Ed Miliband ready to challenge landlords over EPC C targets

It’s probably true that ‘the poorest people in our country often live in cold, draughty homes’.

Maybe we could the poorest people more wealthy?

All but one of my properties is EPC Rated C.

However, it would be a disservice to the poorest people in our country to impose expensive energy performance improvements that cause rents to rise by more than they save in lower energy bills. Worse, it would be bad news if the so-called energy improvements increase the risk of damp and mould.

The one property that I own that is EPC Rated D could be EPC Rated C if I chose to fit Solar PV. Why should I when Labour plan ‘to make Britain a clean energy superpower - to cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030’ (according to their website)?

If GB Energy is going to ‘provide green energy by 2030’, I don’t need to increase my tenants rent to fund Solar PV.

Dear Mr Milliband
You can try and fight with me all you like, but you won't win. IF (that's a big if), I still have any let property left at the time, I will not be paying out £000s with a return of pennies to engage with your vanity project. I will sell instead.
I am all in favour of climate initiatives, but ill conceived ones such as this which is discriminatory (only PRS LLs), where the EPC score is so arbitrary and does not align with the climate change objectives, is not a game I plan on playing.

Rents will rise to help private landlords fund EPC improvements.

I assume Labour is willing to accept an increase in the Housing Benefit bill.

It’s not about saving poor people a few quid. It’s about having the generating capacity to power 1.5 million homes for migrants.

The Labour lot would have BROKEN PRS by then and hopefully a new government in 2029 can put us back together again.

In New Zealand section 24 has just been reinstated by the non Labour government.

The problem with living in ivory towers is that you lose touch with reality.

It's a great sound bite, bash the evil landlords, help the cuddly tenants, but is totally impractical for a lot of properties and could end up causing more harm than good.

There may be trapped moist air due to additional insulation - then, no doubt, the evil landlord will be blamed for more mould. Nothing to do with cuddly tenants not ventilating rooms and leaving wet laundry everywhere.

I have one remaining property, an 3 bed Victorian terraced, out of a previous 14, more of a favour to long standing tenants who don’t want to move than anything else.

ONE point off a ‘C’ rating with no cheap options to improve the rating. Rent is well behind the market at £520pcm. The proposed £10,000 spend cap is more than 10% of the property value.

The house is not cold or damp, the tenants are very happy there - other than piping the copious amounts of hot air produced by Ed Miliband and Ben Twomey directly into the property (and Polly can chip in too), have these dreamers any suggestions on avoiding a big hike in rent to pay for the minuscule saving on the tenant’s gas bill or the sale of the property to first time buyers who will likely be satisfied with the current top of band D rating?

It would be useful if EPCs were consistent. Two different assessors will often come up with scores that are at least 10 points apart.
A great many people don't realise the importance of having every piece of evidence readily at hand during an EPC assessment. Receipts, Building Control certificates and photos. Having that evidence can remove the "assumed none" scores. It doesn't always work as some assessors will say the Building Control certificate doesn't state the thickness of the insulation and if the photo is close up enough to see the tape measure it could have been taken at a different house.
It would also be useful if assessors would restrict the recommendations to things that would actually work. What is the point of saying the only way to get to EPC C is to install solar water and solar PV if the roof is too small and too shaded?
If the recommendations started with the cheapest, easiest to retro fit stuff and eventually got to works that require the tenants to be evicted there would be far greater engagement. Low energy lightbulbs, decent heating programmers and more loft insulation are straightforward and highly effective in most properties. Solid floor insulation and internal or external wall insulation is disproportionately expensive and impractical.

And social housing providers (not the PRS who provide the equivalent buy renting to those on benefits that the Local Authorities don't have properties for) don't have to have EPC by 2030.

And who will be paying for the LA's to upgrade? The Council Tax payers and the income tax payers of course

I'm currently a tenant. I was seriously considering becoming a landlord (under the Tories) as I'm about to inherit quite a lot of money from Australia. Thankfully, I have no inheritance tax to pay as I'm not a British national and we don't have this tax in Australia....yet!
Our plan was to buy (many) BTL properties up in the NW of England, refurb them and rent them out.
But after reading and listening to all the material currently being posted online about the proposed changes, there is no freaking way I will invest in property....too much hassle, for less and less return and then I'm going to be slugged even more when I decide to sell when the Gov't raise CGT.
There is simply no incentive to own BTL properties. No tax incentives...and this ludicrous idea that I'd have to wait 12 months to get possession for a tenant in arrears? God help those with mortgages attached to those properties.
And to top it off, this ridiculous EPC rating...what about all those older style Victorian properties that simply can't be insulated? or the ones that can, it's going to cost £000's, meaning my yield is going to be even less!

Prime Minister, if you think we have a housing crisis now....I shudder to think what will happen after these new laws pass.

The whole thing is a complete joke.

Reply to the comment left by Nick C at 24/09/2024 - 11:48
Nicely summed up Nick