Month: December 2020

New Policy proposals have been set by the government to take steps in improving the minimum energy efficiency standards across the UK. The government has committed to upgrade as many private rented sector homes as possible to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2030, where practical, cost-effective and affordable.

The policy proposal is set towards providing a number of benefits to landlords, tenants and the environment. It has been stated that the proposals will result in the following:

• reducing energy bills and increased comfort for tenants and supporting delivery of our statutory fuel poverty target of EPC C by 2030
• potential property value improvements for landlords
• delivering carbon emission savings over Carbon Budgets 4 and 5, making progress towards our net zero target

The goal is to improve the overall energy performance of the private rented sector in England and Wales. UK housing stock is generally older than in the rest of Europe, according to the consultation document. The potential for improvement is vast and will be a vital part of the governments strategy to meet its greenhouse gas emissions target of net zero by 2050. Privately rented properties make up 20% of the housing stock and are among the least energy efficient. They cost over £6bn in energy bills in 2018 and producing GHG emissions of around 11 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent a year.

The key aspect to the proposal is to increase the minimum energy efficiency standards for privately rented properties. Here at Blue Moon Certificates we carry out a survey of your home before producing an EPC report. The house is then placed on a colour-coded scale from A to G, A being the most efficient with the cheapest fuel bills.

Previously landlords in England and Wales were required by law to get an EPC rating of band E or above to let their properties to new tenancies or renewals. However, the government is now pushing to get everyone within Bands A-C. There are currently 3.2 million privet rented properties in England and Wales with an EPC rating of D or below.

Government Funding to Support Proposal
In order to improve the average EPC ratings, investment must be made by landlords and homeowners to improve their score. Your house’s EPC rating will depend on:<

• The amount of energy used per m²
• The level of carbon dioxide emissions (given in tonnes per year)

The government recognises the need for investment and as a result is in the process of investing £2bn in England into the “Green Homes Grant”. Providing at least £2 for every £1 homeowners and landlords spend to make their homes more energy efficient, up to £5,000 per household.” Applications opened in September 2020 and will run through until 31 March 2022.

Energy Efficiency Prioritises

It has been recommended to take a “Fabric First” approach to energy efficiency, prioritising insulation before looking at improving heat and electricity. Although landlords can make improvements in any order, below is the suggested list in order:

1. insulation
2. heating and hot water
3. windows and doors upgrades
4. electricity generation measures.

Introduction Strategy

The government look to implement a phased introduction approach. This means that they would apply to new tenancies from 1^st April 2025 and all tenancies by 1 April 2028. The goal is to give time for landlords to plan and save for improvements and encourage a “whole house” approach to improvements.

If you are a landlord or a tenant and are unsure on how these future changes could impact you, please get in touch and give us a call on. Here at Blue Moon Certificates, we are experts in EPC and can keep you up to date with all the latest news and providing certificates if needed. Alternatively, click here to look at some of the key ways that the proposal will impact penalties, compliance and duties for landlords and tenants.

As discussed in our previous blog, the new Energy Efficiency Proposal has been agreed and set by the government to take steps in improving the minimum energy efficiency standards across the UK. The aim is to raise the standard further to a ‘D’ rating by 2025 and a ‘C’ rating by 2030. ‘D’ by 2025 is already required in Scotland and the Scottish Government is consulting on an additional target of ‘C’ by 2030. For more information on how the government plans to help implement the energy efficiency proposal, please click here. Alternatively, to find out how it could impact you as a Landlord or Tenant then keep reading!

What do the new regulations mean for:

Landlords

• The requirement for landlords to install ‘fabric first’ measures e.g. insulation.
• The private rented sector to support the uptake of smart meters.

Tenants

• Tenants have powers to request improvements and redress where a property is in breach.

Penalties and compliance proposals

• Introduction of a private rented sector property compliance and exemptions database.
• The maximum fine level will be increased to £30,000 per property for each breach of the regulations.
• Local authorities will be allowed to use EPC Open Data, introduce benchmarking and inspect properties to improve compliance with the rules.

Requirements for letting agents

• It will be a requirement on letting agents and online property platforms to only advertise and let properties compliant with the rules.
• Landlords are required to provide an EPC prior to a property being advertised.

Cost cap and affordability proposals

• Introduction of an affordability exemption.
• Increasing the cost cap to £10,000 inclusive of VAT per property.
• Updated exemption regime to come into force on 1 April 2025.
• Investment into the “Green Homes Grant”. Providing at least £2 for every £1 homeowners and landlords spend to make their homes more energy efficient, up to £5,000 per household.”

Do you need a new EPC Report?

Here at Blue Moon Certificates, our team of experts specialise in providing EPC certificates across the UK. If you have ay questions in regard to the above information and would like to speak to an expert, please get in touch.

An electric safety certificate is a document stating that all electrical installations are safe and working properly. It is officially referred to as an Electrical Installation Report (EICR) and is carried out by a qualified electrician.

It is an assessment on the quality of your electrical installation. The electrics and cables deteriorate over time and so it is vital that the condition is checked for safety purposes.

To get a quote for an electric safety certificate in your area, please click here! Alternatively, for more information on what this includes then please read below.

The latest regulations for the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England), came into force on 1 June 2020 and apply to all tenancies created on or after that date in England from 1 July 2020.

These new regulations require landlords to have the electrical installations in their properties inspected at least every 5 years and tested by a qualified electrician. Landlords will also have to provide a copy of the electrical safety report to their tenants as well as to the local authority if requested

An electrical safety certificate (Electrical Installation Report, EICR) needs to be obtained to keep in line with regulations which are in place to protect landlords and tenants. A full EICR report will show the following:

• Find any potential safety risks, therefore detecting electrical faults which could cause shock or burns to humans or livestock.
• Reveal if the installation is safe to use
• Highlight any poor electrical work
• Check if electrical circuits or equipment are overloaded
• Make sure that earthing and bonding measures have been carried out properly
• Checking for flooding or water damage due to a leak

As explained, it is now a legal requirement to get each property inspected every 5 years and obtain an EICR which you will need.

Keep it for your records
Make sure you have a copy as evidence and to provide at your next inspection

For your tenants
The requirement is to give them a copy as evidence of the inspection.

Prospective tenants
You will likely get asked for a report which you will need to send within 28 days.

Local Authorities
You may be requested to show your report to local authorities and must provide this within 7 days or the request.

It may be the case that further investigations need to be carried out or work needs to be implemented to obtain the certificate. If this is the case, you will have 28 days to follow their recommendations. After the work is completed, you will then have a further 28 days to send written confirmation to your tenants and local authority.

For landlords found breaching electrical safety regulations there are serious charges that can apply. Since the latest regulations were introduced in June 2020, local authorities can fine landlords up to £30,000 if they are found to not be following the rules.

Here at Blue Moon Certificates, we provide fast, efficient and cost effective EICR reports across the UK. Book your inspection today with one of our team experts. If you have any questions about the information provided above, please give us a call on 0203 6338409 and we would be happy to help.