May
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will already be on your radar, with regulations stipulating that all rental properties must hold an EPC rating at E or above (unless exempt) since 1st April 2020. But new EPC regulations proposed for introduction in 2025 may alter the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) rating requirement to C or above. While many landlords will face improvement costs, the good news is that the deadline for existing tenancies has been extended to 2028. So, what does this mean for your rental property?
Obtaining A Certificate In Line With The New EPC Regulations
To obtain and EPC, a Domestic Energy Assessor will conduct and Energy Assessment Survey on your property to grade energy efficiency, assessing features of the property such as windows, the roof, walls and insulation, the heating system and boiler, and lighting, amongst other aspects like the properties dimension and age.
If your property is already under tenancy with us, then you will have an existing EPC. With tenants in situ, you will only require a new EPC when your current certificate expires, after 10 years, or if your current EPC fails to meet the regulations. Under the proposed new EPC regulations, Landlords will have three years from enforcement to obtain a C rated EPC for existing tenancies, required by 2028.
If arranging a new lease, your property will require an EPC at the rating of C or above as of 2025.
You can contact us to discuss your property’s current rating and for recommended steps for improving your property’s efficiency. Should you require a new EPC, we can arrange an Energy Assessment Survey through our trusted service providers.
Increasing the EPC Rating of Your Rental Property
With these regulations set to become law in just a few short years, landlords are potentially facing stressful and costly improvement works that could amount to thousands between triple-glazing, upgrading boilers and even installing solar panels.
As your agent, Philip James will advise on practical improvements and can instruct trusted and reliable contractors, as part of our Property Management Service, to complete essential work to obtain the EPC rating required to protect your rental income. The deadline extension, from 2025 to 2028, puts us in a favourable position to manage the improvements required to protect your tenancy over a manageable timeframe. Our vetting process for contractors ensures quality services for our landlords, resulting in maximised energy efficiency for your property without incurring unnecessary costs.
Our in-house compliance officers continuously audit to ensure that properties under our management meet regulations to alleviate stress for our landlords. And Philip James’ fees have recently been deemed fair for the affective turnaround by reputable quantity surveyors. Keir Dawson, Philip James’ Maintenance Manager, commented that, “All of our managed landlords benefit from having internal compliance officers and a large roster of contractors capable of delivering an extensive and complete range of EPC improvements, all within our 10-day turn around commitment and at competitive prices.” At Phillip James, our priority is protecting your existing and future tenancies and we are at your disposal to help you prepare for the new EPC regulations over the next five years.
