8 • Awareness raising: Public-interest organisations play an important role in in- forming tenants and landlords alike about the risks associated with energy poverty and the benefits of improving housing conditions. Such engagement is essential to foster change across both the social and private rental sectors. • Technical: This includes providing expert advice and retrofitting services to ensure effective energy efficiency improvements. Collaboration with ener- gy providers can help deliver solutions tailored to the specific needs of rental properties. The following sections present 10 relevant practices and initiatives in the EU identified as having potential to effectively reduce energy poverty in the rental housing stock. 9 3.1 Legal support / Ban on energy-inefficient rental properties BENEFICIARIES Tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION France SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE A new legal framework, which came into effect in 2025 (Ministère de la Transition Écologique, 2023), prohibits the rental of accommodation with an Energy Class G (450 kWh/m²). From 2028, this regulation will extend to properties with an Energy Class F rating (330 kWh/m²), and from 2034, to properties with an Energy Class E rating (250 kWh/m²). The policy aims to force landlords to upgrade their proper-ties. Initially, the law applied only to permanently rented housing, but a revised legal framework introduced in 2024 also includes tourist rental properties to pre-vent a shift towards short-term tourist rentals that could worsen the shortage of permanent rental housing. If a property continues to be rented out without the required energy efficiency improvements, tenants have the right to request a rent reduction until the neces-sary renovations have been carried out. There are exceptions to this rule, particularly when renovation is technically un-feasible or when decisions by condominium owners prevent renovation work in shared areas. In such cases, the property may still be rented out, but owners must follow specific procedures to justify this. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiator: State RESULTS A total of 4.2 million homes in France have been affected 10 / Regulation of rent increase after renovation BENEFICIARIES Tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION Switzerland, canton of Geneva SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE In Switzerland, legislation in force in the canton of Geneva defines maximum rent- al prices according to the number of rooms (Asloca, 2023). Starting in 2024, a new legal framework (the Residential Demolition, Conversion and Renovation Act – Loi sur les Démolitions, transformations et rénovations de maisons d’habitation) has set rent price limits to landlords receiving subsidies for energy efficiency reno- vations (Le Programme Bâtiments), which provides subsidies for any residential properties, including rental accommodation. Depending on the subsidy terms, rent increases are blocked for 3, 5 or 10 years, with rent levels capped accord-ing to the rental criteria defined by the act on renting and minimal duration of contract (Asloca, 2024) – for example, 1,176 Swiss francs per month for a 4-room apartment, including additional costs. If the current rent is below the legal lim-it, an increase up to that threshold may be permitted. The state can monitor weather rental terms are being respected for 3 years after medium renovation and 5 years after deep renovation. Before any renovations are carried out, tenants must be informed in writing of the scheduled work and whether it will eventually lead to an increase in rent. Tenants have 30 days to respond. Those affected by inconveniences during the renovation can claim a reduction in the rent price. They can gather evidence of this, such as pictures or videos. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiator: Canton of Geneva Other participants: Swiss Association of renters (ASLOCA) RESULTS Unfortunately, statistics from conciliation procedures reveal that few tenants can effectively assert their rights under these regulations. As a result, protec-tion against unfair rent increases remains largely ineffective. ASLOCA not only advocates for the principle of cost-based rents and limiting landlords’ profits but also calls for a stronger, more effective rent control system to better safeguard tenants. 11 / Legal empowerment of tenants to initiate energy renovations BENEFICIARIES Tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION France SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE The Climate and Resilience Act (LOI n° 2021-1104 du 22 août 2021 portant lutte con- tre le dérèglement climatique et renforcement de la résilience face à ses effets) stipulates that all homes (including rental properties) must meet minimum energy performance standards. Owners who do not fulfil these requirements must carry out energy-related renovations. While the French legal framework strengthens the obligation for landlords to improve energy efficiency, an additional decree (Decree No. 2022-1026 of 20 July 2022) under the Climate and Resilience Act ena-bles tenants to take the initiative even without their landlord’s approval. Tenants who wish to undertake energy-saving renovations and finance it in their rented homes can now consider their landlord’s silence for more than two months after a request as implicit consent. The types of renovations that tenants are permitted to undertake include: • low floor insulation; • insulation of attics and attic ceilings; • replacement of external joinery; • solar protection of glazed or opaque walls; • installation or replacement of a ventilation system; • installation or replacement of a heating and domestic hot water production system and associated interfaces. