WINTER 2022 PROPERTY Government is providing 6.3m to help landlords improve the energy efficiency of the worst-performing homes in the private rented sector MEES-Y LIVING Since April 2020, privately rented homes in England and Wales have been required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band E. Landlords can no longer let or continue to let properties if the EPC rating is below E unless they have a valid exemption in place. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is providing 6.3m to local authorities across England and Wales, including several in the West Midlands, to help improve compliance with the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regulations. The project is targeting the worst-performing private rented homes, with the ultimate aim of improving their energy efficiency to tackle fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions produced by the domestic housing sector. The funding is being managed by the Midlands Net Zero Hub. In a previous round of the scheme, 59 local authorities were supported, and a further 26 will receive funding in this second round of the Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (PRS MEES) Compliance and Enforcement Competition. The funding will help local authorities raise awareness among landlords of the MEES Regulations, and increase resources to identify non-compliant landlords. Local authorities will engage and explain the requirements, and advise on grant-funding schemes that may help towards the costs of becoming compliant. A variety of schemes are available that landlords may be able to take advantage of to improve the energy efficiency of their rented properties. While a financial penalty of up to 5,000 can be imposed on landlords for non-compliance, the primary focus of the local authorities involved in the project is to support them to achieve compliance; enforcement will be a last resort. Credit: Frances Darling, head of business and consumer protection, Homes & Communities, Place Directorate, Shropshire Council Image: iStock / Maria Voronovich / Angelina Bambina Further advice for landlords on the PRS MEES can be found on GOV.UK or from the Private Rented Sector Teams based in local authorities. Further information on the PRS MEES Compliance and Enforcement Competition is available from the Midlands Net Zero Hub. Letting agents in the sights of new CEnTSA compliance project Letting agents that fail to protect tenants and landlords money could face fines of up to 30,000 when 14 trading standards authorities across the West Midlands embark on a project to look at compliance with these legal protections. The Central England Trading Standards Authorities group (CEnTSA) has won funding for a project to check how compliant letting agents are in the region. It will work jointly with housing officers in the local authority areas, including district councils in two-tier areas, with support from the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agents Team. Since April 2019, letting agents have been required by law to belong to an approved Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme to ensure tenant and/ or landlord money is protected should the business fail. In the West Midlands, hundreds of letting agents handle client money every day, so any significant level of non-compliance with the law could leave considerable sums at risk. not adhering to these requirements. Significant non-compliances resulted in fines of up to 30,000 being issued. Letting agents are also required to belong to an approved redress scheme, and to publish their CMP certificate and other important information on their websites and in their offices. If you require further information, please contact your local Trading Standards service. A similar project to check compliance began in London in 2020 and found hundreds of letting agents were For further information, please contact your local Trading Standards Service For up-to-date news stories and information, follow us on Officers in the West Midlands gave notice of this project in July so businesses could check that they are taking the necessary steps and that they are compliant. Anonymous Hotline 0300 303 2636 Is your sector being undermined by unscrupulous traders operating outside the law? Report them via Trading Standards Anonymous Hotline or online and help level the playing field for honest businesses.