EPC Bromley has spoken to Landlords recently that were still unaware that their tenants have the right to request energy efficiency improvements to their properties and have had that right since April 2016.
Even more significantly, from April 2018 any properties that are rented privately MUST achieve at least an ‘E’ rating on their EPCs. Initially this will only apply when new tenancies are granted but from 2020 it will apply to any rented domestic property that is eligible for an EPC.
The good news is that you won’t be expected to make these improvements if it means incurring a cost. The costs of any energy efficiency improvements should be covered by government schemes which should be investigated.
However, landlords DO need to ensure that they have an EPC in place on their properties. These can cost as little as £46 from EPC Bromley and last for ten years.
The implications following an EPC mean that if the assessment scores the property’s efficiency at ‘F’ or ‘G’, the landlord will be unable to let the property until energy efficiency measures have been added to rectify this. Penalties for non compliance could be as much as £5,000.
In conclusion, landlords do have sufficient time in order to make efficiency improvements to their properties, but at the very least they should be ensuring that they have a domestic energy assessment and a valid EPC in place for each and every one. This will let them know exactly where they stand in terms of the future and investments that need to be made.
Remember the following dates:
- 1 April 2018 – When granting a new tenancy to either a new tenant or an existing one, you must have an EPC in place and the rating must be ‘E’ or above.
- 1 April 2020 – Regardless of the tenancy agreement in place, all properties must have a valid EPC in place and all properties must achieve an ‘E’ rating or higher. Failure to achieve this level will mean property cannot be rented. Non compliance may lead to fines.
For more information on Energy Performance Certificates please contact EPC Bromley.