Charles Holt (Lincoln)

It is widely expected that the Renters Reform Bill will be enacted later this year.  It has made painfully slow progress through the law-making process, because it is so politically charged, and because the issues are so complex.

Essentially, if you squeeze landlords (whether private, public or commercial) too hard, they will exit the sector.  This will only exacerbate the dire shortage of rental properties which exists in many areas.

One of the most difficult issues is the matter of EPCs.  While we would all love to have all our properties that we inhabit in EPC level A – C, plainly the cost to get there is prohibitive.  More importantly, the detailed route to get there is frequently tortuous.  Many farmers and landowners rent out residential property, and the question many of them face is – can I afford to improve mine to a ‘C’ or not?

This is particularly the case now, when the metric may well be tweaked or changed soon.  Or the rules changed fundamentally.  Or the methodology around the analysis of EPCs changed.  This is – unsurprisingly – leading to a waiting game.  Don’t do anything until you are forced to.

In the recent past, there have been grants for improving EPCs.  But these are fraught with danger (as I have experienced personally) and must be treated with a huge amount of caution.  There are some nasty bear traps. 

How often do we see a dramatic change in policy up-skittle everything?  In agriculture, very frequently, of course.  Meanwhile, rents carry on rising, residential landlords become more nervous, and the tenant population more desperate.   

So, with regard to EPCs, sit on your hands and hope for little change on the current regime.

For all matters property management, contact Charles at charlesholt@fcgagric.com  your local FCG Office.