Domestic rented sector minimum level of energy efficiency - consultation responses published
31 July 2018
This refers to the 2015 private rented sector energy efficiency regulation. Responses are now published and the main proposals are as follows:
- Proposal to remove the ‘no cost to the landlord’ principle within the current domestic minimum standard regulations;
- Where a landlord’s contribution is made to improve an EPC F or G rated property to EPC E, there would be a ‘cap’, a limit on the required energy efficiency spend, so that the maximum amount a landlord may have to pay per property would be no more than the value of the cap (a £2,500 cap was proposed);
- Where landlords can obtain third party funding for the improvements required, for example, through the Green Deal or local authority grant funding, they will not have to contribute their own funds, unless there was a shortfall. In that event, the landlord’s contribution would be such an amount as may be required to bring the property up to an EPC Band E, or as near as technically feasible, up to the value of the cap eg. Our analysis4 indicates however that a majority of landlords will need to pay significantly less than the cap to achieve the required minimum standard.
- The consultation also proposed a number of additional, consequential amendments to support these key proposals.
Read the full response clicking the right-hand link
Next Steps - responses will inform government's final decisions on amendments to domestic minimum standard policy. Government will prepare draft amendments to the regulation in Autumn 2018 - enforcement of new rules will be from April 1st 2019.
