By Sharon Stevenson

Residential Conveyancer

Have you checked your energy performance rating for your rental properties lately? As from the 1st April 2018 there was a requirement for any properties rented out in the private rental sector to have a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). For any properties with an F or Grating, energy efficiency improvements must be made.

The regulations came into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018.  For all existing tenancies these new regulations will come into effect from 1st April 2020. It will then be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement of that E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption – these exemptions should be listed on the Public Exemptions Register. A penalty of up to £4,000 could be imposed for any breach of this new regulation.

If a potential tenant is considering renting a property from either a landlord or a Letting Agent they must be shown a valid EPC.  It is against the Law to advertise a property for rental without having a valid EPC.  If there is no valid EPC in place a potential tenant needs to be asking why there is not one.

An EPC is valid for 10 years.