EPC – contact your MP?

EPC – contact your MP?

10:57 AM, 3rd April 2023, About A year ago 36

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Hello, I’m a landlord with 4 flats that turnover less than £5k per annum each. They will never reach an EPC C. I can apply for exemptions once I have spent up to the £10k (more than 2 years turnover, not profit) on each flat.

I’m so annoyed with the stupidity of this legislation. It is based on an EPC that isn’t seen as fit for purpose by the climate change committee. The consultation that closed in January 2021 hasn’t been commented on.

There is a lot of really intelligent sensible stuff written on this site about this BUT who is listening?

Because I feel so powerless in this and want our voices heard I have been in touch with my local MP and I think any landlord in my situation should do the same.

Explain to them the situation about these regulations driving landlords from the PRS and ask them to speak on your behalf when these new regulations eventually get to be debated in Parliament.

Because of the housing crisis in the UK, every MP has a duty to protect the availability of cheap housing in their area or allow the increase of homelessness. Most of us in my situation have “substandard” homes that are warm, dry and affordable.

Say to him or her to highlight the detrimental effect a blanket £10k cap on spending (no matter what the income generated) could have on the PRS in in their constituency.

Ask him or her if they could suggest in such a debate that short notice to put in improvements when there is a shortage of skilled labour in the country is not enough time? The finalised regulations are 2 years off and yet there has still been no response to the January consultation.

If these regulations are not debated and finalised soon the wait for works will be enormous. At present, if I want a new window from a reputable firm the wait is 10 months and all the insulation contractors are doing lucrative grant paid for works and are not interested in small jobs like mine.

Ask your MP to point out that the EPC as it stands is not seen as fit for purpose by Lord Deben, the chair of the climate change committee, and as these measures are about making our housing stock more energy efficient then perhaps addressing the shortcomings of the EPC should come first? Perhaps it is possible to delay these new regulations and concentrate on that instead.

I actually think that last point about EPCs is really the most important … surely we should have a measure of energy efficiency that is fit for purpose?

So keep complaining on these pages but take your voice to where it might be heard please….and I know you’ll think what’s the point!

But if every MP in every constituency heard us maybe some sense could prevail …. You know, in the time you read this you could have rung your MP and made an appointment at their surgery.

Thank you,

Susan


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Comments

Jireh Homes

9:54 AM, 8th April 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by TJP at 03/04/2023 - 16:02
In Scotland the direction of travel is for the same minimum energy efficiency standards to allow to both the private rented sector and owner-occupiers.

Robin Pearce

11:15 AM, 8th April 2023, About A year ago

1000s of tenants face eviction due to unattainable EPC targets on rental properties.

Example: To obtain Band C on some ground floor flats including one I rent out, will involve digging up the entire floor & insulating it.

So the tenant will need evicting, no rent for some weeks & £thousands spent. Most landlords will just sell up. As I shall.

Yet there's a serious fundamental flaw using EPC software as it is currently programmed.

Because the government's aim is net zero by 2035. But EPC software doesn't even take into account electrically heated properties are lower carbon footprint than gas because around 45% of electricity is now generated from renewable sources.
So at present in many cases gas heated flats have a higher carbon footprint than electrically heated yet have a better EPC rating because the EPC software is geared up to running costs, not carbon footprint.

So there'll be massive upheaval based on wrongly programmed software !
Now add in this factor.. Legal net migration 500k a year +illegals = 4000 new homes needed every week !!!

Most people migrating to live in the UK move into rental property when they arrive. So this government are boosting the demand to an unprecedented level whilst throttling the supply with their war on private landlords. Crisis looming

I wrote to my MP who forwarded my concerns to Lord Callanan who's overseeing all this.
Who then replied with a generic letter with no mention of adjusting EPC software to allow for green electricity !

I've since heard they will probably adjust EPC algorhythm for renewable component of Electricity.

Is so then all electric flats should be bumped up by one or two EPC bands. We'll see

JeggNegg

15:38 PM, 8th April 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Richard Phillips at 04/04/2023 - 09:19
to Richard P re your qu to me 4/4/23 at 09.09
apologies i saw your reply and completely missed there was a question.

i purchased property (2 self contained flats on same freehold) in sept 2021. i understand the landlady moved in 2017, to the smaller basement 1 bedroom flat No 20 to make room for a new tenant in the bigger 2 bedroom flat No 18. so an EPC was required, and the tenant exchanged flats in 2017,

Brian Strickland

7:34 AM, 9th April 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 03/04/2023 - 11:51
Latest register of interest suggests 190 mps own BTL’s

Barbara Gwyer

13:12 PM, 11th April 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by Richard Phillips at 03/04/2023 - 13:20
Absolutely no idea. Most of the block is owned by Wandsworth Council and they're not going to do anything unless the government forces them

dolly day dream

13:16 PM, 14th April 2023, About A year ago

Reply to the comment left by david porter at 03/04/2023 - 11:42
thats exactly what i am doing. Its a very stressful minefield. life is too short for all this.

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