Landlord EPC advice.

downshifter

Afternoon all. I'm a long-standing tenant and have been doing a bit of reading up today about the responsibilities my landlord is supposed to have towards me/his property, and in particular the EPC scheme.

As I understand it, next year, for an existing tenancy, he is required to get an inspection done then carry out any recommendations if the house is below E. The improvements should be done at no cost to himself (Green Deal etc). Hope I've understood this right. However, if he doesn't get an EPC done, how will anyone know?

This house is freezing and it would be lovely to get some better insulation. I had the loft done myself years ago and it immediately made a difference but is now below the minimum recommended. The boiler is ancient (as oil boilers go)and inefficient and there are other things that could be improved - walls are icy!

I'm going to discuss it with him and explain how it works (he won't know, he's elderly-ish and pretty crafty, keeps his head below the parapet and doesn't do online etc) but it's likely he won't bother with any of it. Can a tenant get an EPC done and apply for funding for these schemes if it comes out less than E or is there anything similar a tenant can directly apply for? I don't want him to get into trouble but would like him to recognise his responsibilities. Or alternatively, find a way to improve the place myself at no cost.

Advice gratefully received. Thanks.

DS

stator

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System

As it currently stands any works to improve the EPC rating of a house is capped at £2,500 as a cost to the landlord, this is currently under consultation but I believe will go up to £5000


Currently if the cost of improvement exceed £2,500 the landlord can apply for an exemption which I believe lasts for 5 years

downshifter

Ah thank you stator. I have been reading this:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/749021/Domestic_Private_Rented_Landlord_Guidance_-_June_18.pdf

Maybe it's been superseded? If he has to pay, then it will be a non-starter.

Thanks again, I'd better google a bit more thoroughly!

DS

tlc678910

Hi,
Unfortunately I think there would be a reasonable chance that faced with a property that needed major improvement to get an acceptable EPC he just decides to sell up so tread carefully if you aren't wanting to move.

I'm not suggesting you don't look into ways to improve things but if you push the getting an EPC/ telling him it's not legal to rent out (or won't be) he might decide to get rid.

I think causing landlords to sell up might be a likely effect of the policy - which would be absolutely fine if there were plentiful affordable homes of a good standard - but if there were landlords wouldn't be able to rent out homes like yours anyway as tenants would choose to rent elsewhere.

Tlc

G_M

He should already have an EPC. Has he?

How long ago did your tenancy start? Depending on the answer, if he never gave you an EPC then he might already be in breach.

If there IS a current EPC (it's valid for 10 years) then he does not need to get a new one next year. But if the current EPC is an F or below, then yes, he will have to either

* evict you and stop letting the property
* upgrade the property and get a new EPC (E or better), or
* apply to register the property on the PRS Exemptions Register.

downshifter

Morning

Thank you so much for all the responses. I've been here for 15 years so before the EPC rules. Over the years I've learned which battles are worth fighting with the landlord and which not - he tends to treat most of the rules and laws as a joke and a challenge to be beaten! This will probably go the same way.

Thanks G_M for summarising the rules; from my reading of the lengthy document I seem to have got it about right. My only question is though, how is this policed? If he doesn't even hit the starting blocks by getting an EPC inspection done, then the ensuing steps, eg exemption and so on, don't come into play.

I'll bake a cake and have a chat with him in the next few days. Both I and this old house, deserve to be warm enough!

Thanks again for all the clarification and views.

DS

stator

If the landlord doesn't comply with the law it makes it harder for him to evict you, so kinda gives you a bit of an advantage over him in a perverse way.