EPC Legislation Changes - 2018
FEBRUARY 12, 2018 | BY CARRIE HEARNAH
From April 2018 changes to legislation will make it unlawful to let residential properties with an Energy Performance Certificate with a rating of below an E.
In an attempt to ensure that all tenants enjoy a right to living in an energy-efficient home, a new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) will be phased in by the Government.
From the 1st of April 2018, private rental properties must achieve an energy efficiency rating of at least ‘E’ on their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The regulations will initially only apply upon the granting of a new tenancy to either a new tenant or an existing tenant.
From the 1st April 2020, the regulations will apply to all privately rented properties which are required to have an EPC.
There are financial penalties for non-compliance of up to £5000 in the domestic sector.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO?
Government statistics report that 26% of domestic EPC’s fall into the category of below an E rating, so in reality, it is likely that you will need to do nothing and your property is already compliant. You can check the EPC for your property on the Government register at: www.epcregister.com
If the EPC for your property does fall below an E you can look at the ‘Recommendations’ section on the EPC to determine what works could be carried out to bring the property up to the required level of an E rating.
There are some exemptions where rental properties are not required to have an EPC, for example, listed buildings, therefore where a property does not require an EPC they will be exempt from the legislation. There are also some exemptions where properties will not be required to have works carried out even if they have a rating of below an E, which we can advise you of further.
For the full details regarding the legislation please click her to visit the Government website.
WE ARE HERE FOR YOU
Please rest assured that we are here to help, guide and assist you through this process. If you would like to discuss this or any other matter please feel free to contact the office on 01621 850145.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE LEGISLATION CONTINUES TO UPDATE REGULARLLY
The information in this post was correct at the time of publishing in 2018. Please contact us for further updates or see our latest articles on this subject. If in doubt seek professional advice to make sure you are compliant.