25 January 2018
As of April you won’t be able to let a residential or commercial property if the property in question has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of below E.
And come 2020, even if you have sitting tenants, your property will need to be E- or above - when you re-new the lease.
“If you continue to rent properties that do not meet the minimum EPC rating after 1 April 2018 then you could be fined for non-compliance”, says Marcus Andrews FRICS of Goadsby Surveyors Bournemouth.
About 15% of all properties could currently fail to meet these standards. Many owners do not realise their properties fall below the new minimum legal requirements for energy efficiency standards in England and Wales.
Marcus Andrews goes on to say that a number of these properties could be brought up to standard with “a couple of tweaks”, though others may require more substantial work.
To ensure you’re compliant when the time comes, Goadsby recommends making a thorough assessment of all your properties and creating a plan of action for the next few months if the EPC rating is ‘poor’.
Should you require any further information or advice please feel free to contact Marcus Andrews FRICS on 01202 550140 or email: marcus.andrews@goadsby.com.