Agency requires reformed EPC system

The Power Efficiency Certificates system must be revamped to extra precisely show a property’s vitality standing, accreditation scheme Elmhurst Power argued.

The group mentioned an improved EPC would present vitality price, in addition to the property’s vitality use and carbon emissions to ship a extra correct vitality effectivity image.

This is able to advise the proper measures for bettering a property’s vitality effectivity for the long-term and allow landlords to plan their investments. It’d imply comparatively cheap installations comparable to loft or cavity wall insulation and would additionally ship confidence of their selection of low carbon heating methods comparable to warmth pumps.

Stuart Fairlie, Elmhurst’s managing director, mentioned: “To assist landlords in making their properties extra vitality environment friendly for tenants, we should first have a real image of their present vitality efficiency – one thing we don’t have in the meanwhile. It is important we revamp the EPC to assist landlords in making the proper enhancements to satisfy EPC band C.”

“In opposition to a backdrop of rising gasoline poverty, environmental pressures and vitality safety issues, EPCs are coming in for lots of scrutiny and criticism,”

“That is comprehensible, because the EPC because it exists now could be over 15 years outdated. It was designed then merely as a price metric, displaying how costly or low-cost a house is to run. However scrapping EPCs altogether could be a vastly backwards step, leaving us with no benchmark to work from to work in the direction of carbon internet zero housing inventory.

“The brand new EPC should embody the proper information – the three Cs of vitality price, vitality consumption and carbon emissions. The fee measure would assist tackling gasoline poverty and residential operating prices by displaying suggestions to cut back vitality payments, the vitality consumption measure would illustrate scale back vitality use, and the carbon emissions determine would assist coverage selections on lowering carbon emissions to achieve internet zero.”

Elmhurst has revealed a truth sheet on the present state of minimal vitality effectivity requirements (MEES) within the personal rented sector in England and Wales.

Readability wanted on EPC deadline

Landlords have to know the true vitality effectivity of their property and have a deadline for enhancements to calm fears round the price of staying inside the regulation, accreditation scheme Elmhurst Power mentioned.

The scheme argued that fast-tracking the federal government’s proposed EPC revamp is a ‘should’ to assist the personal rented sector.

Additionally it is urging affirmation of whether or not all rented properties in England and Wales might be required to satisfy a goal of EPC band C by 2028 or earlier, underneath Minimal Power Effectivity Requirements (MEES) Laws – a problem underneath session since 2021 on which information isn’t anticipated till 2024.

Landlords are already nicely superior of their readiness for any larger requirements; the latest ballot suggests about 80% of landlords have already accomplished vitality effectivity works in response, and over 60% of properties held inside their portfolios are already rated C or above.

Fairlie added: “Personal landlords are understandably involved concerning the property improvement-related regulatory adjustments coming their method, however most of those fears aren’t primarily based on truth.

“Many landlords might be extra ready than they suppose.

“To calm issues, we’d like absolute readability on the deadline for making vitality effectivity enhancements to EPC band C, readability at a coverage degree on how our housing inventory reaches carbon internet zero, and readability on the extent of financial assist landlords will obtain for making vitality effectivity enhancements.”#

The organisation’s 2023 almanac, ‘Turning the Dial’, delivering 10 asks for UK authorities to hurry progress in carbon internet zero. Its name for change to EPCs would additionally assist progress on the Authorities’s EPC Motion Plan and different present initiatives to enhance EPCs.