Holiday Lettings news - Energy Performance Certifcates now required for residential landlords

Energy Performance Certifcates now required for residential landlords

From today, residential landlords in Britain will need to be able to show potential tenants energy performance certificates (EPCs). EPCs are already a mandatory part of the Home Information Pack (HIP) but now need to be available for residential lets. EPCs are said not to be required for short-term holiday lets.

The EPC displays the energy efficiency of a property and from today needs to be available for prospective tenants to view. However, Communities and Local Government has said that an EPC is not required for properties used for holiday lettings.

However, long-term lets in holiday properties in Britain do not appear to be exempt: if a property usually used for holiday lettings is being rented to the same person for more than three months, an EPC will required, according to selfcateringholidayhome.com.

Buy-to-let investors should be aware of the new EPC requirements, reports The Guardian. The EPC will give the property an energy rating on a scale from A to G; A being the most efficient. The EPC will also contain advice on how to improve the efficiency of the property in question as well as the cost of any improvements and estimated savings. Landlords are not, however, required to carry out any of the improvements.

EPCs cost between £50 and £150, depending on who the energy assessment is carried out by. Landlords not complying with the new legislation risk a £200 fine.

A list of accredited energy assessors can be found on the Landmark Information Group website - hccregsiter.com.

This story was brought to you by holidaylettings.co.uk, the UK's No.1 holiday home website.

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