Tenants now have the right to request energy improvements

Tenants now have the right to request energy improvements

17:01 PM, 31st March 2016, About 8 years ago 4

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From 1st April 2016, tenants have the right to request consent from their landlords to make energy-saving improvements for the properties they rent.energy

Landlords will not be able to refuse their consent without good reason, but tenants will need to ensure that they have a way of funding improvements at no cost to the landlord, unless otherwise agreed. This may prove difficult, as it was originally expected that the Green Deal, which was closed down in July last year, would provide much of the funding for this initiative.

Making these improvements can be beneficial to both tenants and landlords, saving on costs and having a positive impact on the environment.

A property that is energy efficient can also be an attractive prospect for potential tenants. According to a recent survey by the National Landlords Association (NLA), 35% of tenants said they considered the energy efficiency of a property to be an important factor when choosing a place to live.

 

Richard Lambert, Chief Executive Officer at the NLA, said: “We encourage all landlords to think about how they may benefit from making energy efficiency improvements, as many can be made with little or no upfront cost, and can have a positive impact on the lives of tenants, their lettings businesses, and the environment in general.

“Lower fuel bills and more comfort mean that tenants may be inclined to stay for longer, thus reducing void periods.”


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Comments

Robert M

9:03 AM, 1st April 2016, About 8 years ago

I have found that there are still schemes available for tenants on certain benefits to get new boilers supplied and installed for free, if the EPC space heating score warrants this,

Where the tenant is on the qualifying benefits, but the EPC space heating score is not enough, then the boilers can be supplied and installed for a £250 landlord contribution.

Either way, this is a massive saving for the landlord, which provides more comfort, reliability, and cost savings for the tenant.

Jure Mraovic

12:59 PM, 4th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Hi!

Just a quick question: where can I apply for the boilers? I'm a newbie and currently run one buy-to-let on my own.

Robert M

12:19 PM, 7th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jure Mraovic" at "04/04/2016 - 12:59":

Hi Jure

If you send me your contact details I will pass this on to the free boiler supplier and he will give you a call to check that your tenant is likely to qualify. You can get in touch with me at: robert.mellors@hotmail.co.uk

Jay James

17:23 PM, 7th April 2016, About 8 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "Jure Mraovic" at "04/04/2016 - 12:59":

I googled "boiler" on my county council website and got this:
http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/site/scripts/google_results.aspx?q=boiler
from which I got the first item as a pdf.
Most of what is there will apply across England.
Google also Charis Grants and the equivalent council for your tenants area.

Word of warning: these need to be arranged by June and works done by July
Charis and energy companies can confirm this.

Be prepared to do an awful lot of research.

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