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Are you ready? Countdown to extension of energy efficiency rating minimum from 1 April 2020

29/01/2020

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Sharon Stark , Senior Associate

1 April 2020 is an important date for the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards Regulations ("MEES") 2015.

Since 1 April 2015, it has been unlawful for landlords of residential properties to grant a new lease or grant a renewal lease to an existing tenant on or after 1 April 2018 with an energy efficiency rating on an Energy Performance Certificate of less than "E".

From 1 April 2020, it will be unlawful for a residential property to be let if it has an energy efficiency rating of less than "E" even if the tenancy commenced before 1 April 2018 and there has been no new lease or renewal lease since.

Landlords therefore have until 1 April 2020 to improve the energy efficiency rating of their tenanted residential property (or register an exemption) to avoid breaching MEES. Compliance with MEES must be checked on purchases of all tenanted residential properties bearing in mind the extended compliance requirement from 1 April 2020.

Started before 1 April 2018 and runs until at least 1 April 2020: You have until 1 April 2020 to improve the property rating to E, or register an exemption, if you want to continue to let it; Started before 1 April 2018, but you plan to enter a new tenancy (with a new or existing tenant) before 1 April 2020: You need to improve the property rating to E, or register an exemption, before you enter into the new tenancy or renew an existing tenancy; Started on or after 1 April 2018: If you haven’t already taken action, you must improve the property’s rating to E immediately, or register an exemption

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance