Council to crackdown on landlords with poor EPC ratings

Ha..ha..good luck Ms. Chambers.

The hundreds of HB & working tenants that have little/no chance of a PRS property as you`ve made landlording a poor business choice.

I feel they should look at their own stock.
I have just done a check on a street where I live and know they are council and not one has a valid EPC most expired in 2019.
I ask how they can impose a fine on Private Landlords when they are in breach of letting legislation.

Reply to the comment left by Sheralyne Stamp at 13/03/2024 – 09:53Housing associations who have taken over all our local council and social housing seem exempt from some regulation. As charities they do not need to be licenced and can claim back VAT etc. I am pretty sure they need to do gas checks but EPCs may be a grey area. Not even sure about up to date or 5 yearly electrical checks. They seem not to do 6 monthly face to face inspections. Certainly not 3 monthly face to face visits to check every property as insisted on by our insurance. The local expectation is for C grade EPCs moving to B grade by 2030 or before. I’ve no idea how to economically do that and not put rents out of reach. Will Housing Associations keep up and manage it? I doubt it.

they have these powers for years so why aren’t they enforcing them already?

Load of hot air and empty threats.

Good landlords welcome you hitting the LL’s that don’t comply so GET ON WITH IT! You only have to look at the PUBLIC epc register and cross reference with who’s paying the council tax bill to see if its not owner occupied . If its below and E and without exemption then start enforcement action!

Reply to the comment left by Fred M BARRETT at 13/03/2024 – 10:05The houses I refer to in my post are Council not Housing Association. Under Article 7 of the Directive, any building which is sold, rented out or constructed must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This must be issued by a qualified and accredited assessor in an independent manner. Once produced an EPC is valid for ten years.
Should Article 7 not state that Councils and HA are exempt?
https://www.ft.com/content/95090fd2-6a61-41b3-887a-b58fa898859d

Reply to the comment left by Sheralyne Stamp at 13/03/2024 – 09:53
“How”, simple, they are the state and the mask of personal and property rights has slipped, it doesn’t matter what you call it,but the objective is the same, stripping us of everything although there are useless Muppets who think they are doing ‘the right thing’ by chasing the Net Zero god or ‘leveling up’ nonsense which ceases to be nonsense from the perspective of the global South being moved to the global north.

Reply to the comment left by Sheralyne Stamp at 13/03/2024 – 09:53
You only need an in-date EPC when you’re selling a property or advertising a property to rent.

If a tenant is in a property when the EPC expires it is not not valid! When the tenant moves out then the property needs a new EPC.

Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012, a rental property is only required to have a valid EPC when it is being marketed to new tenants; therefore if an existing certificate expired during a tenancy, the landlord would have to obtain another before listing the rental and signing an agreement with new tenants.

Landlords of housing association properties must provide tenants with an EPC issued by an accredited energy assessor, unless the property is exempt. And council-owned residential properties fall under the same regulations as privately rented properties when it comes to EPC requirements.

I am sure there are a few PRS properties that are below an EPC E grade BUT in my experience there are vastly more council & HT homes that are lower than an E.
I know 2 HT tenants that live in F properties and one in a G. They have reported it to the HA, no action, were exempt, was the reply!

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 13/03/2024 – 12:57
Yes I am aware of EPC regulations relating to advertising and new tenancies, however my point is no matter if for marketing or expired EPC, they should have a current EPC.
just because a council house is tenanted and the EPC expires they should renew it
From 1 October 2008, an EPC will be required whenever a building in the social or private rented sectors is let to a new tenant.

As a landlord in the UK, I am deeply troubled by the recent policy changes regarding Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings and their implications for the private rented sector (PRS).

The government’s decision to cancel plans mandating landlords to achieve a minimum EPC rating of C has not only created uncertainty but has also given the opportunity for local councils, to exploit this who now seem to be implementing similar regulations for their own financial benefit.

What concerns me most is the potential for fines imposed on PRS landlords for issues such as damp, mould, and condensation While it’s crucial to address these problems, it’s equally important to ensure fair treatment and accountability across the board.

Penalising landlords without addressing similar issues within council housing raises questions about equity and fairness.

Furthermore, the ripple effects of these policy changes are driving landlords out of the market.
With the Renters Reform Bill looming, the situation becomes even more precarious.

Many landlords, myself included, are now considering leaving the PRS sector for good, further exacerbating the housing crisis.

It’s time for policymakers to reevaluate their approach and engage in constructive dialogue with stakeholders.

We need solutions that strike a balance between tenant welfare and landlord sustainability.

Failure to do so will only worsen the housing situation and undermine the stability of the rental market.

As a community, we must advocate for fair and sensible policies that promote a healthy and sustainable rental sector for both landlords and tenants alike.