New deadlines revealed for lettings sector energy efficiency compliance

The government has announced new dates for energy efficiency compliance in rental properties.

The Residential Landlords’ Association says they are as follows:

April 2018: by this date it will be unlawful to let out a property with an F or G Energy Performance Certificate rating, as a new let. There will be a few limited exemptions;

April 2020: by this date the requirement for a minimum E rating will apply, not just to new lets but also to existing tenancies;

2025: the target is for a minimum D rating;

2030: the minimum target will be a C rating.

However, the RLA says there is growing concern over the accuracy of EPCs. 

“The Building Research Establishment estimates that around 100,000 properties have an incorrect F and G rating so these ratings should be better than they are. This means some of those currently rated at the lowest banding Band G ought to be reclassified as Band F and quite a number of those that are in Band F do in fact meet the Band E requirement” according to Richard Jones, policy adviser and company secretary of the RLA.

“We are making repeated representations to the government on this issue because we firmly believe that EPCs must be accurate before compulsion is brought in” he says.

Landlords and letting agents acting on their behalf need to calculate the best way to meet the long-term deadlines, he says.

“If you carry out improvements piece by piece, going first to Band E and then subsequently Band D and then onto Band C a different approach is required than if you carry out a whole house improvement to go straight to Band C from the outset.”