Landlords and EPCs

Owners of rental properties (Buy to Lets) will be required to attach copies of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to each Shorthold Tenancy Agreement (STA) by October 2008. Portfolio landlords will benefit by planning to obtain their EPCs over the period leading up to this deadline. They will therefore be able to spread the cost over the period rather than be faced with a single larger bill.

From October 2008 Landlords in England and Whales will be required to give their prospective tenants an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before they let their property.

Landlords will be responsible for commissioning and paying for the EPC and providing a valid certificates to tenants.

The significance for Landlords is that prospective tenants will be given an estimate of how much it costs to provide heating, lighting and hot water before they rent a property. This gives tenants the opportunity to compare running costs as well as rents.

While Landlords will not be obliged to carry out the measures of the EPC, it must be made available to the tenants before the property is let. A copy must also be given to the selected tenant before the tenancy agreement is signed (except when an existing tenancy is renewed).

Even though there is a year before this comes into force, the National federation of Residential Landlords (NFRL) advise that Landlords should improve their properties before EPCs are introduced to achieve a better rating and reduce running costs to tenants.

"We urge Landlords to act now and take advantage of tax incentives, grants and discounted products" -Barry Markham, NFRL Chair (Landlord insight magazine, Autumn 07)

Find out more on our Grants and Support pages.

Back