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OTHER GUIDES & TIPS

New energy efficiency guide issued for landlords

A prominent energy industry organisation has just issued a new guide for landlords to improve their properties. 

The Energy Saving Trust - which describes itself as an independent organisation ”working to address the climate emergency” - claims renters will be hit especially hard by the cost of living crisis as they are unable to carry out significant energy efficiency home improvements to reduce costs.

The Trust says: “Landlords can support their tenants by offering energy saving advice and installing energy efficiency home upgrades. Summer is the ideal time to carry out these home improvements, before colder weather hits and energy prices go up again.”

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The guide suggests that a starting point is talking through Energy Performance Certificates with tenants, and then working on possible improvements over the summer.

 

The Trust suggests a familiar list of changes including insulation - solid wall, cavity wall and loft insulation - plus the installation of energy efficient boilers and the filling of draught gaps.

It then goes on to recommend double glazing windows and fitting energy efficient doors, plus the current government recommendation of heat pumps.

“Reminding your tenants to save energy and money, no matter who’s paying the bills, will help everyone” says the Trust.

You can see the full guide here.

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  • icon

    The guide says:
    The UK Government has announced changes to the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for England and Wales – all rental properties will need an EPC rating of ‘C’ or above by 2025 for new tenancies and 2028 for every existing tenancy. Not having a valid EPC could mean you face penalties of up to £30,000.

    Was I asleep and missed the announcement that this has been decided or is the guide getting a little ahead of itself and it's still a proposal?

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    Apart from the blatant misrepresentation of the actual rules - I'm sure your tenant will be very happy to have their floors pulled up while you lay insulation to save them £30 a year, or all their rooms uninhabitable while you install internal wall insulation before plastering & redecorating to save another £50 a year.

    Until the EPC assessment has been updated (perhaps by the end of the year for older properties) and until the law has been passed LLs would be fools to do anything other than the obvious - loft insulation, LED light bulbs.

    We need clarity not speculation & the Energy Saving Trust is out of order promoting proposals as fact.

    Bill Wood

    Somewhat more than misrepresentation. The report says
    'Landlords are required to get a new EPC every 10 years'
    This is factually wrong, if the tenant stays in place after the 10 year expiry date, a new EPC is not required.

     
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    That's true Bill, I have a couple of expired EPCs but until such time as I need to look for a new tenant there is no need for me to be doing anything

     
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    So they want me to talk to my tenants over summer on how we can get their non cavity wall up graded ? I know…. Evict them and sell the house. What utter patronising nonsense, I am not spending mad money to try and improve a property which will never reach a C, the government either lower the rating requirement or many thousands of us will be selling, I am a business not a charity.

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    If this is about helping tenants save money on energy bills the guide has missed several very easy ways to do so.

    Understanding heating controls and setting programmers appropriately makes big savings. Lowering the evening setting and using an electric throw cut the gas consumption in my house by nearly 4000kWhs over the last 12 months compared to the previous 12 months. That's over £300 at today's prices. More importantly, we weren't cold and the house wasn't cold.

    Engaging with solar panels is another big saving. Timing appliances to come on when there's most chance of solar energy. Installing a solar diverter so surplus solar energy that would normally be exported gets diverted to the immersion tank to heat the hot water. The gas bill for one of my HMOs with a solar diverter was £23 for the last 26 day period compared with £47 in an identical HMO that doesn't have solar. I know that most rental properties don't currently have solar but it is by far the easiest way to boost the EPC rating on any property with a suitable roof and really does lower energy bills for whoever pays the bills.

    Heat pump tumble driers are supposed to use half the electric of a standard one. I recently put them in my 2 biggest HMOs and haven't had any whinging about longer drying times yet so I guess they're OK.

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    I'm not doing anything until this nonsense is law and I know for sure what is needed, at that point I will decide on a one by one basics whether to spend the money or to sell, if I spend the money I will be looking for big rent increases

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    Thats been my feeling entirely throughout the last couple of years this 'debarcle' started. No measures until the epc, gives sufficient detail, is fit for purpose and of course until it becomes law- let's not allow our short memories to foget this government is one of bluster and u turns.

    In preparation though I have however sold a number of my properties (im sorry to add to the rental demand crisis but after 30 years of being a portfolio lanlord I need to protect myself).

    Government policy proving successful in the housing crisis again eh??

     
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    Saul - i suspect you are in the vanguard of the big sell off if this comes in.

  • George Dawes

    Extremely Pointless Certificate

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