Warm Homes for Happy Tenants - a simple guide for Landlords

Warm Homes for Happy Tenants

Community Energy Plus is committed to helping householders in Cornwall enjoy warmer, more energy efficient homes. One in five households in Cornwall live in privately rented accommodation, and so we’re working to promote the advantages of energy efficient housing to landlords so that they can enjoy the benefits of owning properties which more successfully attract and retain tenants.

This simple guide explains the legal responsibilities for landlords relating to the energy efficiency of their properties, along with details of the schemes and services to make improvements.

Energy Performance Certificates

You are required to provide a copy of a valid Energy Performance Certificate whenever you market a property or rent it out to a new tenant. Fines between £200 - £500 can be levied for not doing so

Energy Performance Certificates must be produced by an accredited assessor. You can find your nearest assessor through this website: www.gov.uk

/find-an-energy-assessor

Certificates are valid for 10 years and provide tenants with an indication of the energy efficiency of the property and potential cost to heat and run.

Your property is rated A to G, with A representing the most efficient and G the most inefficient.

Your certificate will also make recommendations on measures to improve the overall rating. EPCs are enforced by Trading Standards.

Historic Buildings

It is often a misconception that landlords of listed buildings or those in conservation areas don’t need EPCs and don’t need to make energy efficiency upgrades. This is not true.

A landlord can make energy upgrades to listed buildings as long as those changes do not ‘unacceptably alter their character or appearance’. It is always advised to get the opinion of a Conservation or Listed Buildings Officer before carrying out any work on a listed or historic building.

We can provide further advice on energy efficiency changes that can be made to historic buildings.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)

Under changes to legislation made in 2018, landlords owning properties with EPCs rated at ‘F or G’ or below are now legally required to install measures to obtain an ‘E’ rating or they will not be allowed to continue letting their property.

There is a cap on the amount a landlord has to spend in order to improve the rating of the property. After this amount is spent an exemption can be applied for. Exemptions can also be lodged for other reasons and we can advise on this.

We have a dedicated Landlord and Tenant Adviser who is a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor so can carry out EPC modelling for landlords and produce reports with recommendations on how to improve EPC scores. Contact nicole@cep.org.uk for more information.

Warm Homes for Happy Tenants

Tenants' rights

Private tenants can seek advice from their local authority if they are concerned that their property fails to meet certain standards, including heating and insulation. Under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, local authorities have the power to require landlords to install energy efficient heating and loft and cavity wall insulation.

Since 2016, landlords are not able to refuse any reasonable request by tenants to make energy efficiency improvements to their properties, where financial support such as the Energy Company Obligation is available.

Improving the energy efficiency of a property should increase its appeal within the rental market. Certain measures can also help maintain the building fabric and guard against major repair costs.

Supporting landlords and tenants

Living in a property that is expensive or hard to keep warm can be a real point of tension between tenants and their landlords.

Community Energy Plus is here to support all parties and work out ways to improve access to affordable warmth. We believe that a warm tenant will be a happier tenant!

Other local expert sources of further help and support are available: The Cornwall Responsible Landlords Scheme

www.cornwall.gov.uk/housing/ private-housing/cornwallresponsible-landlord-scheme

Cornwall Council's scheme to provide support and encouragement for landlords and letting agents to provide safe, well managed and good quality accommodation. The scheme also keeps you up to date with what the law requires

Cornwall Residential Landlords Association

www.crla.org.uk

A membership association representing, assisting and informing landlords with properties in Cornwall.

Grant Funding

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO)

ECO funding is available in some circumstances to help with the installation of new heating systems and insulation. The level of funding available depends on the tenants’ income and circumstances We can provide advice on options and access to grant funding.

The Home Upgrade Grant

Run by Cornwall Council in conjunction with OVO Energy, Home Upgrade Grants can fund insulation and heating upgrades to properties in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Homeowners will be fully funded, but landlords will have to contribute a third towards the costs.

In order for a landlord to qualify for the Home Upgrade Grant, the property must be compliant with the MEES, that is, have an EPC E rating or a valid exemption before making an application.

Boiler Servicing

Mains gas and LPG heating systems must legally be serviced every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This keeps boilers operating efficiently and helps pick up minor repairs before they become major problems. A copy of the Gas Safety Certificate issued by the engineer should be provided for the tenant within 28 days of the system check or when let to a new tenant. The landlord should keep a copy of the certificate for two years.

Insulation

Loft and cavity wall insulation can help reduce heat losses from a property by 25% and 35% respectively.

For further help and advice, including grant funding application forms, contact Nicole on 01872 308930 or email nicole@cep.org.uk

Properties with solid stone or brick walls can lose up to a third of their heat through the walls; either internal or external solid wall insulation should be considered

By installing insulation, your tenants will benefit from a warmer property which is less prone to condensation and mould, with reduced heating bills.

Warm Homes for Happy Tenants

Damp, Mould and Condensation

More than three quarters of private sector housing complaints received by Cornwall Council relate to damp and mould.

Landlords are responsible for resolving damp issues where it is caused by a structural defect, leak or lack of damp proofing or where inadequate insulation, heating or ventilation results in condensation.

Where it is the result of the lifestyle of the tenant, advice and support can help improve health and housing conditions and reduce the potential for mould growth to be a reoccurring problem.

When advice to tenants is accompanied by improvements to heating and insulation, the overall building fabric will benefit, and potential property value and rental quality enhanced.

Smart Prepayment Meters

As part of the national roll-out upgrading all electricity and gas meters, smart prepayment meters are now available. Contact your energy supplier to discuss availability.

With a smart prepay meter, it's easier to see what remaining credit is left on the meter via the in-home display Adding credit is much more convenient and can be done online or via a smart phone.

For consumers with accessibility issues, an Accessible In Home Display is also available.

To protect your tenants from the potentially lethal effects of carbon monoxide poisoning, you should install a carbon monoxide alarm in every room that has a fuel burning appliance, including open fireplaces.

Renewable Energy

If you're If you're thinking of installing renewable energy systems into your property, there is funding available:

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Grants are now available for renewable energy systems of £5,000 for air source heat pumps and biomass boilers; and £6,000 towards ground source heat pumps.

The grant is arranged via an installer accredited to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). A list of installers can be found here: www.mcscertified.com /find-an-installer/

To qualify, the boiler system must be replacing fossil fuel or electric heating. The property must have an EPC with no recommendation for loft or cavity wall insulation, unless an exemption from insulation requirements can be provided

Solar Panel subsidies

The feed-in-tariff, which used to be the main route for subsidising Solar PV, has now finished. There is now a Smart Export Guarantee scheme where customers receive a payback when selling electricity back to the grid.

For more information, visit:

www.theecoexperts.co.uk

/solar-panels

/smart-export-guarantee

It is necessary to have a smart meter installed to take part and the solar installation must be carried out by an MCS installer. It also provides a payback from electricity generated from hydro, wind, micro combined heat and power, or anaerobic digestion. The following electricity companies are taking part in this scheme:

British Gas

E (Gas & Electricity)

E.ON

EDF

Octopus Energy

OVO Energy

Scottish Power

Shell Energy

So Energy

The Utility Warehouse

Utilita

Pozitive Energy

Rebel Energy

50% of electricity generated by solar PV is used in the property

Cornwall

Freephone 0800 954 1956 advice@cep.org.uk www.cep.org.uk

Community Energy Plus 35 River Street, Truro, TR1 2SJ

Registered charity: 1068990

August 2023 Community Energy Plus

*The information in this guide is correct at the date of publishing, however some details and funding opportunities are subject to change. Visit our website for the latest guidance.