WHAT IS THE MINIMUM STANDARD?

Current regulations stipulate a minimum energy efficiency rating of E, so F and G ratings are a fail.....if it was only that simple?

Yes, an F or G rated EPC would make a rental property unsuitable and no new lease should be created until the rating can be improved by implementation of some or all of the EPC recommendations. However landlords can claim qualifying exemptions and once these are registered to the Exemptions website then an F or G rated EPC may well be acceptable and a lease could then be created.

Since the inception of the Private Rental Sector (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) Regulations, there have been whispered conversations, then open discussions, and more recently loud proclamation that Government intend to raise the current Minimum Standard. When and to what may still be subject to debate and decision, but be in no doubt it will be raised. Not only are the UK Government supporters of initiatives such as the Paris Climate Change Accord, but our economic security and a place at the top table of international governance demand that we set an example that other nations can follow.

As a nation we have much old building stock that falls well short of  modern expectations. Energy waste through energy inefficient buildings is a significant waste of our national resources and wealth. So, whilst new technologies and usage efficiencies play an important role in reducing energy waste, so too must we address the shortcomings in our old building stock. EPC's form a cornerstone to this effort, informing building owners in a simplistic way of the performance of their property and quantifying measures that can be implemented and the savings achieved from often quite simple upgrades and refurbishment.