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiator: State RESULTS Unfortunately, the law does not require landlords to reimburse tenants for the costs incurred. Its main purpose is to remove legal barriers and enable tenants to take initiatives to improve their living conditions themselves if their landlords fail to do so. 12 3.2 3.2 Financial support / Denormandie renovation incentive scheme BENEFICIARIES Landlords and, indirectly, tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION France SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE The Denormandie scheme provides a tax reduction for property owners who un-dertake renovations to improve the energy efficiency of their property and com-mit to renting it out at regulated maximum rates per square metre (Ministère de l’économie et des finances et de la souveraineté industrielle et numérique, 2024). The property must be an older dwelling or a space that has been converted for residential use. After the renovation, the property must be rented out as a pri-mary residence for a minimum period of six, nine or twelve years. The longer the commitment period, the greater the tax reduction. To qualify, tenants must have an income below a certain regulatory threshold. Applications for this scheme must be submitted online via a dedicated platform. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiator: State Other participants: Landlords RESULTS According to the ministry in charge of housing, 6,000 flats have benefited from the Denormandie scheme between 2019 and 2023 13 / CO tax cost sharing Act 2 BENEFICIARIES Tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION Germany SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE Effective since January 1, 2023, the CO 2 Tax Cost Sharing Act (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz, 2024b) in Germany aims to mitigate the financial burden on tenants facing increased heating and hot water costs due to the poor energy efficiency of their rented buildings. Previously, landlords could pass on the full cost of the CO2 tax directly to tenants. Under the new legislation, these costs must now be shared between landlords and tenants. The landlord’s share depends on the building’s climate performance: the less energy efficient the building is, the greater the proportion of CO2 costs that the landlord must bear. The law is based on the principle that improving a building’s energy efficiency not only reduces CO2 emissions but also lowers the landlord’s share of the CO2 tax over time. This cost-sharing arrangement is applied automatically to all rental agreements for gas- or oil-heated buildings – regardless of whether the lease was signed before or after January 1, 2023. It also applies to all billing periods starting on or after this date. The only exception is fuel deliveries billed under the previous legal framework. An online application has been provided by the federal government for calculating and dividing carbon dioxide costs. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiator: Federal Government, Federal Government’s Climate and Transformation Fund Other participants: Landlords RESULTS Reduction of CO2, promotion of environmentally friendly alternatives, and income for climate protection. Using cleaner energy sources remains cost-effective, es- pecially given the expected rise in CO2 pricing (Kaestner et al., 2025). 14 / Tax incentives to renovate unoccupied or substandard properties under the France Renov’ programme BENEFICIARIES Landlords and, indirectly, tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION France SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE As part of the France Renov´ programme, subsidies and tax incentives are avail-able to landlords with vacant or substandard properties, encouraging them to undertake deep renovations (ANIL, 2023). In return, these renovated properties are returned to the rental market under specific conditions. Property owners commit to a minimum six-year contract during which they agree to keep rents affordable and offer the housing to low-income households, in accordance with legally defined eligibility criteria. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiator: National housing funds (ANAH) Other participants: municipalities, landlords RESULTS Between 2020 and 2025, a total of 41,057 contracts were signed with landlords. In the first half of 2025, 78% of the projects involved housing with an energy class of F or G. The processing time for subsidy requests has increased due to the need for enhanced fraud control measures. In 2024, more than one in ten applications were found to be fraudulent. As a result, the government suspended the pro-gramme for a few months. 15 3.3 3.3 Awareness raising / Bail Rénov’ rental renovation initiative BENEFICIARIES Landlords and their tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION France SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE The Bail Rénov’ scheme provides landlords and their tenants with free, no-obliga-tion information and advice on renovating and improving the energy performance of their homes (SOLIHA, 2025). It also informs them of their rights and obliga-tions. Information days are held at rental housing locations to raise awareness among tenants of behavioural changes that can save energy (e.g. organisation of collective challenges, understanding energy invoices), as well as encourage and support landlords in the renovation process (Banque des Territoires, 2020). The scheme is financed by energy suppliers who are legally required to dedicate funding to energy efficiency initiatives. