Landlords forced to get rental energy ratings

Greenbang’s landlord doesn’t really care that much about me. I’m still waiting for his ‘mate’ to come around and fix some dodgy leaky pipes in the bathroom.

Now landlords are being urged to pay attention to the energy efficiency of their properties with the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) for the rental market – before 1 October they were only required for properties being sold.

Valid for 10 years, the certificate will provide landlords and tenants with information on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions of their property in an easy-to-understand grade from A to G. The assessor will also provide a list of cost effective recommendations that can raise the property’s energy efficiency.

One problem is, three-quarters of people still don’t care much about energy efficiency when choosing a rental property (according to a YouGov poll). Things like location and proximity to nice shopping, bars and public transport still all trump energy efficiency hands down.

The other issue is the EPC doesn’t require the landlord to actually take any action to improve energy efficiency – it’s just advises. At the moment it’s hard to see who exactly benefits from these EPC certificates apart from the assessors who get a fee for each one.

The government’s communities minister Iain Wright said:

“The EPC should be welcomed by tenants who are looking for better value and more energy efficient rental properties, as well as landlords who are, more than ever, keen to attract responsible and committed tenants.”