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21.02.2020
For decades, fossil fuel boilers have been the heating system of choice in British homes. It is estimated that eight out of ten homes currently rely on gas, with most users viewing it as a clean, reliable, safe and cost-effective form of central heating. The remaining users opting for heating oil which is viewed as cleaner than […]
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03.02.2020
Regulations introducing new electrical safety check rules in the private rented sector in England are expected to come into force later this year in a bid to improve safety for tenants. The new rules, likely to become a legal requirement from this summer, mean landlords – including estates and farm businesses with let residential property […]
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18.12.2019
Condensation is a common problem in older houses and it can get worse over the Christmas period when more people in the home, can mean extra showers, washing and cooking. The signs of condensation are obvious – water running down windows and walls, damp patches, peeling wallpaper and mildew – with common problem areas including […]
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11.12.2019
The rules that landlords with let residential property are required to meet under Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations are set to tighten within the next few months. From 1 April 2020, the requirement for let homes to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of E or above will apply to existing residential tenancies, […]
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24.06.2019
New technologies are emerging which offer home owners significant energy performance improvements at an affordable price Growing public awareness about the need to tackle climate change, along with the recent introduction of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations, is focusing people’s minds on the energy performance of residential property. MEES regulations prevent landlords from […]
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09.04.2019
Rural businesses with let residential property will be affected by new rules which came into force on 1 April, requiring landlords to spend up to £3,500 per property on energy efficiency upgrades. Since the introduction of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations on 1 April 2018, landlords have been prevented from granting a lease to […]
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07.03.2019
There has been a flurry of new regulations affecting private residential landlords over the past couple of years, as part of the government’s ongoing drive to raise standards for tenants. The latest of these is the proposed introduction of five-yearly mandatory checks for electrical installations by suitably qualified inspectors. The new rules will apply to […]
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25.02.2019
The introduction of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations has had a noticeable impact on rural businesses with let residential portfolios. Landlords are prevented from granting a lease to a new tenant or renewing the tenancy of an existing tenant on properties with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of an F or G rating, […]
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14.02.2019
The Tenant Fees Act will come into force on 1 June 2019, having received Royal Assent on the 12th February 2019. At a glance: Most fees charged by landlords and their agents to tenants will be banned, apart from a number of ‘permitted payments’. The ban will apply from 1 June 2019 for new and […]
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13.11.2018
Rural businesses in England and Wales with let residential property will need to prepare for the introduction of new rules requiring them to spend £3,500 per property to pay for energy efficiency upgrades. Since the introduction of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations on 1 April 2018, landlords have been prevented from granting a lease […]
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03.09.2018
Rural landlords are being urged to check whether they are fulfilling their responsibilities when it comes to fire safety. Many farm and estate owners rent houses to employees and other local residents, or have diversified into holiday cottages and commercial workspace and it can be hard for landlords to get clarity about their responsibilities on […]
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26.04.2018
There has been a lot of confusion about the MEES, listed buildings and Energy Performance Certificates. England and Wales Current guidance on EPCs for listed buildings states : ‘an EPC is not currently required for a listed property or building within a conservation area when it is sold or rented in so far as compliance […]
