Posted by Emma Child MARLA on Sat, 2012-01-07 12:22
Most will have heard about the “Energy Bill” in some form or other. We have just received an update in the legislation surrounding this matter:
The Bill was given the force of law on the 18 October 2011.
The basic issue is that:
• The Act includes provisions to ensure that from April 2016, private residential landlords will be unable to refuse a tenant's reasonable request for consent to energy efficiency improvements where a finance package, such as the Green Deal and/or the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), is available.
• Provisions in the Act also provide for powers to ensure that from April 2018, it will be unlawful to rent out a residential or business premise that does not reach a minimum energy efficiency standard (the intention according to the Department of Energy and & Climate Change is for this to be set at EPC rating 'E').
Before the deadline of April 2018, the Secretary of State will need to pass regulations so that a landlord can not let a property until the above has been complied with. There does not appear to be any indication of when this might be however, the current Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne has made his intentions clear about introducing the regulations.
The Act only applies at present to tenancies governed by the Housing Act 1988 or the Rent Act 1977 and so does not apply to Common Law or Company Let agreements but this could change and if it does we shall update. The other issue to note is that the Act does not apply where the EPC has been obtained prior to the Regulations coming into force.
Should anyone have any queries over the above changes please do not hesitate to call us at the office where we will be happy to help.
Emma Child MARLA
Lettings Manager
Emma has been working as a Lettings Negotiator in Tunbridge Wells since 2007, joining Alexandre Boyes in 2009, being promoted to Lettings Manager in 2011. Emma is involved in all elements of the letting process from viewings through to check out at the end of a tenancy. She became a Member of ARLA in 2010. Emma has grown up in the local area and enjoys spending her free time horse riding in the local countryside.
