From 1st April 2018 there will be a requirement for all new tenancies in England to hold a minimum performance energy rating of E, and from 1st April 2020 for existing tenancies. This means it will be soon be illegal to let out a property which fails to meet these minimum standards (properties with a rating of F or G, as shown on a valid Energy Performance Certificate).

The fines for breaches are steep and could be as much as £4,000, so you will need to act quickly if you need to make improvements on your property before April.

If you're a landlord and not sure what your current rating is, you can find out by entering your postcode and viewing a PDF here.

Who does the guidance apply to?

The National Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) have stated on their website that this guidance applies to:

“Any landlord who lets out a domestic private rented property which is required to have an EPC by law in England or Wales and is let on one of the following tenancy types: 

  • An assured tenancy (including an assured shorthold tenancy) defined in the Housing Act 1988;
  • A regulated tenancy defined in the Rent Act 1977;
  • A domestic agricultural tenancy as set out in the Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) Order 2015.

Exclusions are also detailed such as Social housing, a protected building, places of worship, temporary buildings, furnished holiday accommodation where the holiday maker is not responsible for paying the energy bills.”

They go on to say that perhaps one of the key areas of misunderstanding that may arise is around the ten year validity of EPCs combined with different tenancy lengths.

A full guide has been provided by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy which sets out the domestic private rented property minimum standard under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015. Read the guidance here.

Let us help

The guidance document alone, at 96 pages, is lengthy and gives an indication of just how complicated these regulations are. For more information about how you can make sure you are compliant, speak to your local Mayfair Town & Country lettings manager.