The Minimum Energy Efficient Standards (MEES) Regulations
2015 establish a minimum level of energy efficiency for privately rented
property in England and Wales, as required by EA 2011. This means that
landlords of privately-rented domestic and non-domestic property in England or
Wales must not:
·
grant a new tenancy, or extend or renew an
existing tenancy of a privately-rented domestic or non-domestic property on or
after 1 April 2018; or
·
continue to let a privately-rented domestic
property on or after 1 April 2020; or
·
continue to let a non-domestic privately-rented
property on or after 1 April 2023;
if the property does
not reach at least an EPC (ie energy efficiency) rating of ‘E’.
In accordance with the MEES Regulations 2015, since 1 April
2016 a tenant of a privately-rented domestic property has been entitled to ask
for the landlord’s consent to make energy efficiency improvements to that
property notwithstanding restrictions on making improvements in the lease.
Aimed at landlord & tenant practitioners of all levels,
this MEES update will focus solely on the obligations which will be imposed on
landlords from 1 April 2018 and onwards in relation to lettings of domestic and
non-domestic property, as detailed above.