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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Council says it’s tracking down landlords with too-low EPCs

A council says it’s on the hunt for landlords letting properties with EPCs below the minimum standard. 

Working with Exeter Community Energy, the Labour-controlled Exeter council says it wants to ensure homes across the city stay warm and energy bills kept to a minimum.

Since April 2020, landlords can no longer let a property with an EPC rating F or G unless they have a valid exemption; the council says it’s currently identifying properties being let with an EPC rating below E. 

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It’s also making a public appeal to anyone renting or aware of properties with F or G ratings to contact the council - although the authority insists it is “keen to engage with landlords in the first instance to offer information and support.”

 

 

However, a statement from the council goes on to threaten: “If landlords fail to engage within a reasonable time period and make necessary improvements, the council may take action, including the issuing of fines up to £5,000 per breach, per household and a notice requiring works to be carried out.”

The council suggests financial assistance to make property improvements is available through Lendology, a Community Interest Company that offers low interest loans.

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    I have one F but do have an exemption on that .

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    I have 5 ‘C’ rest are all ‘D’ except one is an ‘E’ but for some reason other similar houses in the road have ‘D’ are we not suffering enough trying to keep the show on the road without every outsider lining up to have a pot at us with no input or cost whatsoever themselves. Good day

  • Neil Moores

    We used to have an F on a property which we were going to (and subsequently have, 3 years later) demolish once we gained the required planning permission. It had no wet heating system and single glazing so we had been renting it out to a young couple for 50% of the usual rent, because of that. In the last 2 years before we achieved the planning permission and demolished it the flat was empty because we had to serve notice on the couple or spent a huge amount of money getting it up to the right level, prior to demolishing it. The couple were not happy and neither was I. The irony was that it would have been perfectly acceptable for me to live in it.

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    After the exposure regarding the shameful way Croydon Council treat their tenants, these councils should be liking in their own back yard.

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    It's not just Croydon council, Norwich council are no different, how is it that councils and housing assocs can get away with seriously sub standard properties.

     
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    With all thats going on in the country this is suddenly a priority!!! Just an other excuse to rob landlords with another legalised theft scheme. They should get a life and help people in distress from this pandemic. All mine are a D so does not effect me yet. I`m not against improving things at all but the timing and true reason behind this sucks.

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    I have over 140 HMOs where I pay for the central heating which is on 24/7 and the EPC rating bears no relationship to the cost of the heating. In other words a property with a good EPC rating cost more to heat than an old Victorian building with a low rating. Neither does installing any of the energy efficient measures such as energy-efficient boilers, double glazing and insulation. I would like the energy conservation measures to save me money but unfortunately I have found that i have spent tens of thousands of pounds for no savings .

    As far as I'm concerned is the only thing true about energy conservation is the first three letters of conservation i.e. it is all a massive CON!

    I've spoken to council offices about this and I believe in the hearts they know that energy conservation saves nothing so you've got to question why they're doing what they're doing which benefits neither tenants or landlords.

    If anyone disbelieves me they're welcome to inspect my properties and the bills and you will not be the first person to do so . Those who have tried have wandered off scratching their head saying , 'but the book says it should'

    Jim Haliburton
    The HMO Daddy

    PossessionFriendUK PossessionFriend

    I guess the Local Govt ( Council ) are just following Central Gov legislation Jim.
    All I wish is a level playing field across Social and Council Housing sectors with regard to legislation, which there isn't.
    I did an interview week before last covering a lot of this - link is on front page of my web site.

     
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    Hi Jim, you are the first person i've seen in print that has written exactly what I found to be true. The so called 'A' rated boiler made no difference to my heating bills on my 6 bed HMO. An extra 200mm of insulation in roof. No difference again. The property in question is detached and built between 1905-10.
    New boiler in a 70's house that I lived in. Vailant A rated boiler and again no difference in my heating bills.
    Theories don't always work in the real world!!

     
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    I fully believe you Jim, this is all a big con

     
    Peter England

    Jim, Do you have any properties in Surrey/Sussex. If so I'm happy to take up the challenge and look at your bills and property. Tel: 0208 123 1473

     
    Philip Savva

    Nice one Jim, couldn’t agree more & well said, just more BS to contend with

     
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    Instead of chasing landlords maybe the council should fill in a few pot holes first.

     G romit

    They need the landlord fines to fund pot hole filling (and massive salary increase for Council executives).

     
    Philip Savva

    No they to look at there own Properties first, like those on tne news last week in Croydon, outrageous

     
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    What's the EPC rating of a cardboard box or railway arches?

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    Funny that they should announce this just as everyone is turning their heating off! As has been said before, tenants take no notice of EPCs when choosing a property and many expect to be able to walk around in T-shirts in January!

    EPCs a flawed and unfair - If you haven't signed my petition yet (and thanks to those that have!) search for 'EPC' on the Govt petitions website & it should pop up (unfortunately this website won't allow me to post a link ).

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    Dear Daddy how right you are an expensive con. I have a other Boiler broken down it won’t be 3 years until July. Engineer came done his checks & it’s the fan common problem with this model they say. Fan is a special and comes as a unit £400. Plus Engineer Bill it’s not worth that and I have no confidence left in it now, so it’s for high jump more scrap I thought we were trying to save the Planet, anyway no worries for Gov’ another £200. Vat.

  • George Dawes

    The ridiculous ways they assess an epc are laughable , another money making scam

    The two things that have the biggest effect are a condensing boiler and led lighting , the rest of the building can be a total wreck but somehow it gets a C .

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    LED lighting, only yesterday an electrician was explaining to me how too much LED lighting can make the breaker in the consumer unit fail to work, so we save a few pence on electricity but render the lighting circuit dangerous.

     
  • George Dawes

    I was quoted 13k to save £300 a year and it would still be C rated , SMH

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    • 28 March 2021 10:47 AM

    That is just normal and nobody controls it.
    Thieves again.

     
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    We have a new maintenance system if Boiler breaks down, you need a new Boiler mate, maybe just as well they don’t know by to fix and know a new one will work. I had a house ‘D’ EPC & advice to do cavity Walls, new condensing boiler, thermostatic valves all low energy bulbs, double glazing, increase loft Insulation, done all that a different assessor comes tells me he will emailing it to me and did, guess what another’D’.

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    Waste of time effort and a lot of money, and then the rent has to increase, but no one, not the landlord or the tenant, have gained anything, all total madness.

     
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    Lucky we have 1988 then, or there would be no private LL’s.
    What would Council’s do with no Cash Cow, they might actually have to earn their living
    which is not possible for them, so now they are involved in espionage.

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