Retrofitting to benefit from energy efficiency requirements

With the introduction of the new Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), it will become illegal for landlords to rent out properties that have energy efficiency ratings of F or G on the property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

Landlords will have to accept reasonable requests from tenants to install energy efficiency measures from April 2016, and by April 2018, rental properties will have to fall under EPC bands of E or above.

The MEPS will aim to tackle the issue of energy inefficient homes in the private rental sector – which has previously been overlooked by energy efficiency regulation.

First drafted in 2010, MEPS legislation has been delayed for several years after the conservatives in the coalition government were reluctant to impose any additional regulations on the sector.

However, this legislation will be welcomed by the retrofit sector. After the past few years retrofitting has suffered due to a reduction in grants and government support and frequent changes in legislation.

John Alker, acting Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council, gave the new measures high praise: “This could be the single most significant piece of legislation to affect our existing building stock in a generation, affecting a huge swathe of rented properties.”

Whilst concerns have been raised that the MEPS legislation could further inflate rental prices, landlords will have three years to prepare for the regulation to come into practice.

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