LANDLORDS SHOULD ACT NOW TO PREPARE FOR ENERGY PERFORMANCE REGULATIONS

Landlords dont forget your EPC obligations as prescribed below.

Manchester based lender Auction Finance Limited is recommending that landlords plan ahead for the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in the private rented sector.

From October 1st residential landlords will need to provide their prospective tenants with an EPC for the property to be let or re-let at their earliest opportunity. Practically, this means that EPCs will need to be obtained before a property can be marketed.

Auction Finance, whose clients include many buy to let investors purchasing property at auction, says that preparing for the deadline now will enable landlords to minimise impact of the legislation on their marketing activities and help to counter the possibility of void rental periods.

Scott Hendry, New Business Manager at Auction Finance Limited said:

“If landlords fail to provide an EPC they could incur a fine from Trading Standards, but there is speculation that the number of accredited energy assessors will not be sufficient to meet the demand for certificates. This may mean that landlords have to delay the marketing of a property whilst they wait for an EPC to be produced, increasing the chance of a void period with no rental return.

“It makes sense for landlords to act now and commission any certificates that may be required well in advance. They should then be able to avoid any costly delays and there is no risk of a fine if the requirement for an EPC slips their mind at a later date.”


An EPC will be valid for 10 years when used for rental purposes (as opposed to the 12 month validity period for sales). This means landlords should already have a valid EPC for any property acquired since the introduction of Home Information Packs. Hendry continues:

“If refurbishments that improve a property’s energy performance are carried out before it is rented, the original EPC can still be used. It will be up to individual landlords to decide if it is worth commissioning a new certificate with an improved rating that will be more attractive to tenants. However, if a landlord splits a newly acquired property into several self-contained dwellings then an EPC will be required for each one. We would advise all landlords to visit www.communities.gov.uk as soon as possible to find out precisely how the new regulations will apply to their individual properties.”

Margo