From:
John Leary,
Sales and Marketing Director,
Emplas

There’s now little more than a year to go before strict new laws governing the energy efficiency of rental properties come into force.

Under the legislation any residential property rented after 1st April next year will need to achieve a minimum ‘E’ Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.

It means that residential landlords have between now and this time next year to bring the thermal efficiency of their properties up to scratch or be banned from agreeing new rentals.

Hefty fines for agreeing new rental agreements on properties which fall short of the minimum standard, after the law comes into force are also in place.

The driving force behind the legislation is the state of our existing housing stock and particularly the condition of rental properties. Much of our housing stock was built in the pre-war period and is notoriously ‘leaky’. What’s equally significant is that around 75 per cent of the residential properties that will be occupied in 2050, already exist.

This makes improving the energy efficiency of our existing housing stock key. With rental properties among some of the least energy efficient, the new legislation driving their energy efficiency is no less important.

That’s why the Government is taking it so seriously and why approaching local landlords and landlord associations, represents such a significant opportunity for installers.

As an added incentive to landlords to improve the thermal performance of their properties, the same regulations will come into force on those tenancies agreed before 1st April 2018 by the 1st April 2020.

Anyone who breeches the regulation will face a civil penalty of up to £4,000.

This legislation is less ‘carrot’ and much more ‘stick’. There’s a real incentive now to landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their residential property portfolios and for installers, that represents a very tangible opportunity for the window and door industry this year.

www.emplas.co.uk