Private rented properties are required to have Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in place
Private landlords are being warned of the importance of making sure their properties meet new energy efficiency standards, or face a fine.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are documents which outline how energy efficient a property is. Properties are rated on a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient.
Private rented properties are required to have an EPC in place, and recent updates in the law mean that landlords must not grant a tenancy to new or existing tenants if the property has a rating of F or G.
But from April next year, landlords will not be able to continue to let a property, even if it already has a tenant, if it has an F or G rating.
Head of Residential Property at regional law firm Napthens, Sarah Barnes said that where a rental property does have a rating of F or lower landlords should take action as soon as possible to ensure that they meet the new minimum energy efficiency standard of an EPC E rating.
Barnes said that where landlords continue to let properties that do not comply with the minimum E rating they will be liable to enforcement action by local authorities. Local authorities can check on a property and issue a compliance notice requesting further information.
Ultimately, where a landlord has let a property that does not meet the minimum EPC rating of E for a period of up to three months, the local authority can impose a penalty of up to £2,000.
She said that where the property has been let for three months or more without meeting the minimum EPC rating of E the penalty can be up to £4,000. In both cases the local authority can impose a further penalty if the local authority takes action to publish details of the breach on a public register.
