28th
Aug 2016
According to a new survey, around one in three tenants have recently contributed to energy efficiency improvements in their rented ‘homes’; this is despite the government’s legislation that put the onus directly onto landlords to upgrade their F and G rated properties, to meet the minimum required standard of E rating.
The new law was introduced on April 1st 2016, whereby if tenants ask for a better energy efficiency performance of its property and landlords refuse to carry out the necessary improvements, landlords could face a penalty notice.
An online property rental company’s research claims that 92% of tenants have stumped up for draft excluders for doors and windows, 71% have paid for boiler repairs and 7% for double glazing.
It also states that nearly 90% of the tenants contacted are desperate for their landlords to replace their existing boiler with a more energy efficient one. 78% asked their landlords to replace their draughty front doors, whist 48% want double glazed windows to be installed.
It has been estimated that approximately a third of a million privately rented properties in England and Wales, fall under the F and G EPC ratings and over the next few years these will be stopped from being rented out to tenants.
The government’s energy officials calculate that it will cost landlords to improve their properties to meet the E standard, will cost anything from £1,800 up to £5,000.
The online property renting company said: “Our research shows that it is falling on tenants to pay for energy improvements to their rented properties which are simply unacceptable. Many tenants are finding that their landlords are refusing to make improvements to the property, leaving tenants no choice but to dip into their own pockets.
“Tenants should not have to pay for roof insulation and repairs to old boilers when it is the landlord’s responsibility. The Government has recently given guidelines on the costs with a typical package of measures for a small semi. Gas central heating and low energy lighting is estimated at £4,000, loft insulation at £300 and cavity wall insulation at about £500. The Government will need to put measures in place to ensure that landlords are compliant – or the financial burden on tenants could be even greater.
“Landlords should comply with the current legislation that requires them to make energy efficiency improvements and they also should start improving their properties, if they have an EPC rating of F or G, so they are brought up to the required standard by 2018.”
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