How Bierce can help Landlords meet their obligations where an EPC is lawfully required

30th November 2017

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for Dwellings

The Energy Act 2011 requires all properties in the Private Rental Sector to have an energy rating of E or above from 1st April 2018. It will be unlawful to let a property from this date if the rating is F or G to new tenancies.

From 1st April 2020 the law will apply to all properties. 

Non-domestic properties (commercial) will have to follow the same requirements but all tenancies won't be encompassed until 1st April 2023. There is no obligation for a Landlord to spend any of their own money on energy efficiency measures (EEMs); they will only be required to use Green Deal Finance, ECO funding or other grants.

'Voluntary EPCs' have been introduced and will exempt an EPC which is produced by a landlord when there is no legal compulsion to do so; the landlord may be curious about measures that can be installed and could commission an EPC for their own interest, for example. 

MEES only applies if an EPC exists. If a property has been let since, say 2006 (before EPCs were introduced) and there is no EPC because there hasn't yet been a trigger for that EPC to be produced, then MEES cannot apply.

According to DCLG, listed buildings are exempt if they are registered on the Historic England website (or the Welsh equivalent) but clarification is being sought as there is an implication from BEIS that this may not be the case.

If a property cannot reach a Band E or above using Green Deal Finance, ECO funding or other grants an exemption can be sought (for up to 5 years).

Expert advice is required to ensure that all routes are explored and that exemptions are correctly relied upon. Penalties for failing to do so can be up to £5,000 along with a publication penalty (Landlord’s breach  published on a public  section of the register). Note that this maximum amount of £5,000 applies PER PROPERTY, and per breach of the Regulation.

 

How Bierce can help

Bierce can produce a draft Energy Performance Report to establish the current Energy Rating using the latest version of RdSAP, enabling us to advise on Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) to increase the rating and model the final Energy Performance Certificate. This is provided free of charge for properties that lawfully require an EPC.
 
If required, we can produce Green Deal Advice Reports to calculate Green Deal Finance. Bierce is happy to offer free guidance to Landlords to source ECO funding for EEMs or give guidance to Landlords for paid measures if ECO funding isn’t available or isn’t sufficient to cover the cost of install. 
 
We can assist registering a property onto the exemption register by producing a Chartered Surveyor's Report, if a Band E cannot be achieved after carrying out fully-funded measures.

We will lodge the post-EPC after completion of works. 

Whatever route is needed to compliance, Bierce can manage everything for a low, one-off fixed fee with no hidden charges.

Contact Nick Ainger for expert guidance on MEES

 

MEES Charging Points