Are Derby Tenants Spiralling Energy Bills About to Become a Landlords' Problem?
As gas and electric bills rocket for Derby tenants, landlords who do not start to make energy efficiency upgrades could face lengthy void periods and may even have to discount their rents, whilst those Derby landlords with highly energy efficient rental properties could justify charging a premium..
As gas and electric bills increase for Derby tenants, those landlords who do not start to make energy efficiency upgrades could face lengthy void periods and will have to discount their rents as tenants seek more energy efficient accommodation. This is irrespective of the Government's plans to change the rules on renting properties with low Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings.
Until six months ago, out of the thousands of tenants that we have shown around Derby properties in all my years as an agent, I can count the number of tenants who have requested to see the EPC of the rental property on the one hand. Now, it’s often the first question tenants ask.
The better the EPC rating, the lower the gas and electric bills.
Derby tenants are leaving their poor EPC-rated properties which are too expensive to run and moving into higher-rated EPC rental properties.
The average heating bill for the 17,500 or so Derby tenants will rise from around £73.00 per month to around £189.00 per month.
On top of that, their hot water bill will rise by around £31.00 per month and lighting by £22.00 per month. This means, on average, each Derby tenant will have to find an extra £169.00 per month for their gas and electric bills.
To give you an idea of the extent of the money being spent by Derby tenants on heating alone, ignoring hot water or lighting, last year it was estimated to be around £15,250,000, and by 2023, it will be £39,700,000 a year.
Yet these stats don’t tell the whole story.
It is a legal requirement for every rented property to have an EPC which rates a property on its energy performance, like those washing machine or fridge ratings, albeit for a property. A is the best rating, and G is the worst.
Whilst the law states property cannot be rented with an EPC rating lower than an E in England and Wales, there are exceptions to this, meaning Derby rental properties are still being let legally with an F and G rating. Although legislation for a minimum E rating EPC requirement in Scotland was scheduled in 2020, it never passed through the Scottish Parliament because of the pandemic.
Let me show you the average saving in energy bills between the EPC rating of an average Derby rental property.
· A property with a D rating will cost £38.50 more per month than a C-rated property
· A property with an E rating will cost £67.66 more per month than a D-rated property
· A property with an F rating will cost £97.16 more per month than an E-rated property
Both Westminster and Holyrood governments now propose introducing a minimum EPC of band C for all new tenancies from 2025 and 2028 for existing tenancies.
Irrespective of this new potential legislation, those Derby landlords with low EPC ratings will now need to seriously consider making those energy efficiency upgrades to ensure their Derby rental properties continue to appeal to tenants.
We can see Derby rental property’s energy efficiency ratings filtering into rental prices over the winter months.
Derby rental properties with low EPC ratings will probably rent for between 4% to 10% less than higher energy proficient properties.
This means Derby landlords could have to accept between £35.00 and £80.00 per month less for an average Derby property with a low EPC rating compared to a high-rated EPC rental property.
Any Derby rental property with a lower EPC rating will also take longer to find a tenant, especially during the winter. This means some Derby landlords will have the prospect of void periods early next year.
We have seen more Derby rental properties coming onto the market in July and August, so if this trend continues, this will give Derby tenants much more choice. With the increased supply of rental properties, I certainly believe some tenants could decide to offer less on Derby rental properties with low EPC ratings.
So, what are the options?
Our team are experienced in reading EPC reports and aware of the most cost-effective way to improve the EPC rating of your Derby rental property. Irrespective of whether you are a landlord client of my agency, another Derby lettings agency, or you even manage your property yourself – feel free to drop us a message using the form on this page, or, I will find your EPC on my database and give you 5/10 minutes of our time, over the phone, at no charge, to guide you on the best options.
What do you have to lose? Call Simon on 07977 235545