Landlords and Letting Agencies...
Recent changes in legislation require Landlords to provide completed Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to their prospective tenants from 1st October 2008. A valid copy of this certificate should be made available to all prospective tenants prior to re-letting or renewing contracts on your property.
Some landlords are already well engaged in getting the EPC survey done prior to the end of existing shorthold tenancy agreements. This will help prevent rental voids.
What is the effect of an EPC?
The Certificate includes recommendations on ways to improve the property’s energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment.
In an already competitive letting market, this could provide you with the differential to your property for discerning prospective tenants who will stand to gain by receiving lower heating & lighting bills from energy efficient properties.
The EPC is valid for 10 years and covers the complete building irrespective if you have rented out the property on a room by room basis. The EPC and property details must be made available free of charge to a prospective tenant at the earliest opportunity and no later than.....
- when any written information about the building is provided in response to a request for information received from the prospective tenant; or....
- when a viewing is conducted; or....
- if neither of those occur, before entering into a contract to let.
An Energy Performance Certificate does not have to be made available if:
- the landlord believes that the prospective tenant is unlikely to have sufficient funds to rent the property or is not genuinely interested in renting that type of property; or
- the landlord is unlikely to be prepared to rent out the property to the prospective tenant (although this does not authorize unlawful discrimination)