UK Government Plan to Force Home Improvements

Thu 12 Apr 2012

Landlords wanting to replace broken boilers in their rental properties are set to be forced by law to install other, unrelated energy-efficient measures.

Government plans for ‘consequential improvements’, as reported in the EAT today, could have far reaching cost implications for landlords. The essence of the idea is that one improvement project could not be undertaken without the property owner having to commit to other work elsewhere in the home.

An example would be perhaps anyone wanting to add an extension or convert a loft might have to upgrade existing windows in other parts of the property to double glazing.

All consequential improvements would have to be done to full Building Regulations standards, although it is not clear whether in an emergency – for example, replacing a boiler – consequential works would have to be done at the same or could be done later.

If it is decided that consequential work must be done at the same time, it could mean delays for tenants left without hot water or heating.

Under Chapter 4 of a consultation on Building Regulations, the Government is proposing to extend the requirements for ‘consequential improvements’.

This is the term that would trigger a requirement for extra energy efficiency works in a building where other ‘controlled work’ is already taking place.

The consultation says: “The reason for proposing these changes now is to recognise the urgency of reducing emissions from the existing building stock, and, in a time of rising energy prices, to make homes and non-domestic buildings easier and cheaper to heat. It would also take advantage of a new market mechanism which has the potential to remove some of the existing barriers to action – the Green Deal.”

The paper goes on to say that the objective is to ‘use the opportunity’ to get the overall energy performance of the building improved whilst other works are being carried out.

The Government plans to phrase in the requirement for ‘consequential improvements’ from April 2014.

The consultation on ‘consequential improvements’ closed at the end of March and the outcome will not be known for some months.

The private rented sector already faces the challenges being posed by new-look EPCs, introduced last week, and the Green Deal, which is due to be implemented this autumn. In 2018, rental properties with the two lowest EPC scores are due to be banned from the market, meaning that landlords must have improved them by then.

Paula Cunningham

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/paula-cunningham/37/6b1/430

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