Landlords warned to be ready for 2020 EPC deadline
The next deadline relating to the energy efficiency rating of rental properties will arrive in 2020, and landlords are being encouraged to start preparing for the deadline now.
New minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) were imposed from April 1st this year, making it a requirement that landlords upgrade their rental properties to ensure they achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of no less than E before they can be let for new or renewal tenancies.
But a second deadline is due to be imposed from April 1st 2020, which will mean that an EPC rating of no less than E will be necessary if a landlord wants to let a property at all, as it will apply to all tenancies.
However, according to research commissioned by Just Landlords, a provider of landlord insurance, in March this year, only 4% of the 400 landlords surveyed knew about the new legislation around EPC ratings.
Landlords are being warned that failure to comply with the new MEES could result in large fines of up to £5,000.
Landlords who do need to make improvements to one or more of their rental properties should act sooner rather than later.
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