Landlords in England and Wales are under a legal duty to ensure that all the properties they let comply with the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES). It is important that this becomes an ongoing process for your entire property portfolio no matter how many properties you manage. Compliance is a dynamic process and you will need to take different steps at different times during the life of your portfolio.
Failure to plan ahead to ensure you properties remain lettable can result in significant financial losses and delays when tenants change. We always recommend preparing for changes as soon as possible to ensure that any necessary improvements can be planned and budgeted for in advance. Many improvements are easier to complete when properties become empty as part of the natural rental cycle, others may require seeking third party consents which can take some time.
We have prepared the flowchart below to help explain the requirements of the regulations. We are always happy to discuss requirements specific to individual portfolios and other measures you can take to ensure your portfolio remains profitable.