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiators: Associations in the housing sectors (SOLIHA dedicated to renovation support, ANIL and Habitat et Humanisme for housing rights) Other participants: energy suppliers, local authorities RESULTS A total of 11,000 landlords and 200 tenants received support in 2024. 16 / Two dedicated platforms: Locabene for tenants and Renovabene for landlords BENEFICIARIES All citizens, in particular tenants and landlords LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION Switzerland SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE The digital platform Locabene provides comprehensive information on the im-portance of energy-efficient renovations, tenant rights relating to rent, and the benefits of renovations for tenants. It offers support to tenants before, during and after energy-saving renovation projects, and encourages constructive com-munication with landlords. Additionally, it fosters mutual exchange between all parties involved. The website is structured around four main themes: Finances, Legal Framework, Communication and Renovation. Each section provides targeted information relevant to the planning, execution and post-renovation phases. The content includes clear answers to frequently asked questions, practical examples of suc-cessful renovations, and links to additional resources. For example, tenants are guided through common concerns such as: • What are the benefits of energy renovation for me as a tenant? • What renovation costs can landlords legally pass on through rent increases? • Am I entitled to a rent reduction while my apartment is being renovated? Another platform, Renovabene, is dedicated to supporting landlords during the energy efficiency renovation process. Both platforms have been promoted by public authorities on their websites. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiators: EnergieSchweiz, Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), Federal Office for Housing (FWO) RESULTS No data available 17 / Integrated initiatives for energy awareness and efficiency BENEFICIARIES Social tenants LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION Potsdam, Germany SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE The municipal housing provider PRO POTSDAM GmbH group runs a wide range of initiatives aimed at raising awareness of energy saving and climate protection among its employees, tenants, and the wider public. Key activities include (FinSH, 2010): • regular articles in the tenant newsletter with energy-saving tips and updates on renovation projects; • clear explanations of utility bills and comparisons with average consumption in the same building; • distribution of free energy-saving thermometers to all tenants, showing opti- mal indoor temperatures and potential savings; • a joint action with the local energy provider offering selected households free devices to reduce standby power losses; • show apartments demonstrating energy-efficient home technologies; • a live broadcast of the “Live Earth” concert, with opportunities for residents to exchange old bulbs for free energy-saving ones. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiator: POTSDAM GmbH group Other participants: city and social institutions, local energy provider RESULTS No data available 18 3.4 Technical support / Energy Poverty Intervention Hub BENEFICIARIES Tenants experiencing energy poverty LOCATION OF IMPLEMENTATION Tarentaise valley, France SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE Financed by the County of Savoy – a federation of 30 municipalities – and ini-tially supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Energy Poverty Intervention Hub coordinates home visits for households in rental hous- ing who have been identified by social workers (APTV, 2016). During the first visit, a socio-technical assessment is conducted to evaluate the household’s social and financial situation, verify the suitability of their water and electricity sub-scriptions, inspect the building for issues such as mould or poor insulation, and optimise access to available aid. A letter is sent to the landlords to inform them about the current intervention to improve housing conditions and the need for deep or medium renovations. A second visit is then scheduled to enhance household comfort by installing small-scale water and energy-saving devices and providing advice on everyday energy-saving practices. These visits and installations are carried out by reinte-gration workers under the supervision of a partner association. STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION Initiators: Federation of municipalities, Association for social reinsertion, LAG Leader Other participants: Landlords RESULTS A total of 52 households benefited from the intervention in 2015 and 2016 19 / Other initiatives: Across Europe, many other innovative practices are being implemented to help tenants reduce energy consumption, achieve lower costs, and support an in-clusive energy transition, especially for vulnerable populations. Some of these practices deserve particular recognition, as they show how the combination of technical tools, financial support and strong social engagement can lead to more equitable, sustainable energy solutions for tenants. • In Germany, the Heating Mirror (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz, 2024a) initiative provides personalised reports for tenants and homeowners, analysing heating costs, detecting inefficiencies, and offering tai- lored advice. These tools are available in several