Landlords unaware of efficiency requirements

A substantial number of landlords in the UK property market are unaware of new energy efficiency requirements, leaving them exposed to the threat of legal action.

According to buy-to-let investment specialist Paragon, 55 per cent of landlords do not know that they will be legally required to provide prospective tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate from October 1st.

Failure to comply with the regulations could result in a £200 fine and prevent the landlord from marketing a property, resulting in unnecessary void periods.

"Landlords need to ensure they are ready for October 1st, otherwise they could find they cannot market their property for let," said John Heron, Paragon Mortgages’ managing director.

"Burying your head in the sand is not an option."

Paragon research also reveals landlords are unaware of the financial help available to improve a property’s energy performance.

Some 86 per cent of those landlords questioned admitted they had not heard of the Landlord Energy Saving Allowance (LESA).

The LESA is a tax allowance that lets landlords claim up to £1,500 on their tax return against the cost of buying and installing energy saving items, such as cavity insulation.

"Making sure you have an EPC in place early will reduce the threat of void periods, as well as avoiding the possibility of an expensive fine," added Mr Heron.

"The government has targeted domestic energy use as a way of reducing carbon emissions and landlords have to play their part."

Domestic property is presently responsible for around 27 per cent of carbon emissions in the UK, according to the Royal Commission for Environmental Pollution.

Chris O'Toole