New EPC regulations in effect from today for all rental properties

Today, Part Three of the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales)Regulations 2015 comes into force.

Private sector landlords must not grant a new tenancy of a property (including an extension or renewal), nor continue to let the property (on an existing tenancy) after 1 April 2020, where the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is below the minimum level of energy efficiency for private rented properties of band E.

Although it received publicity at the time of publication and several years have gone by since then, the likelihood is that many rental properties across England and Wales may fail to meet the new requirement. And with the country in lock down there is very little chance that anything can be done to change that situation.

EYE asked ARLA/propertymark whether it was appropriate for the implementation to proceed in England and Wales, whether it would have been better to postpone it, whether ARLA lobbied for a postponement, what effect it is likely to have on rental supply, and whether ARLA has any advice for landlords and agents who were not aware of the inclusion of existing tenancies and who now cannot reasonably do anything in the lock down.

In a statement,David Cox, Chief Executive, ARLA Propertymark said “Although we have asked the Government to postpone these regulations in England, it’s unlikely they will do so. This is because the law was passed in 2014, meaning landlords and letting agents have had several years to meet this deadline. This, however, is very different to the electrical safety regulations which were passed last week and come into force in July, which we are lobbying the Government to postpone, as landlords and letting agents haven’t had as much time to meet these requirements.”

If you need advice on your rental property in Stoke On Trent, contact one of our property experts at OneAgency Estate Agents, we are available for telephone calls from 8am -8pm Monday to Fridays and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.

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