Landlords face Green Deal ban and fines under new laws

Landlords must make sure their letting properties meet minimum energy efficiency standards or face a ban and fines as the Green Deal becomes law. The Green Deal aims to let landlords and homeowners carry out improvements to make their properties warmer and cheaper to run. As long as the upgrades cost no more than £10,000, the work is carried out for nothing - with the cost clawed back through energy bills. Repayments will be paid by whoever lives in the home and will be no more than the savings made through improving energy conservation, according to the government. This means switched on landlords will pay nothing out of their own pocket for the energy improvements - the cost is included in utility bills paid by tenants. Buy to let property investors must comply with the Green Deal from April 1, 2018. If a home fails to meet minimum energy efficiency standards - an E rating on an Energy performance Certificate - the landlord must not let the property until work giving the home a higher rating is carried out. Landlords who let a home that breaches the rules face fines of up to £5,000. The Green deal is part of The Energy Act, which also allows tenants to make reasonable requests to landlords for energy efficiency improvements that cannot be reasonably refused. "The coalition is doing all it can to bear down on energy prices, but insulation will provide the long term help to manage bills," said Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne. "The Green Deal will be as easy as ABC by making work affordable, providing bespoke independent advice and choice in the market from well-known and trusted high street names.” More details about how the Green Deal will work are due in separate regulations due to be released by the Energy Secretary. Find out more about the Green Deal: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/green_deal/green_deal.aspx

Landlord blog

Siobhan Smith

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