From 1 April 2019, changes to the Energy Efficiency (Private Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 come into force.

This means from 1 April 2019 the ‘no cost to the landlord’ exemption will no longer be available and will no longer appear on the PRS Exemptions Register.

As a result, existing properties with the ‘no cost to the landlord’ exemption will be reduced so they do not appear on the PRS Exemptions Register after 31 March 2020 (instead of after five years). The Government has said that all affected landlords will be contacted directly at the start of April.

Under the new rules' landlords will be expected to contribute up to £3,500 (inc. VAT) per property to make energy efficiency improvements to raise a property’s EPC rating to a minimum of an E.

If the cost to achieve an EPC E exceeds £3,500, landlords will be able to register a ‘high-cost’ exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register providing that they submit three separate quotes from different installers that evidences a higher cost.

The ‘consent exemption’ will also no longer be available where a sitting tenant has refused a Green Deal finance plan.

Further Information

Information about the changes are summarised in the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy’s quick guide and the updated Domestic Landlord Guidance.

To also help ARLA Propertymark members understand the changes, we are updating the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards Fact Sheet which will be available soon.

Quick guide Domestic Landlord guidance