Major London council cracks down on landlord EPC rule breaches

Cabinet Member warns landlords who illegally rent homes rated EPC band F or G that they face penalties of up to £5,000.

Wandsworth Council is cracking down on cold and inefficient private rentals, with more than 550 properties in the borough estimated to be below the minimum legal energy efficiency threshold.

Its focus is on the lowest-rated homes, EPC band F or G, which, under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Regulations, are illegal to let. Any landlords found breaking the rules face financial penalties of up to £5,000, and they can also be publicly named in serious cases.

Since the crackdown began, officers have contacted more than 150 landlords to begin compliance checks. So far, they have now issued five financial penalties and recorded a “marked increase” in owners improving their properties.

The council says one Battersea home, which was let with a G rating, resulted in a £4,000 penalty after managing agents argued upgrades were the tenant’s responsibility.

In another case, a Balham landlord was given the maximum £5,000 fine after they failed to respond to a compliance notice or complete the required works.

No one should be renting a property that fails to meet even the basic legal standards for energy efficiency.”

According to Aydin Dikerdem (pictured), Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, “Our enforcement work is already making a real difference for residents who have been living in cold, inefficient homes for far too long. No one should be renting a property that fails to meet even the basic legal standards for energy efficiency.

“By taking firm action against non-compliant landlords, we’re not only improving living conditions for tenants but also helping to cut carbon emissions across the borough.”