RICS advises members on government plans for energy efficiency regulations

The Westminster government recently announced that it would not be possible to let residential or commercial properties with an EPC lower than an E from 2018 in England and Wales.

RICS has been keeping a watching brief on this issue and wishes to alert members that this issue was finally debated last week at the House of Commons Committee stage by Greg Barker, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, where more detail has appeared and it has now passed into the Energy Security Bill.

The relevant part of the Bill has two stages, the first from April 2016, will make it illegal for landlords to refuse tenants requests to make energy efficiency improvements (if landlords object it will go to a tribunal for adjudication) and secondly, from April 2018, will not allow landlords to let property with an F or G rating.

Obviously, this development is of great concern to RICS and they are carefully monitoring the situation. A project team, comprising of both staff and members has been formed and they will continue to monitor the situation and see what input the Institution can make.