Belvoir News Article

18/09/2008 - Belvoir Urges Landlords To Get Energy Efficient Now - EPC’s (Energy Performance Certificates) to become Law for all rental properties from 1st October 2008

Belvoir, Britain’s biggest lettings specialist, is urging landlords to take urgent action now to ensure their properties have a valid EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) ahead of new legislation which comes into force on the 1st October 2008. From this date, all rental properties in the UK must have an energy efficiency rating determined by an energy performance inspector who has visited the property and issued it with an EPC. “We expect many landlords to wait until October before applying for their inspection,” says Belvoir’s CEO, Mike Goddard. “However the rush to get EPC’s issued around this time may lead to delays, so our advice would be to act now to ensure that you already have your Certificate in place before it becomes Law.”

As dedicated lettings specialists, Belvoir are able to advise landlords and potential landlords on all aspects of letting a property and will only work with responsible landlords who operate within the correct legal framework. The imminent introduction of Energy Performance Certificates is just one of a number of recent legislative changes to affect the UK lettings sector that Belvoir can advise on. Mike said: “Landlords can contact one of our offices now and we will arrange for an energy performance inspector to visit his or her property and issue a certificate which will then be valid for ten years. This is something which landlords are going to have to do by Law from 1st October 2008 so we advise them to act fast and get the certificate issued before the legal deadline to avoid any delays.”

“We would also like to remind landlords that the cost of obtaining an EPC is tax deductible,” continues Mike. “Although costs may vary, an EPC should cost the landlord no more than £150.” From 1st October 2008, anyone letting a property must advise potential tenants of its energy performance rating (A – E) and clearly communicate this rating in any marketing materials relating to the property. When an EPC is issued, the inspector will include two different ratings. The first will be the rating of the property’s energy performance as it currently stands and there will also be a second rating, which shows what could be achieved if recommended works detailed in the inspection report are subsequently carried out. These might include installing loft insulation or replacing existing light bulbs with low energy light bulbs throughout the property.

“The better a property’s energy performance rating, the more attractive it will be to potential tenants, not just because of people’s increasing interest in sustainability, but also because the tenant is likely to enjoy lower energy bills,” explains Mike. “It is therefore in the landlord’s interest to find out their current rating as soon as they can and take the necessary steps to ensure it is as high as possible. Not only does this demonstrate that they are a responsible landlord, it will also help them to market their property to prospective tenants.”

Belvoir offer landlords the following energy saving tips to help them achieve a good energy performance rating:

• Insulating a loft can lead to a saving of up to £110 a year on energy bills * - a real selling point for prospective tenants.
  
• Installing cavity wall insulation is a quick and cost effective way to cut energy bills.
  
• Many tenants are put off by old or out of date heating systems, even if they are in safe working order (all gas appliances in a rental property much be checked annually by a registered Corgi inspector). Maybe now is the time to upgrade to a new energy efficient boiler?
  
• Consider installing energy efficient double glazed windows to replace any existing single glazed panes. These not only help to conserve energy, they also reduce noise pollution which can be a problem for some properties, especially those on busy roads or in city centres.
  
• Make sure your heating system is fitted with a thermostat and automatic timer to help cut down energy usage and your tenan
  
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