How efficient are your energy standards?

It seems like we have been discussing energy for such a long time and rightly so.

However, last month Arla PropertyMark wrote an article on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). You can read their article here: http://www.arla.co.uk/news/march-2018/one-month-to-go-until-mees/

From the 1st April 2018, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) will come into force and all privately rented domestic and non-domestic properties must provide an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) with a rating of E and above, anything less than this cannot be put onto the market.

For the last three years, landlords have known that this is coming but it is assumed that over 400,000 properties currently fail to meet the EPC standards.

If you have an EPC the first thing to do is to check that it is compliant, the law has changed since the EPC was introduced in 2007 and yours may not be acceptable from the 1st April.

The Private Rented Property minimum standard – landlord guidance documents are available on the GOV.UK website:

The site states: The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 establish a minimum level of energy efficiency for privately rented property in England and Wales.

This means that, from April 2018, landlords of privately rented domestic and non-domestic property in England or Wales must ensure that their properties reach at least an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E before granting a new tenancy to new or existing tenants.

These requirements will then apply to all private rented properties in England and Wales – even where there has been no change in tenancy arrangements – from 1 April 2020 for domestic properties and from 1 April 2023 for non-domestic properties.

And you can read more about it here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-private-rented-property-minimum-standard-landlord-guidance-documents

So, my tops tips to be prepared are:

1. Read the landlord guidance documents

2. Review your Energy Performance Certificates

3. Read the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards – Frequently Asked Questions https://www.landlords.org.uk/sites/default/files/201711/Minimum%20Energy%20Efficiency%20Standards%20FAQs.pdf

If all of this is daunting and you haven't reacted then you must do so quickly.

The Private Rented Property minimum standard – landlord guidance documents are available on the link above and if you choose to ignore the change you could face a huge fine of up to £4,000 and you really don't want to be doing that. Act now!