New Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

Sat 03 Mar 2018

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) will be law on 1 April 2018. Landlords of privately rented domestic and non-domestic properties in England and Wales won’t be able to rent out properties that do not have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least an E.

We’ve all known about this for three years, but it’s estimated that over 400,000 properties currently fail to meet the energy performance standards. According to research conducted by energy company EON, apparently, one in four landlords don’t even know their property’s energy rating.

If you do though, a word of warning - please check when the assessment was last done, as the standard required to achieve an E rating or better has changed since the EPC’s introduction in 2007; an E rating ten years ago could be downgraded to an F or G now.

Ignorance is no defence in law, so landlords and letting agents need to know where they stand to be able to protect their properties, tenants and revenue.

ARLA Propertymark Chief Executive David Cox said: “Landlords now only have one month to ensure their properties comply with the Government’s minimum energy efficiency standards. From 1st April, all rented properties on new lets (including renewals) must be minimum EPC rated E.

“After the deadline passes at the end of this month, landlords face fines of up to £4,000 for flouting the law or losing money on empty properties which can’t be let until they meet the standards.

For any landlords who haven’t yet started to upgrade their properties, now is the time to act – and quickly.

If you are unsure as to your property’s current EPC rating please check the online EPC register or call us and we can put you in touch with an EPC inspector who can carry out a new report. If your property does fall short of the required level we can recommend you to a professional tradesman who can assist in the necessary upgrading.