“We must all play our part in reducing the impact of global warming,” was the warning by Dr Carol Sweetenham, a Government spokesman at a recent conference in London. 

And a direct consequence of this is that, as from 1st October 2008 new legislation will require all landlords to provide a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) before they can put their property on the market for viewing to new or prospective tenants.

The EPC measures the heating and insulation efficiency of the house or apartment and will give a ranking from A to G, with properties having a low carbon footprint receiving an ‘A’ rating just like fridges and washing machines.  It will also indicate whether the rating could be increased by making improvements such as double glazing or loft insulation. 

“This has come as a great surprise to many landlords who are unaware of this new legislation”, says Stephen Goddard, Managing Director of A120 Lettings of Dunmow. “If their property is on the market, or becoming vacant, they should contact their letting agent to organise an EPC before they can show new tenants around. With an expected last minute rush to obtain a certificate landlords should get an inspection booked immediately. The good news is that an EPC will last for 10 years.”

Some important points regarding EPCs:

• It is a legal requirement for all new tenancies
• An EPC is valid for 10 years
• Landlords do not have to do any of the improvements suggested in the EPC, but it can be renewed at any time if works are performed to improve the efficiency of the property
• It applies to all residential tenancies regardless of tenure
• An EPC must be available to any prospective tenant before they have viewed the property or committed to the tenancy
• The tenant must be provided with a copy of the EPC before they start the tenancy. NB: This will apply to tenancies commencing in October even if the property was reserved before this date.
• A landlord may be able to claim a Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance by offsetting certain expenditure up to £1500 per property against their income tax. Please contact the local council for details.