CLAIM: EPC compliance ‘not being policed by councils’

Just three of the country’s local councils have prosecuted landlords for breaches of EPC rules.

Reapit's Commercial Director Dr Neil Cobbold in front of EPC

Ed Miliband’s net zero drive is being undermined by a lack of EPC compliance enforcement action by councils, according to Reapit’s Commercial Director Dr Neil Cobbold (pictured).

Reapit sent Freedom of Information requests to some of the country’s biggest councils, including Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton, Birmingham, Leeds and Bristol, asking how many rogue landlords were fined for not complying with current EPC rules.

It revealed that only 147 fines were issued by Liverpool, Bristol and Newham.

Not proactive

When the Councils were asked how many PRS properties were currently exempt from Minimum Energy Efficiency Regulations – only 325 were known, with the majority of councils unable to say how many there were in their area.

The funding for enforcement also seemed to be lacking, with one council admitting to operating “an intelligence-led approach,” relying on complaints rather than proactive investigations.

As a result, local Trading Standards is “not proactively undertaking exercises in relation to this issue.”

Cobbold commented: “Millions of landlords across the UK provide high-quality properties, but we all know there are a small minority of rogue landlords who undermine the sector.

Councils are sending the wrong message to landlords who abide by the law.”

“By failing to investigate bad landlords who can’t provide a simple valid EPC certificate when a property is rented, councils are sending the wrong message to landlords who abide by the law.

“The inability to provide basic paperwork can point to wider issues with the property. Lack of enforcement means unscrupulous landlords can continue to offer substandard properties without fear of getting caught.”

“Widespread failure to enforce current EPC regulations also brings into question the government’s EPC C deadline, announced by the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband earlier this year.”

“We estimate that over the next five years, landlords are being asked to collectively pay £24bn to upgrade their properties to an EPC C by 2030. But what is the incentive for landlords when the risk of being caught is so low and the cost so very high?”


One Comment

  1. Councils should know that once they start prosecutions, homelessness will increase at an incredible rate. Apart from being a landlord, what other business is forced to spend money on measures to benefit their customers without any benefit for the business. Millipede needs to wind his neck in and smell the coffee.

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