Landlords urged to get ready for October 1st
Sunday, June 15th, 2008Landlords and letting agents are being urged to get ready now for the October 1st deadline when EPCs will be extended to the rental sector.
Any rental property undergoing a change of tenant after October 1st will require an EPC to be produced and a copy shown to the new tenant. The EPC has a very long validity at 10 years and there is still much unease within the ranks of Domestic Energy Assessors who feel that the period is too long to cover what could amount to wholesale changes to the property, out of date energy costings on the certificate and an ongoing lack of work for DEAs.
David Lea of Hipright recently attended a workshop in London held by the Department of Communities & Local Government. When questioned on the life span of the EPC, delegates were informed that it was part of a European directive and even if the government wished to change the length of validity they would need the current system to have run for at least five years before they would make any decisions on its future.
Although many landlords and agents will undoubtedly leave it until the deadline to act, it is expected that in light of spiralling energy costs, many will take the initiative and act early by getting EPCs commissioned on their properties and possibly use these to promote lower running costs or planned future energy saving initiatives for their properties to potential tenants.
Hipright is a national supplier of Home Information Packs and a supplier of Energy Performance Certificates throughout the Midlands. For more information on HIPs & EPCs call Hipright on 0845 680 1875 or visit http://www.hipright.co.uk