A new report from The National Landlords Association, claims that landlords calling its advice line are questioning the need for the Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) labeling them ‘useless’. Now Rick Flay, a leading lettings agent in Sheffield offers his opinions on the issue……
Considered ‘a waste of time’ by both tenants and landlord, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required by law on most tenancies in England and Wales which began on or after October 2008, but this new report shows that its findings are being ignored.
Rick Flay, Director at Belvoir letting agents in Sheffield, said: “An EPC details the energy efficiency of a property, giving a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’, with ‘A’ being the most efficient. In real terms, about one in every 1000 tenant’s requests to see the accompanying EPC and in my opinion, very few tenants even know what the certificate is or what it demonstrates.”
This viewpoint was supported by The National Landlords Association, who agreed that: “EPCs are often at the bottom of tenants’ lists of requirements, if there at all. Many tenants are unaware of the law, and even if a property receives a low grade, it does not seem to affect whether a tenant will want to live in a property. “
With the average property receiving a grade ‘D’ for energy efficiency, which is at the lower end of the scale, tenants are not being put off by properties which are under performing in the energy efficiency stakes.
Rick, whose office on Campo Lane specialises in property to rent in Sheffield, added: “I can see where the negative views surrounding the EPC are coming from, and this not helped by the fact that there is no ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ in the grading process. If the EPC is to be taken seriously, maybe there should be a ‘pass’ and ‘fail’ system in place, where properties which do not make the grade can not be used as buy-to-let properties. Alternatively, work has to be done to bring them up to standard, but this would unfairly hinder and penalize landlords.
“Many of the landlords that are encountered by Belvoir Sheffield feel that the EPC is just another way of taxing the residential landlord, and I think because they add no real value to the landlord or tenant, they should be scrapped.”
Belvoir Lettings Agency Sheffield is the One Stop Specialists for Lettings including Property Management, Tenant Find, Investment and Wealth Management Advice, Fit-outs and Renovations, Furniture Packs and Investment Property Insurances
