NLA call for extension on deadline for efficiency standards

NLA call for extension on deadline for efficiency standards

12:43 PM, 4th September 2014, About 10 years ago 4

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The National Landlords Association (NLA) has warned the Government to tread cautiously in introducing minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector (PRS).

The NLA has called for an extension to the deadline for rented properties to reach minimum energy efficiency standards after the shambles introducing Green Deal finance into the sector. The warning was outlined in the NLA’s response to the consultation on the implementation of the provisions in the Energy Act 2011 to set minimum standards in the PRS.

Richard Lambert NLA CEO said,“the Government set an original implementation date of 1 April 2018 for all private rented properties in the expectation that Green Deal finance would be available from autumn 2012, and that it would be supported by ECO subsidy. As it turned out, Green Deal loans were inaccessible to private landlords until April 2014, by which time the restructured ECO was by and large unavailable to the sector.

“The Green Deal Home Improvement Fund proved to be an inadequate replacement, with all the funding for the 2014-15 financial year apparently allocated within seven weeks, and the prospects for future funding are now highly uncertain.

“This means that landlords have already effectively lost almost two years’ time to act and there is likely to be a hiatus in Green Deal applications until the future of the Government incentives has been clarified.

“Setting the backstop date by which all tenancies must meet the minimum requirements at April 2020 is too soon. Given the difficulties associated with the funding, which look likely to persist, we believe that it would be sensible instead to review actual progress in 2020 and to set a new ‘working’ provisional date of April 2023.

“It is vital that we prevent the situation arising where a responsible landlord, faced with the choice between not complying with the regulations or investing thousands of pounds in the knowledge that they are unlikely to recover the cost, let alone see a return, concludes that the rational business decision is to leave a property unimproved and empty.”efficiency standards


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Comments

Neil Patterson

12:45 PM, 4th September 2014, About 10 years ago

We have lost at least three years flaffing around with the Green deal that never happened

Malcolm

13:36 PM, 4th September 2014, About 10 years ago

OK, so what are the minimum energy performance standards? How can we aim to meet them if we don't know what they are?

Neil Patterson

13:59 PM, 4th September 2014, About 10 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Malcolm Ingham" at "04/09/2014 - 13:36":

For let residential or commercial properties the minimum EPC Rating will be E. Therefore F and G will not be allowed.

Neil Robb

19:54 PM, 6th September 2014, About 10 years ago

I find this very interesting as it seems you get a different rating depending who is doing the EPC on a similar type house.

I have a house that has had new gas central heating. Double glazing loft insulation energy light bulbs. But get the same rating as one that has not. I have bought a few lately some have a higher rating which have less things done to them.

I have applied and got some warm home grants but never get a new EPC when the work is done.

If it needs new PVC doors and windows I pay to put them in. So what you are saying Neil is as long as they meet the rating E you can still rent.

I would have thought a lot of my older properties with the improvement's would have rated higher. Plus I have a few new builds that only rate at EPC C.

What a complicated system we have.

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