Global | Publication | February 2018
In our November Focus we looked at new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) when letting domestic and commercial premises in England and Wales.
A landlord cannot grant a lease or tenancy of “sub-standard” premises on or after 1st April 2018. Sub-standard domestic properties that are already let must comply from 1st April 2020 and commercial from 1st April 2023. A recent report claims that nearly one-fifth of properties in the private rented sector are sub-standard.
A “sub-standard” property is a property that does not achieve an “E” Energy Efficiency Certificate (EPC) rating or higher. But landlords need to prepare for the fact that this is likely to change - and soon.
The government’s Clean Growth Strategy published towards the end of 2017 proposed a consultation on raising the current “E” minimum standard for the commercial private rented sector.
The bar is also to be raised on the domestic front. Improvements to bring a domestic property to the “E” minimum standard are currently only required if they are at “no cost” to the landlord, for example because government funding is available. However the government is consulting on replacing the “no cost” rule with a capped financial contribution. With a cost cap, domestic landlords would need to invest in improvements to a sub-standard property up to the value of the cap, the recommended cap being £2500 per property.
A response to the consultation is expected in spring 2018, with the cost cap expected to come into force in April 2019.
For further information please contact Sian Skerratt-Williams or your usual contact at Norton Rose Fulbright.
Publication
On 15 November 2024 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published Primary Market Bulletin 52 (PMB 52) covering three areas as summarised briefly below. We will also be producing a more detailed briefing on PMB 52 in due course.
Publication
In this edition we look at the new legislation coming into force setting out the detail around High Street Rental Auctions, the eagerly awaited consultation on the reform of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, and the introduction of the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, creating a consistent approach to delivering net zero carbon buildings.
Publication
The Court of Appeal has overturned a 2023 High Court decision in Manolete v White [2024], ruling that courts cannot issue injunctions requiring members to draw down their occupational pensions to make them available to judgment creditors.
Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest legal news, information and events . . .
© Norton Rose Fulbright LLP 2023