Housing experts and charities call for EPC deadline for the PRS

Hi, I'm what has been termed an accidental landlord. I originally purchased a flat in London, a new build 10 years ago, to save on commuting, the flat was also used by my daughter for a time who worked for the NHS. Then came Grenfell and the cladding issues, followed by COVID. My flat became worthless overnight as it couldn't be sold until the cladding issue was resolved. This meant that I only had one option and that was to rent out the apartment. Getting help from the government has provided to be a very long-drawn-out process which is still on going.
The bottom line is that as soon as we have the cladding issue sorted out, I will be selling my apartment, due to the government's reforms, part of which includes the discredited EPC rating that doesn't take into account the actual energy usage (electricity bills). In my case I've been told that as I didn't have gas central heating, I would need to replace all of my electric heating and hot water system. The heating was only needed on the very coldest of days so the apartments annual energy costs have always been really low, and with this heating and water upgrade, it would be borderline to get from the current D to C.
Also, if I want to continue renting out my apartment the council are looking at implementing a registration scheme for landlords which would mean paying a yearly fee to go on the register (£800 has been mentioned).
I class myself as a responsible landlord, I haven't put up my rents now for 5 years also any problems with the apartment have been fixed as soon as they are reported, even though I have need to invest thousands into our appointment block cladding fund.
I'm sure I'm not the only landlord in this position. It appears that the cladding issue has disappeared, which I can assure you it hasn't and makes the interest rates pale into insignificant.
Might be worth one of your journalists reporting on this forgotten problem.

Ok all the costs for upgrading , go to the tenants. Older landlords will leave the PRC, the ones in it for the long haul will need to put up the rents. So the loser is the tenant.
All to save a few pounds on bills it does not make sense. Bit of a mess really. Less houses to rent also.

Make EPC's Great again!

The bolsheviks are having their day in the sun. Government funds the lobbyists to lobby the government for the sector to be regulated to the point of collapse, while importing ever more demand. All of that goes under the banner of free market capitalism, which we then say hasn't worked. Utopia awaits!

Reply to the comment left by Roger Leek at 19/06/2023 - 19:13
You aren't the only landlord in this position. Particularly when it comes to the EPC system a very high proportion of landlords is affected.

Ludicrous situation, EPC for commercial property completely different from private housing EPC metrics, if this government or the next thinks this will be the holly grail to resolve the energy efficiency of houses let them think again, the main casualties will be tennants as landlords sell up, its already happening as the so call regulation may come into force in 2028 for all tenancies ( not confirmed or made into law as yet) the rush to sell will be a stampede, with the rental supply side diminished, governments only know one thing how to make bad legislation with unexpected consequences.

Reply to the comment left by Fiona Wilks at 19/06/2023 - 10:14
Problem is, you've got people making the rules who have zero understanding of the PRS.
Most people who own their own homes won't have an EPC of C or better, but that doesn't seem to matter.
Who is going to do the mammoth amount of work necessary to comply with the new regulations, a lot of it, totally impractical? Who us going to pay for it, and who is going to sign it off when it's done, the incompetent EPC assessor?
Last year I replaced glazing in 3 one bed flats with double glazed units, council have told me to take them out and put old glazed, single units back in. Currently, it's gone to appeal. Why bother?
Us Landlords are viewed as the scourge of society, someone to beat with a big stick when the going gets tough. It's not our fault Goverment and Councils cannot provide the necessary housing, but having someone to blame takes the strain off them.
Seems we are the ones who also are going to save the planet because we will be the only ones with energy efficient properties. Good luck you lot!!

Reply to the comment left by EL1111 at 20/06/2023 - 10:23Yup stupid. If I followed the recommendations on my EPC for an all electric property. I could install underfloor heating costing around £3400 and reducing the bills by about £240 a year. Apart from the fact you couldn't do this with the tenant in situ it would mean the floor would be about 2" higher and would mean all the skirting boards, doors, electric radiators etc would have to be moved and refitted. Also recommended to have internal wall cladding which would mean each wall is around 2" thicker, reducing the room size, again at a cost of around £3000 and saving only £180 a year. External wall cladding is not an option as it would reduce the width of the entry at the side of the house and you couldn't get the bins through. Who comes up with this stuff ?

Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 20/06/2023 - 10:31
Yes, lots of us have similar stories, I'm in the same position. None of this benefits tenants. The EPC system is a good idea badly implemented. And like the recent changes to EICRS when someone comes out with an idea like this and implements it badly to look good in a sound bite it creates a gravy train for someone else. For electricians in the case of the EICR changes and for EPC assessors in the case of the EPC regulations. This doesn't benefit tenants. Tenants just pay for the gravy train and end up with a restricted choice of properties. Both cause higher rents.

The government needs to sort out the EPC system and sort out the tax system rather than doing something utterly stupid and incompetent like setting some kind of "EPC deadline" for the changes which is what this thread calls for.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 20/06/2023 - 12:41
Governments are not renown for making sensible decisions.