languages, and where energy use is abnormally high, tenants can alert landlords using prepared templates. Led by the non-profit organisation co2online, the initiative extends its impact through broader campaigns and tools that encourage long-term behaviour- al changes, and plays a critical role in assisting organisations such as the Hamburg Tenants’ Association in addressing tenant energy concerns. • The Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy and the University of Piraeus Research Center have developed the ENPOR Split Incentive Quantification Tool (IEECP, 2024) to distribute the financial impacts and advantages of energy ef- ficiency measures between property owners and renters. This tool provides valuable insight into the challenges of improving energy efficiency within the private rental market. Its primary function is to determine how the resulting benefits from energy efficiency improvements are divided between landlords and tenants in order to accurately assess how costs or subsidies should be allocated. • In France, raising awareness through direct experience has proved effective. Locataire Ensembles brings renters together through a union of associations and uses available mapping data on leaky housing to identify affected tenants and approach them through door-to-door conversations. The goal is to em- power renters by providing them with support, encourage activism, and foster collaboration with local authorities in order to influence landlords’ decisions on renovations. Activities carried out in Grenoble, Lyon and Paris have resulted in landlords taking action in 70% of cases.1 • In some French municipalities, residents are introduced to thermography through classroom sessions, followed by guided community walks (Asder, 2025) where they observe building insulation quality via thermal cameras. Participants can then borrow a thermal camera to examine their own homes and receive personalised feedback, providing them with a hands-on learning experience supported by local energy transition associations. France has also seen success with group energy procurement schemes, such as the one coor- dinated by the corporate interest group Oxalia GIE, which enables social hous- ing organisations to negotiate energy contracts collectively. This strategy has led to substantial savings for almost 280,000 tenants, making cleaner energy more accessible. 1 Data presented in the webinar available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMSOi0blZt8. 20 • Belgium has embraced both technological and social innovations (Fondation Roi Baudouin, 2023). In Brussels, energy sharing schemes allow individuals to exchange surplus electricity generated from renewables directly with others, fostering energy inclusion even for those unable to install solar panels them- selves. With over 1,000 participants, this model showcases a practical way to democratise energy. Complementing this, targeted financial support schemes enable low-income households to purchase energy-efficient appliances, re- ducing their long-term energy costs and addressing structural inequalities. Several Belgian social centres have successfully implemented these schemes, offering direct assistance to dozens of families. • Ensuring tenant well-being during building renovations is another critical focus, as demonstrated by initiatives in Switzerland. The User Support Management (Assistance à maîtrise d’usage) service, provided by the Canton of Geneva in partnership with Romande Energie, offers communication support and me- diation throughout renovation phases, recognising the social impact of such disruptions. In the Canton of Geneva, Romande Energie has trained housing agents to act as tenant liaisons, while in Nuremberg, clear communication from property managers helps residents to plan for and maintain quality of life dur- ing renovation work. • Finally, the cornerstone of the French network Les Compagnons Bâtisseurs is empowering individuals through self-renovation. This long-standing organisa- tion supports people, especially those experiencing energy poverty, by pro- viding workshops, training and tool-sharing to help them improve their homes while building skills and forging social connections. Their approach combines technical assistance with community engagement, demonstrating that the energy transition can also be a vehicle for social inclusion and empowerment. 21 4 Conclusion Addressing energy poverty among ten- ants requires a multifaceted approach combining legal frameworks, financial mechanisms, technical solutions, and community engagement. The expe- riences and initiatives highlighted in this report demonstrate the impor- tance of empowering tenants and landlords alike through clear regu- lations, accessible financial assis- tance and educational initiatives. Effective strategies include pro- moting energy-efficient renovations through subsidies and other financial incentives, coupled with legal protec- tions that prevent unfair rent increases tied to energy upgrades. Tools such as energy audits, thermal imaging and tailored advice help households to identify and address inefficiencies, while initiatives such as energy shar- ing schemes and energy counters foster greater access to affordable, green energy. Crucially, supporting tenants through communication, training and social inte-gration projects enables vulnerable households to actively participate in the en-ergy transition, rather than being left behind. Collaborative efforts between local authorities, social organisations, and housing providers are essential for creating sustainable, inclusive solutions. 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