Councils fail to enforce EPC rules

Councils fail to enforce EPC rules

9:43 AM, 30th December 2024, About 3 days ago 9

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Councils in England are neglecting to enforce energy performance certificate (EPC) regulations in the private rented sector (PRS) which is undermining government efforts to improve energy efficiency, research reveals.

Tech provider Reapit sent Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to several major councils, including Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton, Birmingham, Leeds and Bristol, asking for data on the number of fines issued to landlords for non-compliance with current EPC rules.

Just 147 fines were issued across all the councils sent FoI with only Liverpool, Bristol and Newham issuing any penalties.

‘Rogue landlords who undermine the sector’

The firm’s commercial director, Neil Cobbold, said: “Millions of landlords across the UK provide high-quality properties, but we all know there are a small minority of rogue landlords who undermine the sector.

“By failing to investigate bad landlords who can’t provide a simple valid EPC certificate when a property is rented, councils are sending the wrong message to landlords who abide by the law.

“The inability to provide basic paperwork can point to wider issues with the property.”

He adds: “Lack of enforcement means unscrupulous landlords can continue to offer substandard properties without fear of getting caught.”

Lack of council EPC enforcement

The lack of council EPC enforcement appears to stem from inadequate funding and a reliance on complaints rather than proactive investigations, Reapit says.

One council admitted to operating an ‘intelligence-led approach’, relying on tenant complaints instead of actively pursuing non-compliance.

The councils also struggled to provide information on the number of PRS properties exempt from Minimum Energy Efficiency regulations.

Only 325 exempt properties were identified across all responding councils – and most of them couldn’t provide accurate figures.

‘Failure to enforce current EPC regulations’

Mr Cobbold said: “Widespread failure to enforce current EPC regulations also brings into question the government’s EPC C deadline, announced by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband.

“We estimate that over the next five years, landlords are being asked to collectively pay £24bn to upgrade their properties to an EPC C by 2030.

“But what is the incentive for landlords when the risk of being caught is so low and the cost so very high?”

He added: “Despite the lack of enforcement, the last thing agents and landlords need are more selective licensing schemes.

“The rules and regulations around minimum energy standards and EPCs in the PRS are clear – local authorities simply need to enforce them better or risk undermining the government’s energy-efficiency drive.”


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Martin Hicks

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10:12 AM, 30th December 2024, About 3 days ago

I have had 2 EP assessments for rented properties and I think both were generously interpreted by the assessor. I suspect that this was intentional to avoid a rating that could render either property to be thereby unrentable and tenant eviction an automatic consequence.

Northernpleb

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11:27 AM, 30th December 2024, About 3 days ago

According to His Company Reapit, It will take Landlords 14 years to break even on costs of EPC and cost Landlords 24 Billon pounds .
I presume this is increasing the rent each year on top of normal rent increases to pay for it.

For a pre 1950 traditional property moving from a D to a C will not be financially viable. So most of this rental stock will have to be sold.

Paul Essex

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12:22 PM, 30th December 2024, About 3 days ago

And of course it is deeply hypocritical for EPCs to be enforced by councils who are exempt!

Northernpleb

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17:02 PM, 30th December 2024, About 3 days ago

Reply to the comment left by Paul Essex at 30/12/2024 - 12:22
I have just checked one of mine out of over 200 properties in the crescent not one has a c rating .
I doubt any of the 900 houses in the area are a c.
1930 Semi detached

LL Minion

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17:21 PM, 30th December 2024, About 3 days ago

Reply to the comment left by Martin Hicks at 30/12/2024 - 10:12
not sure that would bother an EPC assessor. Makes no difference to them if the property met the legal standard to rent it out or not surely?

Wayne Church

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17:24 PM, 30th December 2024, About 3 days ago

Reply to the comment left by Northernpleb at 30/12/2024 - 17:02
If they are solid walled, then yes without insulation some will struggle to attain a band C. Cavity wall houses are much easier to improve.
I tell my landlords & agents that the biggest & often easiest method of improving the rating is to get rid of any secondary heating (especially electric fires), which can drag the score down by as much as 5pts.

Michael Holmes

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1:07 AM, 31st December 2024, About 2 days ago

Thank God they are taking a Nelsonian attitude to EPC rating. If they didn’t, the crisis in the PRS would overwhelm it in a few months, with most of the current rental stock having to close down. Calling landlords ‘rogues’ for trying to stay afloat in the current blitz of over regulation, energy cost increases and mortgage payment usury is somewhat like likening Kier Starmer to Santa Claus.

Northernpleb

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13:25 PM, 31st December 2024, About 2 days ago

Hi Wayne ,
Thanks for for your comment , I realise solid wall properties have problems achieving C grade .
The point I was trying to make is there are Millions of houses that do not have a C .
So why are private Renters, and Landlords singled out . To pay £10000 to possibly achieve this.

JamesB

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14:00 PM, 31st December 2024, About 2 days ago

Reply to the comment left by Northernpleb at 31/12/2024 - 13:25
£10000 per property would be getting off very lightly. Are people aware what tradespeople want per day in London?
I am in the process of ruining an 1899 Victorian solid wall semi that I have owned and had let successfully and with barely any voids for 25 years. The tenants happened to leave and I thought I would do some EPC upgrade work as an experiment. After 2 weeks of solid work we are still on the first room! Insulating the floors and walls has ended up meaning skirtings off, picture rails off, plaster off and full replacement of flooring and joists. Complete new ceiling in a bay and refiitting the previously badly installed UPVC windows. Insulating the external walls has basically meant that the ornate coving (That I previously restored myself) and woodwork is wrecked.
I think I will abandon the process after this one room and just sell the house. I consider it a massive failure in terms of financials - and I will not be doing this work to the rest of my portfolio. My whole portfolio will have to go as I don't have the desire to carry out back to brick renovations on perfectly presented properties.
I will sell to owner occupiers who won't have to jump through such ludicrous hoops. This country is mad and I do not wish to be a landlord here any longer.

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