Change of law means you won't be able to rent a property unless it meets this minimum energy rating

Minimum energy performance ratings for homes

From April 1 2018, there will be a requirement for any privately rented properties to have a minimum energy performance rating of E.

The government has announced it will be illegal to rent out a property which doesn't meet this minumum rating.

A fine of up to £4,000 will be imposed for landlords who do - meaning properties which fall in the F or G category will no longer be rentable and will need to be fixed up with improved insulation, double glazing, more efficient heating, etc, in order to boost its rating.

According to the Residential Landlords Association:

The regulations will come into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018 and for all existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. It will be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement for a minimum E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption.

For most landlords this will mean that they will no longer be able to rent out a property with a rating of F or G after April 1st 2018. As such landlords with properties in this EPC bracket should begin preparing now for April 1st. However, there are several nuances and exceptions.

Exemptions

These buildings are excluded from the requirements:

Buildings officially protected as part of a designated environment or because of their special architectural historical merit, where requirements with certain energy efficiency requirements would unacceptably alter their character or appearance. This includes some listed buildings.

Residential buildings intended to be used less than four months of the year

Temporary buildings set to be used for less than two years.

Standalone buildings with a total usable floor area of less than 50 square meters