The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (‘the 2015 Regulations’) established the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in the residential private rented sector. Since 1 April 2018 it has been unlawful for a landlord in England or Wales to enter into a new letting (or extend or renew an existing letting) of a residential property with an F or G energy efficiency rating unless an exemption has been registered.
The 2015 Regulations were amended in 2019 by The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 which imposed a requirement on landlords to contribute to the cost of improving their sub-standard property (F or G rating) up to the value of £3,500 (inclusive of VAT) unless an exemption could be sought.
Extending MEES From April 2020
From 1 April 2020, all existing tenancies are now caught by the Act, and it will be unlawful for landlords to rent out homes that are required to have an energy efficiency rating of F or G unless an exemption has been registered.
Landlords who let F or G-rated properties without having registered a valid exemption will be liable to financial penalties of up to £4,000 as well as “publication penalties”. A publication penalty means that the local authority will publish details of the landlord’s breach on a publicly accessible part of the National PRS Exemptions Register.
By now, landlords should have taken steps to ensure that their properties are up to standard or, alternatively, have claimed an exemption. Detailed information can be found on the gov.uk website, here.