Poor energy efficient properties could still be banned from rental market within five years – Letting Agent Today

Poor energy efficient properties could still be banned from rental market within five years

Tuesday 11th October 2011

Parliament has rejected a call to ban rental properties with an EPC rating below E from 2016.

But the Government has not completely ruled it out if insufficient progress is made by landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. Currently, it is sticking to its timetable of 2018, when it will ban rental properties with F and G scores.

But Lord Marland, minister in the Department of Energy and Climate Change, promised to keep deadlines for improving private rented sector properties under review.

Speaking in the House of Lords, he said: “If we do not see reasonable progress, we could consider acting earlier.”

The minister also refused to close a ‘loophole’ that would allow F and G rated properties to continue to be let as long as landlords can demonstrate they have improved their efficiency using the Green Deal scheme.

During the debate on the Energy Bill, the Government did make some minor amendments to the Green Deal scheme, promising to ensure Green Deal assessors “act with impartiality” and promising that the Government will report annually on the take-up of the initiative.

Are your properties ready if this does go ahead?