6th
Apr 2016
From April this year all private tenants can ask their landlords to make energy improvements in their residences; however landlords will have to supply good reasons as to why they are refusing the request.
It is not all bad news as tenants will have to find the funds for the improvements as landlords should not incur the costs, unless it has been agreed to. Since July 2015 when the Green Deal was closed, funding from the government for theses types of improvements has ceased, so the costs are now the private tenant’s responsibility.
Of course these types of improvements will benefit both parties, as tenants and landlords will save energy costs as well as helping the environment.
Energy efficient rentable homes are always a priority for new tenants, with approximately 35% saying that it was important when choosing a place to live in.
A landlords’ spokesperson 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.”
At present legislation states that all landlords’ properties with an EPC (Energy Performance Rating) under E, must be improved to reach the criteria from the landlords’ own pocket, failure to do so will result in a £4,000 fine.
Landlords can refuse permission to go ahead with energy efficiency improvements in some instances. For example a different tenant had already requested improvements which were carried out six months prior to another request, which is the basically the same, or the improvements that the landlord had suggested previously, which the tenant had turned down.
Landlords are allowed to provide a counter proposal for a different method of achieving higher energy efficiency, in which case the tenant must accept the alternative.
From 2018 new measures that are included in the Energy Efficiency Regulations 2015, means that from then on landlords will be breaking the law if they grant new tenancies in properties under an E EPC rating.
In 2020 all privately rented ‘homes’ whether they are new or existing tenancies will have to have an E rating.
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