As experienced letting agents and landlords you will be aware of potential upcoming changes to EPC requirements by April 2025. EPC Changes. The government consultation ended in Jan 2021 which specified all residential rental properties to be an EPC 'C' by April 2025 for all new tenancies and by April 2028 for all tenanted properties, currently all let property must be a minimum of an EPC 'E'.
At the moment as part of our inventory process we check the EPC for the property for 2 purposes.
At the moment as part of our inventory process we check the EPC for the property for 2 purposes.
- That the property has a valid EPC
- That it is an 'E' rating or above, drawing attention to the landlord and agent that they should start planning for the future if it is a 'D' or 'E'. At the moment we can't make any assumptions as this is still a government proposal but we can better prepare.
'As part of this planning process we have spent some time talking to experienced people in the industry to better help us understand the impact and what landlords and agents can do to better prepare. We recently spoke to Pauline Thomas at Creative Green Energy an experienced DEA (Domestic Energy Assessor) who gave us some insights as to how agents and landlords can better prepare their properties for improved EPC ratings. Here are some of her tips.*
As an experienced DEA their top tips are:
1. Read your EPC and ensure the basic details are correct - size, property type.
2. Look at the elements such as walls, heating type etc to ensure that they are also correct.
3. Complete ‘all the possible improvements’, the government doesn’t define that, these include where relevant - cavity wall/ loft insulation, all fitted lights low energy, glazing double/ secondary/ triple, efficient heating and hot water, controls which include programmer/ thermostat and TRV for GCH.
Generally speaking when all these are present a property could improve the rating potentially to a 'C', other factors do apply such as ground floor and top floor flats, very large or small property, urban or rural settings.
4. Note when the EPC was produced as algorithms change over time.
5. Ask the DEA who produced your last EPC to re-run as a draft EPC as is, and also with all possible improvements indicated, (as relevant and as per list noted in item 3.). You will then have a good idea of what is needed and have a predictable outcome.
6. Find out what funding is available, inform your tenant about ECO4, offer support with the application/ install. Source funding for landlord as offered by boroughs like the City of Westminister. Act now to make improvements.
Further improvements like solid wall and floor insulation could improve the rating even further potentially to a 'B'.
We are not sure exactly when the new legislation will come in, we do know that improved properties are cheaper or more efficient when heating is used, will be cooler in the summer, also future proof.
We hope you find this information useful.
If you want to talk to us about this, or getting high quality inventories and check ins conducted for your properties by an experienced property team then do get in touch with us.
*The opinions given above are those of the assessor at Creative Green Energy and do not reflect the opinions or views of Clear Property Service Company its affiliates or employees
As an experienced DEA their top tips are:
1. Read your EPC and ensure the basic details are correct - size, property type.
2. Look at the elements such as walls, heating type etc to ensure that they are also correct.
3. Complete ‘all the possible improvements’, the government doesn’t define that, these include where relevant - cavity wall/ loft insulation, all fitted lights low energy, glazing double/ secondary/ triple, efficient heating and hot water, controls which include programmer/ thermostat and TRV for GCH.
Generally speaking when all these are present a property could improve the rating potentially to a 'C', other factors do apply such as ground floor and top floor flats, very large or small property, urban or rural settings.
4. Note when the EPC was produced as algorithms change over time.
5. Ask the DEA who produced your last EPC to re-run as a draft EPC as is, and also with all possible improvements indicated, (as relevant and as per list noted in item 3.). You will then have a good idea of what is needed and have a predictable outcome.
6. Find out what funding is available, inform your tenant about ECO4, offer support with the application/ install. Source funding for landlord as offered by boroughs like the City of Westminister. Act now to make improvements.
Further improvements like solid wall and floor insulation could improve the rating even further potentially to a 'B'.
We are not sure exactly when the new legislation will come in, we do know that improved properties are cheaper or more efficient when heating is used, will be cooler in the summer, also future proof.
We hope you find this information useful.
If you want to talk to us about this, or getting high quality inventories and check ins conducted for your properties by an experienced property team then do get in touch with us.
*The opinions given above are those of the assessor at Creative Green Energy and do not reflect the opinions or views of Clear Property Service Company its affiliates or employees